Originally Posted by
espressogrinder
I am 5'8" and 152 lbs....do I really benefit or need anything larger than a 40mm tire? Do I get the same benefits that a larger/heavier rider gets from so much volume? I understand that the road conditions dictate what is required and there is never a perfect size and tread pattern tire for everyone. Does my bike/bodyweight/40mm tires at a combined weight of 172 pounds perform to the equivalent of 200-220 pound setup rolling in 40-46mm tires? Is there a point of diminishing returns (rolling resistance, tire weight and mass) that a rider of my size does not benefit from such a large tire?
I am another 80# added to your frame and use 25mm tires, 35mm tires, and 40mm tires for road riding(road meaning things cars drive on- so paved and gravel).
For me, the tire width is based on use, not my body weight.
I use a 40mm tire for my gravel riding because all around me the gravel roads vary significantly depending on county and time of year. Sometimes really hard pack, sometimes loose, sometimes thick, sometimes thin, etc. I have found that a 40mm tire offers a good mix of performance on the harder packed surface while still floating over looser surfaces well enough to stay in control.
I think I would use a 40mm tire even if I were 175# as a thinner tire would still dig in too much for my liking...i think.
I get that idea that a lighter rider will naturally float over surfaces more than a heavier rider due simply to less downward force, but even my 10yo daughter can dig her mountain bike tire into softer single track- so it seems like loose surface is loose surface regardless of rider weight.