Smooth bike tires in rain - bad news?

Sweet I just got my degree in physics so I'm going to try it out. Tell me if this is convincing. The more points of contact between your tire and the road (i.e., more rubber), the more friction there is. So smooth tires have the greatest contact area and under most circumstances are best for gripping the road. I think the same principle should hold on wet surfaces as long as the tires can displace the water and have contact with the road. Tread helps by having little nooks and crannies where the water can go so there's no layer of water between the tire and the road. So it seems to me that if as long as your smooth tires have as much contact with the road as a treaded tire normally would, then it should be all good.

Okay, that argument having gone nowhere, I can tell you that I use completely smooth tires and I ride in the rain all the time. The only times I've had trouble have been on metal slabs on the road or sharp turns, like 90-degree dealies. On rural roads I've been in some torrential downpours with no problems, so I think as long as you take some of the sharp turns more slowly than usual, your normal riding should be about the same. And also, embrace physics.

Same here, I ride to work often enough, ie this morning, with very smooth 23cm tires without any problems. I am very carelful not to turn onto white lines on the road; approached at an angle, they are as slippery as ice.

Smooth good.

It is ok just take your time, I know you are racing but you know what I mean.

Just try to be smooth and you will be fine I ride with slicks all the time.

Roy