Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
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Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
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Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#2If that were the case, surely Tour de France riders would use wider tyres to gain more grip going around corners, especially in time-trials or stages with sprint finishes.
Doesn’t a greater surface area touching the floor means more frictional effects when pushing against the road?
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#3If that were the case, surely Tour de France riders would use wider tyres to gain more grip going around corners, especially in time-trials or stages with sprint finishes. Doesn’t a greater surface area touching the floor means more frictional effects when pushing against the road?
The one caveat this article doesn't mention is worse handling but they replied in the comments about it. And handling matters way more at higher speeds, plus they commented the extra weight matters more for steep climbs too.
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#4If that were the case, surely Tour de France riders would use wider tyres to gain more grip going around corners, especially in time-trials or stages with sprint finishes. Doesn’t a greater surface area touching the floor means more frictional effects when pushing against the road?
They're already using wider tyres than a decade ago.
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#5Another one is that clip in pedals make you faster.
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#6If that were the case, surely Tour de France riders would use wider tyres to gain more grip going around corners, especially in time-trials or stages with sprint finishes. Doesn’t a greater surface area touching the floor means more frictional effects when pushing against the road?
Regardless of whether it is the case or not, Tour de France riders would not use wider tires to gain more grip around corners because ... wider tires do not add more grip.
You get a larger contact patch from a wider tire, but that patch has less pressure.
Grip (static friction) is coefficient of friction, times weight. The coefficient of friction is a constant which depends on the materials. Rubber on road is no exception.
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#7I’ve ridden 25mm to 32mm tyres on the same bike, in the same season, and my (absolutely amateur, I’m 250lb and did 125 miles at 16mph) experience is that 32mm tyres are no slower, but are significantly more comfortable, and allow me to ride significantly longer with less fatigue.
Does anyone else have any other data points?
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#8Years ago I switched from 1" tyres to 2.5" inch ones for my commuter bike and I can confirm that they are not slow at all... as long as you ride in a straight line! As soon as you turn, they suck up all momentum.
The fact that they provide decent straight-line rolling even at 2bar pressure is nice though, especially in a city where cobblestone paving is common. Fat tyres provide some suspension, and a ton of grip.
Still, narrow tyres are the choice for fast riding if you need a bit of agility.
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#9If that were the case, surely Tour de France riders would use wider tyres to gain more grip going around corners, especially in time-trials or stages with sprint finishes. Doesn’t a greater surface area touching the floor means more frictional effects when pushing against the road?
They're already using wider tyres than a decade ago.
Yes. Much, much wider.
I nearly passed by this comments section because i assumed everyone already knew this was true.
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#10If that were the case, surely Tour de France riders would use wider tyres to gain more grip going around corners, especially in time-trials or stages with sprint finishes. Doesn’t a greater surface area touching the floor means more frictional effects when pushing against the road?
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