Which kind of tire warmers??

[BDA116]

If you want them for the purpose of having a hot tire right away, then I'd hold off. No need for that at a track day. No need for them for a majority of club racing.
However, you can wrap your tires back in the warmers at a track day to keep them warm and avoid a complete cycle. Just don't plug them in. If you get warmers with an adjustable temp range, turn it down quite a bit. Or just buy warmers with a lower temp setting in the first place.
The warmers with the high setting, or the "pole position" versions of certain brands can ruin a tire very quickly if not used right. That ultra-hot setting is really just for the last few minutes before heading out for a race or qualifying session, not a regular trackday or practice.
Short answer? No, you don't NEED them. Not really something to worry much about.
However, if you really want to have some, just look for some used ones and just use them as blankets for now. They can extend tire life if used properly, but they can also shorten tire life when left plugged in all day long at upper temps.

Originally Posted by KF810

um....nothing...it's Michigan.

What he said.

When the Chicken Hawk warmers reach a certain temp they automatically turn off and then on again as needed

[abtech]

Originally Posted by Nickelii

When the Chicken Hawk warmers reach a certain temp they automatically turn off and then on again as needed

I don't know of any tire warmers that don't do that.

BTW, in answer to the original question (Which kind of tire warmers??), of all the ones I have used, the Bickles were the best. Well made, good electronics, heating tape vs wire and tough as nails.

Now on to tire coolers for next year at Barber in July/August

[BDA116]

Originally Posted by Nickelii

When the Chicken Hawk warmers reach a certain temp they automatically turn off and then on again as needed

Yes, but like all warmers with a thermostat (which is all of them), they turn off when it senses the tires are over the pre-set limit (in the case of C.H. 180), and then turn on again when they have cooled 5-10 degrees below that. So, you are still getting cycles, and run the risk of overheated spots.

The C.H. warmers do offer great insulation, though, so putting them on the tires and not plugging them in would be the better option.

You guys have any girs on bikes pictures. Your making my head hurt now and that seems to make me focus!

Girls

alrighty then! Doing the used thing is a good idea...and the "blanket" technique. I think I'll still put them on the wish list, though. Thanks everyone!

Originally Posted by abtech

I have watched this thread for the past few days and wasn't going to post since there were a few "authorities" posting some rather suspect information.

For the record, I don't think you will find any serious racers or Crew Chiefs recommend keeping your tires on warmers all day to keep from generating heat cycles. ...

Very true Abtech. We run pirelli in AMA Supersport and F/X. We constantly work with the "techs" as temps change through out the day. You are right on, at least for pirelli's, we hardly ever run longer than an hour. Most temps we run are in the 170-175 F range (on average). We use Chickenhawk Pros so we can get the tire settings closer to what we want. Best bet is to work with the techs and let them be the pro's.