If you're on the track, you're going to want to use all of your tire (I'm not a track rider, but hope to get out there this year.) Years ago on less capable machines, I would use all of my tire and it came off in chunks at the edges. Now I ride smoother, and yet faster, and have chicken strips when street riding. My theory is that my lines are better.
I see riders having to correct or improve their lines through curves. This will cause those strips to disappear.
But a jagged line through a smooth curve is not ideal.
So a simple observation of a chicken-strip-less-tire (is that a word?) doesn't prove the owner is a fast rider. He or she may in fact be. If their lines are really good and they have no chicken strips, then I'd have to deduce they really are fast riders.
In any event, I have a lot invested in my bike, more than I've ever had in any bike before, and I'd like to keep it scratch free as long as possible. Riding really fast on the street to the limits of my tires is not wise. I'll work on those "chicken strips" when I get on the track though.
I see riders having to correct or improve their lines through curves. This will cause those strips to disappear.
But a jagged line through a smooth curve is not ideal.
So a simple observation of a chicken-strip-less-tire (is that a word?) doesn't prove the owner is a fast rider. He or she may in fact be. If their lines are really good and they have no chicken strips, then I'd have to deduce they really are fast riders.
In any event, I have a lot invested in my bike, more than I've ever had in any bike before, and I'd like to keep it scratch free as long as possible. Riding really fast on the street to the limits of my tires is not wise. I'll work on those "chicken strips" when I get on the track though.