浅溝タイヤ

20:02 Jul 30, 2009 

I couldn't fit the second link into the first post.

http://www.bridgestonemotorsport.com/Bridgestone/tyre-techno...

Note, this is for full on racing use. For consumer to pro-sumer applications, the term semi-slick is still applicable in the Western United States at least (just to be a sore loser :D )<br><br>Dunlop, which makes motorcycle racing tires has their racing tires, and their rain tires for track use. Neither are DOT certified and are not road legal. While the manufacturer doesn't call them as such, they do understand when they are asked for a "semi=slick" for wet track use. So the term is in common enough usage, but isn't one used internally.

In bicycle racing, the term semi-slick is much more specific. There are numerous manufacturers that produce full on mountain bike tires (knobbies) of varying agressiveness, and there is a whole set of terminology there. Semi-slicks are a full category onto itself, but are wildly inappropriate for this discussion about autoracing. This last bit is just as a self-congratulatory aside ;)

19:56 Jul 30, 2009 

This has bothered me, so I contacted consumer information at Bridgestone, and Dunlop Racing tires in the United States.

At F1, and lesser racing circuits, it is called wet or rain tires. Their dry tires are alternately called slick tires. Then from there, the intermediate wet tires are ones with lightly cut grooves used for wet conditions. Commentators refer to these as "inters" at times. The full wet tires are those with deeper grooves, used for wetter still conditions.

Civilian (that is road legal) tires that are primarily intended to be driven around the track are commonly called semi-slicks. This seems to be an effort to make a connection with "racing slicks" which are not road legal. The distinction wouldn't exist in a professional racing environment.

On an interesting side note, the full on wets, or rain tires are also occasionally known as "monsoons" for their use in sudden rains, or rainy conditions.

So, Lianne. I support your option. (I had made the same suggestion in my notes and explanation, but it isn't my primary suggestion.)

If you're interested, check out the F1 Information page at http://formula1.about.com/od/tires/ss/bridgestone_7.htm