If treaded tires have more grip than tires with less tread, why are racing slicks so grippy?
In: Engineering
They have some downsides. Any water or gravel on the road and your grip is screwed. If the tires are cold your grip is screwed. Perfect asphalt with warm slicks and you’re stuck to the road though!
Treads don’t have more grip in dry conditions. The treads are there to give water somewhere to go (which is why Formula 1 cars go to treads in the rain). Slicks are grippy on dry, clear tracks.
racing slicks are made for dry, flat track surfaces where there’s more rubber contacting the pavement. for normal driving conditions that may include rain or snow, you need tread so the tire will grip better and not ride on a film of water. the grooves on normal tires let the water run through and keeps the tire contacting the road surface.
Treaded tires have more grip *under certain conditions*, as do racing tires.
Flat tires = more surface area = more grip *in dry conditions*.
Treads are there to allow water and stuff to channel away from under the tire, so you aren’t hydroplaning all the time. Same deal with nonslip shoes and stuff, they have less grip on dry floors, but are there to keep you from slipping when wet, like when it rains, or there’s snow.
The rubber slicks are made out of is, if I’m remembering correctly, softer and a more malleable, which also helps they grip to the track better, though may be what contributes to the tires getting eaten up so badly.
Against a smooth, hard surface racing slicks work great. The second they get wet or dirty they’re trash.
The point of tread is to move water, sand, mud, and other debris out from under the tire so it can make good contact with the road.