Quote:
Originally Posted by albertw
It would be great if someone could provide a better explanation of why we're not using bicycle tires on cars since by the basic theory of friction they should produce just as much cornering force.
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The rubber would not work properly over such a vast range. The tyre also has to be operated in it's optimum temperature range for maximum grip. The optimum width for a track tyre isn't always the widest, it is the tyre that can be operated at the right temperature (grip is lower when the rubber is below or above this temp). The rubber chosen also has to maintain grip without excessive shearing due to to high vertical load.
My Caterham on 195/50-15 road tyres is faster for the first 8km of track distance (At Castrol Raceway in Edmonton, which you may well know, being in Alberta) than on the slicks that have an equivalent tread width as 205/50-13 front and 235/45-13 rear tyres.
The RE71-R road tyres hit the optimum temperature for their rubber after about 5km, then give consistent grip for the next 10km or so before getting greasy due to overheating and loosing grip again. The Hoosier slicks take about 10km to get to their optimum grip, but if I have to slow down under a yellow flag, then they have less grip than the road tyres after 1km or so due to being too cool. Those I know in the UK with Caterhams find that too wide a tyre gives no more grip for the same compound, but takes longer to hit optimum temps.
For any given car there will be a point where you can't keep the rubber at the optimum temp for the conditions it is used in and the width of tyre in use. Wider isn't necessarily better for reaching and staying at that optimum point.