Real world tire performance
OK So I have to admit that some of the discussions on this forum regarding tire width and rolling resistance have left me more than a little amused. So lets have some real fun. Here`s something ANYONE with a bike and speedo can participate in and contribute in a fun and constructive manner.
Post a photo of the highest speed obtained on your bibe and the tires and conditions at the time. No - I personally really don`t care if you were going downhill with a tailwind on a Supercycle steel frame with $12 tires - if you felt safe enough on those tires to pull it off then it counts!
The whole point here is that there`s a lot more to top speed than just rolling resistance and road conditions and rider condition are usually a lot more critical anyway.
The other input or comments I`d be interested in are: How fast do you think would be too fast for that tire, suspension, bike combination ? What speed would you feel unsafe at? All questions that should have a variety of responses based on the rider.
My personal contribution to this thread will be as follows: Three different bikes will be equipped with identical spedometers, each calibrated to the tire size on the bike. Each bike will be used on the same commute and 10 days worth of data averaged to give a representative `experience` of the tire performance. Then the tires will be swapped out for another pair giving 6 sets of tires in all with a price rance from $15 per tire to $90 per tire.
I`ll be looking up some Schwalbe Marathon Supremes in a 28 x 2in size and stacking them against the Vee Rubber 700 x 38c that are already on the hybrid and may go for some Maxis Hookworm 26 x 2.5 against the Geax Tattoos 26 x 2.3 tires already on the CF mtb. The Miyata is currently equipped with Michelin 700 x 23c tires and theres a limit to what else will fit so I`ll have to think that one over.
Last edited by Burton; 05-09-11 at 07:52 PM.