Narrow tires also require higher pressure with a
less comfortable ride. Bigger riders, Clydesdales, require more pressure. These rock hard tire inflations are then more prone to snake bite flats. As the discussion section in the article points out, wider tires used to be common. I think we're rediscovering why.
Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
21–30 of 419 posts
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#22Another one is that clip in pedals make you faster.
Compared to cages or straps, you mean?
This is shockingly unintuitive if you mean compared to flats. The theory is that the force you use pulling up will always have a reduction in the force you use pushing down?
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#23Another one is that clip in pedals make you faster.
Huh. I had never heard anyone say that, per se.
For my part, I like clipless pedals because they ensure that my feet are positioned optimally, which reduces fatigue and strain on my joints. Which, in turn, probably does mean I can maintain a faster pace for longer, but it's not like I've ever timed myself.
Back when I was mountain biking, I also liked them for better control over the bike, and easier mount/dismount than toe clips.
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#24Another one is that clip in pedals make you faster.
Do you have a source? Anecdotally I've found clipless to make my power transfer more efficient. Some quick googling shows this seems to be true: "Mean power output was higher using clipless pedals ( = 617 watts, SD = 112) than toe-strap ( = 572 watts, SD = 77), and flat ( = 566 watts, SD = 83)." [1] [1] https://scholars.fhsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1118&c...
I was a life long flat pedal rider.
Started working at a bike shop during college and one of the first things roadies told me was they are indeed much more efficient because you can push AND pull on your pedals - generating a lot more power and making the ability to sustain that power a lot easier.
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#25Another one is that clip in pedals make you faster.
Do you have a source? Anecdotally I've found clipless to make my power transfer more efficient. Some quick googling shows this seems to be true: "Mean power output was higher using clipless pedals ( = 617 watts, SD = 112) than toe-strap ( = 572 watts, SD = 77), and flat ( = 566 watts, SD = 83)." [1] [1] https://scholars.fhsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1118&c...
In cycling, clipless = clipped in, which is of course confusing - I think the GP is referring to the same thing as you are.
Clipped pedals refer to pedals with toe straps. Clipless are pedals without a strap, but you clip into. And flat are ones you just rest your feet on.
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#26Another one is that clip in pedals make you faster.
Do you have a source? Anecdotally I've found clipless to make my power transfer more efficient. Some quick googling shows this seems to be true: "Mean power output was higher using clipless pedals ( = 617 watts, SD = 112) than toe-strap ( = 572 watts, SD = 77), and flat ( = 566 watts, SD = 83)." [1] [1] https://scholars.fhsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1118&c...
From what I've read, although I can't remember the source, the difference doesn't really matter on flat surfaces, but clipless perform far better on inclines. I believe this has to do with the angle of the stroke relative to gravity causing some efficiency loss without a clip.
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#27wider tires also let you run lower pressures, which puts you more in the comfort zone of being able to convert to tubeless. not every rim/tire combination works with tubeless, but if you are able to pull it off, it's among my personal top 5 list of cycling innovations of the past 30 years.
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#28How is this a test if they didn’t measure energy expenditure? Using a human rider feels like a flaw here.
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
I think you're exaggerating a bit.
From 2018:
https://www.businessinsider.com/tour-de-france-wider-tires-l...
"It depends on the road surface, but 10 years ago the standard was 23mm tires at 8 or 8.5 bar, or 115, 120 psi," Brown said. "And now it's 25mm for regular road racing and 7 to 7.5 bar for front and rear, so a little less than 100 to 110 max on the bikes."
2mm and 10psi less is not that huge a difference.
Re: Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
#30If 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?
Static friction being constant regardless of contact surface presumes a uniform surface consistency (uniform frictional coefficient).
Large (an knobby) tyres are a statistical bet that there will be sufficient friction somewhere on the contact patch. When riding over nonuniform surfaces (dust, loose pebbles, twigs, mud, leaves, and embedded rock), that's a gamble the large and contoured tyre is far more likely to win.
On a velodrome deck, not so much, and cross-sectional area, thermal losses from compressive deformation, angular momentum, etc., favour thinner tyres and higher inflation pressures.