Originally Posted by
Homeyba
I did a little digging on what shoes the Pro Peleton is currently wearing and there is a trend towards 25mm tires but there isn't a consensus by any means and it doesn't appear to have a lot to do with rolling resistance. It appears that a lot of this has more to do with the fact that a number of the wheel manufacturers are making wider (supposedly more aerodynamic) wheels which work better with the wider tires. "Lampre-ISD and Euskaltel-Euskadi have stuck with 23c, as has Androni, Movistar, and Ag2R." All these teams are sponsored by companies without an ultra-wide wheel." They, of course, are getting their queues from the tire and wheel manufactures as to which tire/wheel combo will be the fastest for them. I think the little extra comfort of the 25mm tire is a bonus and not a criteria for them.
Nothing is ever as clear as we think it is.
If wider tires and wheel profiles didn't present an advantage, they wouldn't be catching on in the peloton. if they weren't faster or present a tangible advantage, the "pros" wouldn't be riding them.
But wider tires present an advantage, even among the top tier (tire) elite. Perhaps in conjunction with wider rims that present a wider profile to the wind, or whatever the reason.....
The results of a simple rollout test of commercially available michelin tires by Jan Heine.
Originally Posted by Jan Heine, BQ
Wider tires roll faster. A Michelin Pro2 Race in 25 mm width was faster than the same tire’s 23 mm version, which in turn was faster than the 20 mm version.
Imagine a team dropping in the ranks because they chose 'comfort'
I can see the post race press conferences now
"Well, we haven't been riding as fast as before, but the team reports much greater comfort."
Originally Posted by homeyba
Especially since the tire manufacturers are having to make new special tires for the new rims.
tubular and clincher racing tires with 24 and 25c casings? It's just so innovative a concept. I'm curious as to where is the sweetest spot is for reduced rolling resistance meets comfort.
Is it 26c, 28c,24c out of identical casings and tread- would a michelin prorace4 in a 27c roll fsster than a 25c?
who's ridden the wider Vittoria Pave in a 27c? It's a slightly heavier tire than their open corsas, but not by much.