Originally Posted by
Street rider
Wheels are too small to really be efficient though. And thats what I'm saying. You'll tire faster because you have to work harder, with smaller and wider wheels that have more rolling resistance. And with the same gearing that I have on my fixed gear, I've never gone as fast on my old BMX bikes than I do now. The seating position is designed specifically to maximize the performance of your legs and puts you in a more aero dynamic position, again putting less resistance on your body.
It's not the wheels, it's the bike. See Moulton bicycles for reference. With smaller wheels, you have less mass and less air resistance. BMX tires are probably not the best however. The UCI made a rule that effectively banned Moultons from competition, although I'm not sure what the impetus was, it wasn't because they were slow.