I completely agree, I just can't take any pleasure in watching the Giro at this point. At the same time, I feel obligated to honour the surviving riders who are still taking the risks.
For some reason, Italian roads often seem to be unusually slippery. Remember that year there was soap or something at the finish and practically the whole peloton slid across the line? That time there was oil coming off the Stockeu at LBL was a little different: deplorable, but explicable.
I don't believe the UCI has any rules about tire width in road races and they certainly don't have rules against tire compounds. As the other commenters have noted, tread is not relevant for thin, high-pressure road tires which are not subject to aquaplaning. In F1, you have special tires for different conditions because the rain tires wear faster, and tires don't last for the whole event. More tire changes mean slower times, so you have to balance the increased speed possible with better grip against the time lost to changes. That doesn't apply in cycling, where there is no reason not to use your best gripping tires all the time, every race. Who cares if they wear a little faster? Maybe teams aren't using optimal tire sizes and pressures on rainy days, but if so that's just custom, not rules.
in motor racing, they are needed because of aquaplaning, where the water cannot move out of the way of the tyre fast enough. For an F1 cars slick tyres the aquaplane speed is very low- something like 40 or 50mph. The large grooves and the tread pattern in the tyre increase that to speeds above those that an F1 car can achieve. The rubber compound is also different- softer, it would wear out very rapidly if used on a dry track but because of the water tyres stay cooler.
The aquaplane speed even of a slick bicycle tyre- even if it was mountain bike width- is in the hundreds of miles per hour. So really you don't want tread, you want slick. Because that way you're getting maximum rubber in contact with asphalt, and every bit of tread pattern you have reduces that contact. But maybe there's a need for softer, stickier, rubber in the rain. Of course that'll be slower when you don't need the grip, and on a changeable day will wear quickly, it'll increase drag and as the tyre wears will increase punctures.
It isn't a bad question though, and on stage 6 (I think?) Remco was spotted using what might be a development "rain tyre" at some parts of the day. There's definitely nothing stopping this from happening.
Hi Kate, in addition to my last comment, it could have been 2021, but last night when I saw the car passenger take out the rider I thought it was time to go to bed! With all the rain and floods in Italy will the race be continued? Peter
This is exactly what I am thinking. I just feel - broken - by it all. It’s not exciting or fun. Maybe this is what watching gladiators at the Coliseum felt like? Thank you Kate!
Hi Kate, Hope all is well on the eastern front! Per your questions about bike rain tires, I don't think such a thing exists. The tires are so narrow that there really is no hydroplaning to for tread to fix, and I don't think is any kind of rubber that has an adequate wet coefficient of friction high enough to make a difference.
I completely agree, I just can't take any pleasure in watching the Giro at this point. At the same time, I feel obligated to honour the surviving riders who are still taking the risks.
For some reason, Italian roads often seem to be unusually slippery. Remember that year there was soap or something at the finish and practically the whole peloton slid across the line? That time there was oil coming off the Stockeu at LBL was a little different: deplorable, but explicable.
I don't believe the UCI has any rules about tire width in road races and they certainly don't have rules against tire compounds. As the other commenters have noted, tread is not relevant for thin, high-pressure road tires which are not subject to aquaplaning. In F1, you have special tires for different conditions because the rain tires wear faster, and tires don't last for the whole event. More tire changes mean slower times, so you have to balance the increased speed possible with better grip against the time lost to changes. That doesn't apply in cycling, where there is no reason not to use your best gripping tires all the time, every race. Who cares if they wear a little faster? Maybe teams aren't using optimal tire sizes and pressures on rainy days, but if so that's just custom, not rules.
regarding rain tyres:
in motor racing, they are needed because of aquaplaning, where the water cannot move out of the way of the tyre fast enough. For an F1 cars slick tyres the aquaplane speed is very low- something like 40 or 50mph. The large grooves and the tread pattern in the tyre increase that to speeds above those that an F1 car can achieve. The rubber compound is also different- softer, it would wear out very rapidly if used on a dry track but because of the water tyres stay cooler.
The aquaplane speed even of a slick bicycle tyre- even if it was mountain bike width- is in the hundreds of miles per hour. So really you don't want tread, you want slick. Because that way you're getting maximum rubber in contact with asphalt, and every bit of tread pattern you have reduces that contact. But maybe there's a need for softer, stickier, rubber in the rain. Of course that'll be slower when you don't need the grip, and on a changeable day will wear quickly, it'll increase drag and as the tyre wears will increase punctures.
It isn't a bad question though, and on stage 6 (I think?) Remco was spotted using what might be a development "rain tyre" at some parts of the day. There's definitely nothing stopping this from happening.
Hi Kate, in addition to my last comment, it could have been 2021, but last night when I saw the car passenger take out the rider I thought it was time to go to bed! With all the rain and floods in Italy will the race be continued? Peter
Solid piece. Lots of important questions that need to be addressed and addressed sooner rather
than later. After watching Tao being carted off in an ambulance and Movistar's Oscar Rodriguez
hitting a roadside sign and barely missing a house I turned off the coverage. Enough for me.
I agree, but in 2020, was not the peloton also diminished by Covid? So it should also have a “Asterisk” Peter
This is exactly what I am thinking. I just feel - broken - by it all. It’s not exciting or fun. Maybe this is what watching gladiators at the Coliseum felt like? Thank you Kate!
Hi Kate, Hope all is well on the eastern front! Per your questions about bike rain tires, I don't think such a thing exists. The tires are so narrow that there really is no hydroplaning to for tread to fix, and I don't think is any kind of rubber that has an adequate wet coefficient of friction high enough to make a difference.