How are S-licks

[Bozeman]

Looking at the Vredstein web site, I see that S-licks have an inverse tread which crosses the
straightline rolling surface. I have always used true slicks on my bikes: do these grooves cause
significant extra rolling resistance?

Anyone have tire recommendations for the area between stelvio's (thin slicks) and s-licks (wider,
treaded)? I had an avocet on my old bike, there's only one tire for my current bike's front wheel
size, but my new bike is going bake to 406 front.

Craig

 

[Mike S]

[email protected] (Bozeman) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Looking at the Vredstein web site, I see that S-licks have an inverse tread which crosses the
> straightline rolling surface. I have always used true slicks on my bikes: do these grooves cause
> significant extra rolling resistance?
>
> Anyone have tire recommendations for the area between stelvio's (thin slicks) and s-licks (wider,
> treaded)? I had an avocet on my old bike, there's only one tire for my current bike's front wheel
> size, but my new bike is going bake to 406 front.
>
> Craig

We rode 1800 miles on our tandem with the S-Licks. I found them to be a very nice all around tire,
decently fast with excellent traction and with a pleasant ride (not harsh like the narrow Grand
Prixs etc. which I rode on my single recumbent). They were also highly flat resistant until
encountering the dreaded goathead thorn out in New Mexico. The one drawback with them was that when
we did flat they were tough to get off the rim, but since flats happen so seldom we could live with
that problem. We have since changed to Comp Pools (our tandem has dual 20 inch wheels) and there has
been a noticeable pick up in speed but with a boucier ride. I don't know about anything between the
S-Lick and Stelvio width, but the S-Licks I found to be an all around performer ideal for not just
city riding but for open country riding as well. Hope that helps.

 

[Akensmith]

> We have since changed to Comp Pools (our tandem has
dual 20 inch wheels) and there has been a noticeable pick up in speed but with a boucier ride.>>

Mike,

This is interesting. I would have thought that the S-Licks would have been faster than the Comp
Pools. As for the bouncy ride, our total team weight on our Columbia is ca. 340 lbs. I inflate the
Comp Pools to at least 100psi. And since eliminating the pogo from the front suspension, there's no
bounce at all. If we were to order the Columbia again, we'd order it without suspension, thereby
saving both $$ and weight.

Norm