mgbguy

I found this very interesting.

https://www.rouesartisanales.com/article-1503651.html

I wondered why my road bike seemed so much harder to pedal. Rolling resistance.

LanceFanBoy

crazy, i really thought the narrower tires has less resistance

Murrays

Don't worry, you're not alone, it's a very common misconception.

OTOH, you can generally pump narrower tires to higher pressure which can reduce the rolling resistance...if the road is really smooth

The only real advantages of narrower tires? They weigh less and they have slightly lower air resistance.

-murray

AnthonyG

This had been discussed many times before. Yes slightly larger tires have slightly less rolling resistance when ALL other factors are equal (construction and tire pressure to name 2 factors) so they shouldn't be written off and you shouldn't just assume that smaller tires are faster however the trick is that you need to run smaller tires at higher pressures which compensates but then you do end up with a slightly harsher ride.

What can you take out of this? 700 x 25c tires are better for most riders than 700 x 23c tires but fashion dictates that 700 x 23c tires have taken over.

Regards, Anthony

mgbguy

Yeah, but my bike came with Hutchinson Top Speeds. The worst according to the clincher ratings at the bottom. Put the Pro Race 3s on it and the difference is really noticeable.

I guess the tire ratings at the bottom were what really got me.

PipinFan

Interesting,I know by know that if I want really lower resistance and a super fast/light tire I'll go with Schwalbe Ultremo,but every day riding I'll go Continental attack and force,these 2 set I mentioned before are in my opinion an excellent choice for anybody,even Pro riders loves them...
700X23C and 700X22C rules.

This is a very hard tire to beat..ahh they make a very light tube as well.

https://www.totalcycling.com/index.ph...urrency&id=USD

CCFISH81

Since when did Pro Race 2's have "very good" puncture resistance....

alanbikehouston

Twenty years ago, it was common for tire companies to publish data on rolling resistance and other performance factors. But, the chart in the article was the first multi-brand comparison I've seen in many years.

The results were similar to what Schwinn found in tests back around 1970...two tires of the same size and weight may vary in rolling resistance by a factor of two to one...yet there is no easy way for a customer to find out that information.

The chart in the article seems to have been done by Continental, which is interesting, because Continental tires did not get the best results in the tests.

Tests done twenty years ago showed, not surprisingly, that many 28mm tires outperform some 23mm tires, plus have a "plush" ride, last twice as long, and have twice the flat resistance.

The bike industry responded to the evidence that 28mm tires are the best size for non-racing purposes by designing frames and forks that make it difficult to use 28mm tires, and impossible to use 28mm tires with real fenders.

The pros use 23mm tires, so the other 99% of us are supposed to use them too.

mgbguy

Apparently when compared to Hutchinson top speeds

If my calculations are correct, you should get an extra 1 mph difference between the pro race 2 and say hutchinson top speed, ceterus parabis.

mgbguy

Actually this is from a custom wheel building website. A little more info.

https://www.rouesartisanales.com/article-15441821.html

Murrays

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnthonyG

This had been discussed many times before. Yes slightly larger tires have slightly less rolling resistance when ALL other factors are equal (construction and tire pressure to name 2 factors) so they shouldn't be written off and you shouldn't just assume that smaller tires are faster however the trick is that you need to run smaller tires at higher pressures which compensates but then you do end up with a slightly harsher ride.

What can you take out of this? 700 x 25c tires are better for most riders than 700 x 23c tires but fashion dictates that 700 x 23c tires have taken over.

Regards, Anthony

OTOH, that "harsher ride" from the higher pressure, narrow tires may also be sapping energy. On a bumpy road, lower pressure may actually take less energy. (sorry, I don't have a study to back it up)

-murray

StephenH

"If my calculations are correct, you should get an extra 1 mph difference between the pro race 2 and say hutchinson top speed, ceterus parabis."

The comparison was still assuming equal pressure in each- so if one tire is rated for higher pressure than the other, that isn't taken into account.

sunburst

I managed to just barely squeeze a 28mm Conti gatorskin on my spare road bike ('87 Trek) and I thought it was rubbing at first. Turns out it was just those little rubber "hairs" that stick out on new tires - they were hitting the frame. No way I could get a fender in there. Bicycling recommended them as a way to "plush" your bike for centuries and long rides.

I was glad to see my new Giant OCR came with 25mm Michelin Pro2's, rather than 23mm. Now those are nice tires! They feel really compliant ... but then again, so does the carbon frame.

shayel

OT, but I don't understand what the big fuss about riding centuries is. In the last few months I did a couple of centuries every month, some on consecutive days.

I'm riding an alu-carbon Giant TCR with 23mm tires inflated to ~120psi, Flite saddle, and got about 9cm of drop from the saddle to the bars. I'd never be mistaken for a hardman, yet I never felt any discomfort. True, sitting in La-Z-boy would probably be more comfortable, but where the fun in that?

Maybe when I'll do 500km time trials I'd think of it differently, but I belive the best way to "plush" your rides is simply to ride more (assuming the bike fits.)

Bob Dopolina 

Is this darn thing resurfacing AGAIN.

Throw all the results out the window. The tires tested are all 1 or 2 generations out of date.

Also not included in the article was the conclusion reached by Continental AG (who actually did the testing) 23c tires were the best ALL ROUND performer. This included some things not mentioned in the article or published in the charts.

AGAIN, This is OLD data. Don't purchase tires based on this information.

roy5000x2

Maybe I should show this to my boss with his 700x18c tires on his old racing bike.