Albion 

Dear fellow Bike Forum members, I am usually over on the Classic & Vintage pages but have snuck over here to ask for your advice. Wifey's Trek 2 Dual Sport (photo below) is fitted with Bontrager GR1 Comp 700x40 tires and I'd like to replace them if that would improve grip. The reason for my asking is that she fell off on damp (but not wet) blacktop due to side slip. After the fall I checked the tires, tire pressure, rims, and all seemed fine.

We almost always ride on bike lanes and roads around here in the Phoenix area which are composed of blacktop or smooth concrete, where we can encounter temperatures up to 90F on a ride - it can get a lot hotter than that but we start early. (My own bikes are fitted with Corsa Control 2.0 700x25 tires and are just fine.)

Any suggestions? Price is not a concern, I just want Number One Wife to be safe and enjoy biking with me.

Thanks in advance!

jonathanf2

I run GravelKing SS tires from 32c to 38c. If you're not doing much off-road, the SS tires have a flat center with nice side tread which give adequate traction.

rumrunn6

sorry to hear about her fall. hope she's OK. if you like your tires, why not get her the same?

cyclezen

Sorry to hear of the mishap.
Given the timing of your Post, it was current and during Monsoon season? It may not be the 'tire' which makes a difference. Rain, after long dry periods, mixes with all the accumulation on the road surface, not just oil; fine dust also makes a slick mixture - you prolly know that...
Going down in those conditions makes anyone hesitant... so it will be a challenge to not overcompensate, but make smooth movements when on the wet stuff...
I expect the Bontragers are pretty ok for most conditions...
But, given the tire size you're using on that bike, maybe look at 'Gravel' tires for options?
I googled "best all around gravel bike tires for wet conditions"
and one return was this: https://www.bikeperfect.com/features...vel-bike-tires
There's a real 'feel' for when a tire/bike seems to be losing adhesion... some riders develop that feel, some don;t... and, at some point many/most riders (myself definitely included) hit the deck, despite whatever skill level and feel we might have...
hope she doesn't get too spooked, easy-does-it on re-entry and times does even heal those mental wounds...
buona fortuna
Yuri

Albion 

Hi, thank you very much - I am looking at these.

Albion 

You got me thinking - I had no idea Corsa tires were available in the larger size (thinking they were for narrow rims only). But you're right, so am checking them out.

Albion 

Yuri, many thanks for checking. I am a bit of an ignoramus regarding these bikes - my knowledge stops at around 1980. You have also given me some avenues to explore.

koala logs

After many days of rain or moisture, you might also get moss / lichen growth over the road. These are incredibly slippy and sometimes hard to spot.

The only possible way to avoid them is avoid any damp-looking spots on the road or avoid turning over them.

But if you must turn over very slippery spots, slow down. If turning right, unclip the right foot and stand on the left foot over the top tube (don't sit on the top tube). This will move your CoG forward and improve stability and if you slip, you'll land on the unclipped foot and not fall down. If turning left, unclip the left foot and stand on the right foot.

I have lost count how many times the technique saved me from falling. BUT it only works if you've slowed down enough.

The technique looks similar to this (skip to 1:25). Although you don't have to drop to the top tube and you don't need really need to counter-steer unless necessary.

1:45 in the video looks almost like the technique I'm describing, just without the counter steer. It a lot simpler than how it looks in the video especially at much slower speeds.

delbiker1 

That kind of mishap happens no matter the tire. Surely you can lessen the chance with better grip, but keeping your weight back on the bike and reducing the torque applied to the crank set is key. there are times when a rider just does not see the wet/dampness and can go down before it even registers there is a problem.

Iride01 

Wet roads just take care and experience on them. My Continental GP 5000's grip wet roads very well. Other popular brands of road bike tires do well too.

obrentharris 

What was her tire pressure?
For a rider-plus-bike weight of 170 lbs (I'm only guessing here based on the size of the bike) I would be running 40mm tires at about 35psi or a little less in wet conditions. Higher pressures will contribute to loss of grip in wet conditions.
Brent