Dang, 32c tires are slow
#51
Senior Member
There's nothing inconsistent about desiring potential benefits of wide tires and also caring about speed. Life is full of compromises. Like, I know people who think helmet-mounted mirrors look stupid, but who also use them. But it's also not always a compromise: rolling smoothly over irregularities is more efficient than bouncing off them, so if wider tires are what allow you to get away with adequately-squishy inflation, they can sometimes be faster. That's especially true for unpaved riding, but can apply to areas with particularly disastrous paved roads as well.
Last edited by HTupolev; 04-22-20 at 03:06 PM.
#52
WALSTIB
There's nothing inconsistent about desiring potential benefits of wide tires and also caring about speed. Life is full of compromises. Like, I know people who think helmet-mounted mirrors look stupid, but who also use them. But it's also not always a compromise: rolling smoothly over irregularities is more efficient than bouncing off them, so if wider tires are what allow you to get away with adequately-squishy inflation, they can sometimes be faster. That's especially true for unpaved riding, but can apply to areas with particularly disastrous paved roads as well.
#53
Senior Member
I'm not addressing the OP, nor am I making any specific claims that one person or another ought to care. I'm addressing your suggestion that people who put 32mm tires on their bikes shouldn't care about speed.
Likes For DMC707:
#56
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Allen, TX
Posts: 2,622
Bikes: 2021 S-Works Turbo Creo SL, 2020 Specialized Roubaix Expert
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 762 Post(s)
Liked 3,979 Times
in
1,413 Posts
As for 32mm tires, that's what I'm currently running. Continental GP5000TL in 32mm. I've also run them in 28mm, which do seem ever so slightly faster. They also seem a little harsher. I've definitely run 32mm tires that felt *really* slow.
#57
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Missouri
Posts: 2,688
Bikes: Giant Propel, Cannondale SuperX, Univega Alpina Ultima
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 672 Post(s)
Liked 410 Times
in
244 Posts
Yes. In point of fact, it makes the same difference regardless of whether the rest of the rider and bike are as aero as can be. Further, many riders who aren't attempting world records do put a great amount of time, energy, training, and money into being as aero and fast as possible. The notion that aero or weight gains are only of interest to a tiny number of elite athletes is, quite simply, wrong. People ride for a huge variety of reasons and in a huge variety of ways. If someone wants to go fast for any reason, becoming more aero is a very effective way to do that.
__________________
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
Formerly fastest rider in the grupetto, currently slowest guy in the peloton
Likes For adamrice:
#61
Senior Member
Bigger (larger section) tires save wheels. Wheels last longer from reduced shock loads. Yes fatter tires are slower. What is my name here? That's right. Duragrouch. Plus I'm not racing but riding for fitness. AND, I put an old tube, sans valve, flattened, between the inflated tube and the tire on the inside, to increase flat resistance. This also increases weight. To paraphrase my dad with regard to any increased effort, "Puts hair on your chest, and flowers on your grave."
Likes For Duragrouch: