Originally Posted by godspiral
So then, some tires are pointier (rounder) than others. I know there's a wide range in 27 x 1 1/4 tires, but my impression was that they just had differences in real widths compared to the label. Overall though, if pointiness is important, won't you get the same result with a narrower tire?
A few comments in this thread suggest that a tire gets squarer with age/wear?
I'm not sure I follow what you're asking, but narrower tires are used to reduce rolling resistance (I KNOW THIS IS A BLANKET GENERALIZATION AND THAT THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE THIS DOESN"T HOLD TRUE - DON'T FLAME ME).
BTW - "Pointy" is part of it, but sidewall properties/stiffness, casing stiffness, etc play a much larger role than unloaded shape.
And for your last statement...yes tires will develop w flat "squared off" section in the center of the tread as they wear. This wear is the basis of this thread.