Originally Posted by
chaadster
So is the assertion that we can increase tire width and weight indefinitely, without penalty?
That should be clearly absurd to everyone, so the questions are really about at effort level, for what duration, and at what speed, do we begin to notice the differences.
No doubt if you ride slow and easy, the differences between a wide tire and a skinny one will not be noticeable in terms of effort/duration/ speed. If, however, you ride hard and fast, small demands for increased power will accumulate and accelerate fatigue over time, and aero drag will increasing exponentially with increased speed.
As for engines, well a good one is a good one, but an S&S X-Wedge in a Big Dog Wolf is still a very different experience from that engine performing in a Morgan trike. Suggesting "the engine's" output cannot be optimized for specific results should also be plainly absurd. I'll happily eat my words when a knobby fat tire bike makes the winning time in the TdF Individual Time Trial!
Well the reason for bigger tires is to be able to run lower pressure.
The ongoing Silca test series is pretty illuminating.
https://silca.cc/blogs/journal
Tire inflation pressure far outweighed many other factors often thought as very important.
The rougher the surface gets the more efficient wider/taller tires at a lower inflation pressure are. Those articles have me running lower pressures already, and enjoying the benefits of increased comfort on chip seal. 90psi is much nicer than 110.....gets me back on a few roads I had written off.
Sure there are limits to everything ....but the 19-23 tires are pretty much "done" for most riders....and specially done are bike designs limited to ONLY those sizes. Choices are good :-).