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Bicycle Rolling Resistance: Tire Rolling Resistance Tests and More

bicyclerollingresistance.com

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Re: Bicycle Rolling Resistance: Tire Rolling Resistance Tests and More

#41

Post by bluecalm »

ActorNightly wrote: post #23
matsemann wrote: post #9

I think it's interesting to have observed the changes over the years. Before it was about having as thin tires as possible, pumped as hard as possible. Then one realized that only gives a low rolling resistance on perfectly even surface, something softer can absorb more of the little bumps (and also perhaps not fatigue the rider as much from a bumpy ride). Then bytul vs latex vs tpu tubes. Or go entirely tubeless is…

> something softer can absorb more of the little bumps (and also perhaps not fatigue the rider as much from a bumpy ride). Not quite. You can air down narrower road tires for this. The difference is that a wider tire (i.e a tire with more volume) is going to be more efficient at lower psi, because of a wider contact patch that ends up spreading the load out more and deflecting the tread less. This effect definitely i…

I feel the same about suspension but maybe it's just very hard to design. It would need to be very light and aero to make it worth it for road bikes which are pretty great on roads as they are. For gravel there is the Lauf suspension thing and the new light/short suspension forks but I am not surprised they are not very popular as a suspension fork means regular expensive maintenance. Why not just slap 2+ inch MTB tires on the bike instead?

Re: Bicycle Rolling Resistance: Tire Rolling Resistance Tests and More

#42

Post by bluecalm »

pestatije wrote: post #19
scott_w wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, they say "one-time payment" that gives you access for a year. If you want a second year, you make another one-time payment. There's no recurring payment, it's totally under your control.

ah i love this...i have to say i havent checked that page...one-time payment, to me, means forever...if you have one-time payment per year, you must say so

Or maybe that's you who must adjust your understanding of reality. One time payment for forever access to something that is constantly updated/cost money to run is not a reasonable expectations and no one "must" tell you this. You must learn it yourself instead.

Re: Bicycle Rolling Resistance: Tire Rolling Resistance Tests and More

#43

Post by tpm »

londons_explore wrote: post #34
Neil44 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Excelent point. Personally I think I would rather run a few PSI less and have confortable ride.

can't you also get a smoother ride by having slightly slacker spokes on wheels? Then the wheel rim bounces over every rock and pebble, but the axle doesn't.

Or even very slack spokes, like the Berd (UHMWPE) ones, but then power transmission is slightly less efficient.

Re: Bicycle Rolling Resistance: Tire Rolling Resistance Tests and More

#44

Post by _Wintermute »

londons_explore wrote: post #34
Neil44 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Excelent point. Personally I think I would rather run a few PSI less and have confortable ride.

can't you also get a smoother ride by having slightly slacker spokes on wheels? Then the wheel rim bounces over every rock and pebble, but the axle doesn't.

Not really, spokes work under tension rather than compression, you're essentially hanging from the top-most spokes on the wheel.

Also if your spokes are too slack, they can move in the hub, cause wear, and are likely to snap at the elbow.

Re: Bicycle Rolling Resistance: Tire Rolling Resistance Tests and More

#45

Post by kohlerm »

pandemic_region wrote: post #22

Unless you're on the ProTour, choose riding comfort over rolling resistance. Also see https://www.renehersecycles.com/12-myths-in-cycling-1-wider-... for a related myth-debunking of the impact of tire width (which contributes to rolling resistance) on speed.

Riding is more fun with less resistance, it just "feels better". That alone is an argument to choose the correct tire (there are trade offs obviously). From my own experience (MTB) I can say that the difference in rolling resistance are very noticeable.

Re: Bicycle Rolling Resistance: Tire Rolling Resistance Tests and More

#46

Post by wffurr »

pandemic_region wrote: post #22

Unless you're on the ProTour, choose riding comfort over rolling resistance. Also see https://www.renehersecycles.com/12-myths-in-cycling-1-wider-... for a related myth-debunking of the impact of tire width (which contributes to rolling resistance) on speed.

I choose flat resistance over either. Schwalbe Marathons or equivalent on all my bikes, but I use my bikes as my primary mode of transportation in the city. I really don’t want to deal with flats when I have to be on time.

Edit: after browsing the site, the Marathons are the lowest rolling resistance touring tires too! Double bonus for an excellent tire, which I can now recommend without reservations.

Re: Bicycle Rolling Resistance: Tire Rolling Resistance Tests and More

#47

Post by aayjaychan »

ActorNightly wrote: post #25
pandemic_region wrote: post #22

Unless you're on the ProTour, choose riding comfort over rolling resistance. Also see https://www.renehersecycles.com/12-myths-in-cycling-1-wider-... for a related myth-debunking of the impact of tire width (which contributes to rolling resistance) on speed.

>Unless you're on the ProTour You don't have to be on the Pro Tour to benefit from aero gains with narrower tires. Even moderately fit people usually can sustain 15 mph on flat, at which point aero gains start to matter. Even more for hilly terrain where you can easily pick up over 20 mph on descents. The wider tires roll more efficient at lower psi (when you have to air down for comfort). But roughness of pavement r…

it's always wild to me hearing what pressure people use.

on my road bike with 28c and inner tubes, 60 psi is what i use on _good_ road surface. maybe the roads are just shit here, but even 55 psi feel rough. i usually run on around 50 psi, 40 in winter.

there was a time i lost my track pump and i just pump the tyres using a mini pump without a guage. later i discovered i was running on something as low as 30 psi.

i have never had a pinch flat. i don't think i'm particularly light. full load when doing groceries is probably 85 kg. is it just that my pressure juage is woefully inaccurate?

Re: Bicycle Rolling Resistance: Tire Rolling Resistance Tests and More

#48

Post by grayrest »

basil-rash wrote: post #33
ActorNightly wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Unless you're on the ProTour You don't have to be on the Pro Tour to benefit from aero gains with narrower tires. Even moderately fit people usually can sustain 15 mph on flat, at which point aero gains start to matter. Even more for hilly terrain where you can easily pick up over 20 mph on descents. The wider tires roll more efficient at lower psi (when you have to air down for comfort). But roughness of pavement r…

If your primary goal is minimizing work, you can also try an electric bike, or driving! Tongue in cheek, but isn’t fitness the point?

While it's certainly possible to have a throttle most electric bikes require pedaling and therefore some degree of exercise. In many cases it gets people riding that would not be riding otherwise. For people that are actually interested in fitness it's a lot easier to maintain zone 2 on real roads with electric assist without the impulse to push it a bit up the hills. I did far more aggressive rides when I had access to my electric road bike than I do on other bikes because I knew I had a bail out if I pushed too far. Nobody's going to congratulate an e-bike rider on their feats of endurance or power but there are lots of points between a normal cycling effort and no effort at all.

Re: Bicycle Rolling Resistance: Tire Rolling Resistance Tests and More

#49

Post by bgribble »

wffurr wrote: post #46
pandemic_region wrote: post #22

Unless you're on the ProTour, choose riding comfort over rolling resistance. Also see https://www.renehersecycles.com/12-myths-in-cycling-1-wider-... for a related myth-debunking of the impact of tire width (which contributes to rolling resistance) on speed.

I choose flat resistance over either. Schwalbe Marathons or equivalent on all my bikes, but I use my bikes as my primary mode of transportation in the city. I really don’t want to deal with flats when I have to be on time. Edit: after browsing the site, the Marathons are the lowest rolling resistance touring tires too! Double bonus for an excellent tire, which I can now recommend without reservations.

Marathons have been my tire for about 15 years of city and road riding, and I have only flatted once -- direct hit on a nail IIRC. I am always amazed at their longevity and reliability.

Re: Bicycle Rolling Resistance: Tire Rolling Resistance Tests and More

#50

Post by amenhotep »

scott_w wrote: post #4
Titan2189 wrote: post #3

"Become a Pro Member" "One-time payment, no auto-renewal" [5 lines further down] "From $ 0.79 / month"

I'm a member and this is just saying "it costs $.79 / mo" but you pay in one payment. There's no auto-renewal, you get an email telling you your membership is expiring and asks you to pay again. What you've posted implies they're lying and they are verifiably not.

In a market where the two dominant modes are a) a subscription fee that you have to keep paying and b) indefinite membership after one payment, many people reading "one-time payment" will immediately assume that means (b) and bristle when they realise it's actually (a).

They're not lying as such but it's at least accidentally misleading. "It's a subscription" should be up front, then go into how it's prepay and well behaved.

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