# Tire pressure for best traction on wet pavement?



## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

The forecast calls for rain.

Will decreasing or increasing tire pressure give a person better traction on wet pavement?


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## Andrea138 (Mar 10, 2008)

Yes- 120 psi is not great for hard turns in the rain. I got caught in a surprise shower this morning and almost learned the hard way 

I'd drop it to 100 or so (the lower you go, the more you have to watch out for bumps & things that could cause pinch flats).


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## f1oored (Jan 16, 2005)

Decreasing the pressure will help. Typically I just run the same pressure and take the turns with a little less gusto. I run about 110 all the time. Are you racing in the rain or is it just a training ride?


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## Eric_H (Feb 5, 2004)

*Tire choice as well*

Two things will help with wet weather cornering.

1) Lower tire pressure = larger contact patch. If it is really wet and technical (which at my old age I try to avoid), I will use 95 PSI in the rear and 90 PSI in the front for 700x23 clinchers. I weigh 165-170 lbs depending on the time of year.

2) Tire choice. Tires that have a higher "carbon black" content will do better in the wet. Tires that have silica-enhanced compounds and non-black colors will do worse. The more silica content the less wet road adhesion. Don't be fooled by tread patterns that claim to remove water as the contact patch on a bicyle tire is so small that tread has no effect (unlike a car tire). My choice for wet weather is the Vredestein Fortezza in all black. The Vittoria Open CX in all black is a good choice, but they are more vulnerable to flats. Also, the Panaracers seem to have better-than-average wet weather adhesion. I never find Michelin to be great in the wet, but I have not tried the Pro Grip model. Continental are also a little suspect in the wet, plus a Conti tire tends to be a little less round in section compared to a Vred or Vittoria (Conti is a little U-shaped).


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## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

My Specialized all condition pros do well in the slop. I decrease the pressure to about 110 (usually run about 120).


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

I think the #1 thing is to pick the right line at the right speed. Think about crosswalk stripes, puddles, asphalt vs concrete texture, decorative brick walkways across the road, tar patches, the middle of the lane vs the tire tracks... all these things will have significantly different traction. 

Sure, on a particular surface the tires will make a difference, but it's a bigger difference between surfaces.

Watch this vid for an example:







Those guys, their problem was not tire selection or tire pressure. It was taking that corner as fast as the concrete will hold, but faster than the bricks will hold.


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

One guy's problem was hitting the front break when the back wheel was sliding.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

Creakyknees said:


> I think the #1 thing is to pick the right line at the right speed. Think about crosswalk stripes, puddles, asphalt vs concrete texture, decorative brick walkways across the road, tar patches, the middle of the lane vs the tire tracks... all these things will have significantly different traction.


Amen- and leaves, dirt, sand, or anything else loose that may get between road and the tires, at which point the traction of the tire becomes only as good as the traction between the detritus and the wet road.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

pretender said:


> One guy's problem was hitting the front break when the back wheel was sliding.


yeah, that was hilarious. uhhh let go of the brake dood.


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## The Sundance Kid (Oct 2, 2007)

Tire pressure depends in large part on how big you are. I drop mine from 100 down to 85 or 90, but I only weigh 135 lbs.


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## messyparrot (Sep 17, 2007)

Watching that video was painful <ouchy>!

The one guy made it around the corner only to wipe out on the straight. 

Lots of skin left behind that day.


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