Cold UK tracks - Tyre Choice

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alex

alex

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I'm thinking of doing at least 1 Snetterton day next month. Obviously relatively nervous about tarmac temps and a lack of recent mileage. I've got some Metzeler Racetec RR's on light wheels and Conti Sport Attacks on the std Cast wheels.

Would I be better to use the Conti's in March or just spend an extra lap getting the Metzelers up to temp (no blankets).
 
personally I would go with the Conti's, gives you more time to get into the bike again rather that focusing on tyre temps...... I have my first trackday at the start of april and will be feeling the same.
 
Got my 1st of the year on Sunday and will be running slicks ... Whoops lol ( unless wet ! )
 
I'm probably being over cautious. The RaceTecs are DOT tyres and they are harder (which works better in the cold that soft bizarre I know). I think I'll just wait and see the weather forcast. Cold / dry racetecs. Conti's for the damper conditions. Just have to get some heat into them. Maybe rent warmers and stands if desperate.
 
just make sure you drop the pressures and do a couple of warm up laps
 
mike g said:
just make sure you drop the pressures and do a couple of warm up laps
Click to expand...

Ahh yes lower pressure more heat too, another oddity of tyres. Guess it's due to higher friction and movement even in a straight line.
 
Have been on Racetec k2 and k1 before on some very cold days and qualifying sessions and not had a problem. I do usually use warmers but plenty of time in a 20 minute session to take the time yourself to ensure heat gets into the tyres.
 
Metzeler Racetec RR

The K3 (Hard) compound will be more than suitable for a cold track but unsurprisingly they offer little grip in the wet. Metzeler recommended pressure ranges for the Racetec RR (K1, K2, K3) are below.

Front: 29-32 psi Cold / 30-35 psi Hot
Rear: 23-26 psi Cold / 25-28 psi Hot
Tyre Warmers: 50 mins @ 80?C
 
Rp1 said:
Got my 1st of the year on Sunday and will be running slicks ... Whoops lol ( unless wet ! )
Click to expand...

I used slicks last yeah beginning of April at a cold damp cadwell following on from a few days in Cartagena it never ended well!! Session got red flagged they kept us in holding area for 5 min or so and temp dropped out of tyres, lost the front going into Charlie's, Lesson learnt I'll not be running slicks in uk unless it's a nice warm day!!
 
Yeah I'm considering my existing cast wheel/conti sports rather than the racetec rr's

- Sent from Mobile Device
 
I was talking to someone the other day who did a few rounds of the No Limits race series last year, he reckoned he continuously struggled to get temperature into the Racetec's he had been using
 

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