Traction Science

Traction is bloody important, but what’s the secret to making the most of a tyre’s grip?

- Keith Code

Traction limits can be hard to reckon for some riders.Understanding how traction is created can introduce some clarity. Traction is a byproduct of the brew of chemicals in the rubber compound, coupled with how cleverly the tyre carcass is constructed and shaped, plus proper inflation, tread depth, and tyre temperature, which invariably varies with different rubber compounds.

Heat a mounted tyre to its optimum operating temperature, tilt it to 45 degrees, and then apply ever-increasing pressure to it. At some point the tyre will eventually slip – the load at the exact slipping point represents 101% (or so) of the tyre’s static-grip limit.

Achieving maximum traction while in motion is something quite different. As the tyre grips, it also wears. What ‘wears out’ is the various chemicals, oils, waxes, and pigments that bind the rubber together.