Originally Posted by
Atlas Shrugged
Your premise is flawed in that you figure the increasing popularity of wider tires is because there are no substantive performance differences and that it is a trend. The use of wider tires is not like the preference towards neon colours which could be considered a trend. Much like friction shifting, steel lugged frames, toe clips, tubular tires, 5 speed freewheels, rim brakes, etc. are or have been phased out due to performance advantages so are narrow high pressure tires.
Interesting how we try to conflate two separate phenomena into a single result. Also, I think you're not quite reading what Tom wrote the way he intended.
Wider tires are generally going to be more comfortable for the rider. Period.
Wider tires, when properly engineered and inflated can match, or slightly exceed to performance of narrower tires. Note 'can', not 'will'.
Now, there aren't many cyclists who will tell you they wouldn't like to go a little bit faster, but seriously, almost nobody here is racing. Many of us have memories of turning sixty. Many of us tend to be sore and achy after a lengthy ride. Why incur additional suffering on 23s? Even if you reach your destination 2 minutes faster - at what cost? Give me wider tires, and I'll tend towards the better quality ones because, yeah - I'd rather have an average speed of 13.7 mph over 13.6.