A customer exclaimed with astonishment:” Why the tyres do not have threads?”
We could hear the voices in his head, recalling his experience from an unfortunate fall after he refused to heed his mother’s advice to stop wearing his worn-out slippers.
I gave him a warm smile and replied: “Bald tyres and slick tyres are not the same.” I ushered him to take a ride on our ROYALE foldable bicycle with slick tyres.
Tyre manufacturers have a huge selection of bicycle tyres to meet different riding conditions. A slick tyre is designed to be as such to begin with. This is unlike a bald tyre where the threads are worn out, losing an integral part of its design.
Generally, a slick tyre has a smooth center with almost no threads. The smooth surface allows the tyre to roll with less resistance. This resistance is known as rolling resistance.
Rolling resistance is defined as the energy lost by the tyre when it rolls. In other words, a rider will use more energy to turn a tyre with higher rolling resistance. But to make things complicated, the presence of threads is only one of the factors affecting rolling resistance. There are many other factors such as tyre pressure, diameter, width and construction.
Putting the technicalities aside, new or amateurs riders are too used to seeing threads on car tyres. As a result, it takes some effort to convince them that there is nothing wrong with slick tyres. Nevertheless, the best way is to show them pictures of professional riders racing down roads in slick tyres. Following that, invite them to test ride on a bike with slick tyres, like the ROYALE with front carbon fibre wheel.
Finally, visiting a reputable bicycle shop will be your best solution to all your burning worries.
