Originally Posted by
70sSanO
I've glanced through that in the past. I take the testimonials for very wide tires (54mm) with a grain of salt.
Not that it is relevant, but if there is no speed loss on smooth terrain with wider tires and there is truly a speed gain over rough terrain, why do the Paris-Roubaix riders not go with 40mm + tires?
They're not testimonials, they're scientific tests.
The pros used to use 21.5mm tubulars. Now they're using 25s even on smooth courses. On Paris-Roubaix, 30 is becoming common. But the mainstream/pro cycling industry moves at a glacial pace. The can't just throw 40mm tires on a bike that will only fit 30mm. And making big changes is asking for trouble. ~100 years ago they resisted derailer gearing for many years.