Originally Posted by Starclimber
Lower rolling resistance. Less rubber to deform. Honest. Put on fresh tires and see if you go faster. I say you don't. If we could afford tires with 1 mm rubber, nice and flat, that's what we'd use. Just like...race car slicks.
Edit: Not that I think race car tires have 1 mm rubber. And yah, I know they generally don't lean much around turns... Ah, whatever. Why do I second guess myself for appearances sake about things I KNOW. Ok. Here's an idea. For all you logical folks, try testing your theories prior to posting. 'Wider equals more rolling resistance'. Are you SURE? How about 'Thicker rubber equals more rolling resistance'. How about 'Higher pressure hard rubber equals lower rolling resistance.' While you're out there testing, let me know what happens when 'High pressure + hard rubber meets a turn'. I'm sure I haven't quantified that one, even by feel. For all I know, hard rubber doesn't necessarily mean less friction, depending on formulation. Well, to be honest, I do know that for climbing shoes, some hard rubbers are hugely grabby, and others are skate city.
Final thought: Don't crash because your tires are unsafely worn out, and you're trying to squeeze a few more rides out of them.
- Your dancing around the one basic set of forces acting...Tires carry load. Pressure in the tire helps prevent the tire from deforming uner the load. Rolling resistance is a function of the load and the contact area (amount to which the tire deforms under load), and the frictional forces involved in cornering that are also a function of the co-efficient of friction and load and contact patch. Handling and wear charachteristics are a balancing act of the forces involved and the tire's mechanical/chemical properties.
I agree with your final thought, but it seems as though tire replacement has become another holy war right up there with chain maintenance and life discussions....Maybe we should move all chain and tire threads to the Politics and Religion forum.....
