Originally Posted by
gsa103
Rolling resistance increases linearly with speed, aero drag is quadratic.
That is true (but irrelevant)
Originally Posted by
gsa103
And heavier riders do not have proportionally higher resistance, assuming they have properly sized and inflated tires.
That is false. Rolling resistance is the coefficient of rolling resistance times the normal force on the surface which is proportional to weight.
http://www.recumbents.com/WISIL/Mart...%20cycling.pdf Eq. 5. Of course, it is possible that through changing tire size, construction, and pressure, a heavier rider has a Crr low enough that he can overcome the increase in normal force compared to a lighter one, but we are considering riders on equal equipment.