Importance of rolling resistance / weight over shorter rides
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Importance of rolling resistance / weight over shorter rides
How important do you all think rolling resistance and weight are over rides of 10 mile or less?
I know that over a 100 mile ride these are huge factors.
But I never ride my commuter bike more than 10 miles at a time anymore. (Weekend rides are either on a different bike or with the kids going 3 mph)
Usually my commute is 6 total miles a day, up to 10 if I take the long way home when it's nice out.
Are rolling resistance and weight even a factor on this bike for these short rides? Or are traction and puncture resistance all that matters over that distance?
I don't even need new tires right now for the commuter. I need them for the other bike and when I started shopping for them I started second guessing tires for the commuter too.
I know that over a 100 mile ride these are huge factors.
But I never ride my commuter bike more than 10 miles at a time anymore. (Weekend rides are either on a different bike or with the kids going 3 mph)
Usually my commute is 6 total miles a day, up to 10 if I take the long way home when it's nice out.
Are rolling resistance and weight even a factor on this bike for these short rides? Or are traction and puncture resistance all that matters over that distance?
I don't even need new tires right now for the commuter. I need them for the other bike and when I started shopping for them I started second guessing tires for the commuter too.
#2
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As long as the setup feels good to you, it's fine. If the ride feels so sluggish you routinely notice it during a 3 mile commute, absolutely make some changes. Otherwise... it's really fine. I think most of the RR issues and bike weight stuff is blown entirely out of proportion. I could ride my wife's bike 3 miles without much issue, and its frame is so small I can't pedal while turning because the drops on the handlebars try to hook behind my knees. Oh, and the weight thing? When my "go anywhere" bike is setup for long distance, like it was for my 104 solo miles on Saturday, it rolls out of the driveway fully-loaded at ~33lbs. Unless there's a number pinned to the back of your shirt, complaining about weight is for people who need excuses.
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#3
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How important do you all think rolling resistance and weight are over rides of 10 mile or less?
I know that over a 100 mile ride these are huge factors.
But I never ride my commuter bike more than 10 miles at a time anymore. (Weekend rides are either on a different bike or with the kids going 3 mph)
Usually my commute is 6 total miles a day, up to 10 if I take the long way home when it's nice out.
Are rolling resistance and weight even a factor on this bike for these short rides? Or are traction and puncture resistance all that matters over that distance?
I don't even need new tires right now for the commuter. I need them for the other bike and when I started shopping for them I started second guessing tires for the commuter too.
I know that over a 100 mile ride these are huge factors.
But I never ride my commuter bike more than 10 miles at a time anymore. (Weekend rides are either on a different bike or with the kids going 3 mph)
Usually my commute is 6 total miles a day, up to 10 if I take the long way home when it's nice out.
Are rolling resistance and weight even a factor on this bike for these short rides? Or are traction and puncture resistance all that matters over that distance?
I don't even need new tires right now for the commuter. I need them for the other bike and when I started shopping for them I started second guessing tires for the commuter too.
1. Puncture resistance: Heavy Schwalbe tyres.
2. Single speed: No damage to drivetrain in the city/bikeracks. Rear mechs always get bent.
3. Flat bars: Can hang multiple grocery sacks off the ends of the bars and walk them home.
4. Good lock: Should be able to make multiple stops in each direction in somewhat seedy neighbourhoods or be left at the train station for multimodal commutes
5. Backpack: Sweat isn't an issue, they're comfortable and leave both hands free
6. Lights: Should be able to come off/on and rapidly charge (I went with bright USB-charging LEDs)
#4
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As long as the setup feels good to you, it's fine. If the ride feels so sluggish you routinely notice it during a 3 mile commute, absolutely make some changes. Otherwise... it's really fine. I think most of the RR issues and bike weight stuff is blown entirely out of proportion. I could ride my wife's bike 3 miles without much issue, and its frame is so small I can't pedal while turning because the drops on the handlebars try to hook behind my knees. Oh, and the weight thing? When my "go anywhere" bike is setup for long distance, like it was for my 104 solo miles on Saturday, it rolls out of the driveway fully-loaded at ~33lbs. Unless there's a number pinned to the back of your shirt, complaining about weight is for people who need excuses.
I went to Michelin Proteks, which are heavy and stiff but they really improved the overall 'zippiness' of the bike. But I bought those without much research because they were on sale on the BikeTiresDirect daily special for like $15. So I just took an unresearched chance.
#5
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Yeah it does feel okay now. The last time I made a tire change was when the stock Specialized Trigger Sports felt like slogging through mud.
I went to Michelin Proteks, which are heavy and stiff but they really improved the overall 'zippiness' of the bike. But I bought those without much research because they were on sale on the BikeTiresDirect daily special for like $15. So I just took an unresearched chance.
I went to Michelin Proteks, which are heavy and stiff but they really improved the overall 'zippiness' of the bike. But I bought those without much research because they were on sale on the BikeTiresDirect daily special for like $15. So I just took an unresearched chance.
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As long as the setup feels good to you, it's fine. If the ride feels so sluggish you routinely notice it during a 3 mile commute, absolutely make some changes. Otherwise... it's really fine. I think most of the RR issues and bike weight stuff is blown entirely out of proportion. I could ride my wife's bike 3 miles without much issue, and its frame is so small I can't pedal while turning because the drops on the handlebars try to hook behind my knees. Oh, and the weight thing? When my "go anywhere" bike is setup for long distance, like it was for my 104 solo miles on Saturday, it rolls out of the driveway fully-loaded at ~33lbs. Unless there's a number pinned to the back of your shirt, complaining about weight is for people who need excuses.
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And he said what I kinda figured...that all the tire specs don't mean much over small distances.
I mean I can easily tell the difference between a knobby and a slick.....but slick vs semislick vs hard rubber vs soft rubber vs tough sidewall vs supple sidewall....as long as you're not dealing with the entirely wrong kind of tire for the surface you ride on I figured it just wouldn't make much difference over short distances.
The 15 minute ride isn't enough to notice or care about vibrations or ride quality. And obviously I can't shave a ton of time off that 15 minutes no matter what I do unless there is a magic tire that makes my cheap bike fly or something.
I just got curious when I started looking for new rubber for the other bike. Wondering if a much high quality tire would make 3 - 10 miles noticeably different.
I mean I can easily tell the difference between a knobby and a slick.....but slick vs semislick vs hard rubber vs soft rubber vs tough sidewall vs supple sidewall....as long as you're not dealing with the entirely wrong kind of tire for the surface you ride on I figured it just wouldn't make much difference over short distances.
The 15 minute ride isn't enough to notice or care about vibrations or ride quality. And obviously I can't shave a ton of time off that 15 minutes no matter what I do unless there is a magic tire that makes my cheap bike fly or something.
I just got curious when I started looking for new rubber for the other bike. Wondering if a much high quality tire would make 3 - 10 miles noticeably different.
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Zippiness is rather a weight thing. Rolling resistance may be more of a long distance thing.
Personally, I don’t find your trigger sports a “high resistance” tire. They are not super light, but I don’t find them slow rolling
If I’m going slow and steady over a long distance – rolling resistance matters to me. Like DrI mentioned above – weight isn’t that important. I’m not going that fast or accelerating hard over a long distance. Nothing zippy
For a short distance, I like light and zippy. I may accelerate harder, maneuver with greater agility.
My bike tires range from 25 watts to 70 watts rolling resistance (for a pair). That is rather an extreme spread. Likely your tires have a 10-20watt spread – and that difference is kind of hard to feel.
Personally, I don’t find your trigger sports a “high resistance” tire. They are not super light, but I don’t find them slow rolling
If I’m going slow and steady over a long distance – rolling resistance matters to me. Like DrI mentioned above – weight isn’t that important. I’m not going that fast or accelerating hard over a long distance. Nothing zippy
For a short distance, I like light and zippy. I may accelerate harder, maneuver with greater agility.
My bike tires range from 25 watts to 70 watts rolling resistance (for a pair). That is rather an extreme spread. Likely your tires have a 10-20watt spread – and that difference is kind of hard to feel.
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I start appreciating my tires before I'm even out of the driveway. At the end of the day, it's all about whether your bike makes YOU happy or not.
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Thick knobby mountain bike tires have maybe 40 watts resistance, racing tires 5-8 watts resistance, commuter/touring tires 15-25 watts resistance. Really not much of a difference for short distances.
You can browse through here to get some ideas of different tires rolling resistance:
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/
You can browse through here to get some ideas of different tires rolling resistance:
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/
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I commute on a cruiser on some days and a fast road bike on other days.
On fast road bike with skinny, light weight tires...I feel more tired when I get home.
My reasoning is that with less resistance, I tend to ride more aggressively, accelerate harder and more often, which burn more calories.
So, I get home 3 minutes sooner, but am more fatiqued.
On cruiser I go slower but steady speed. No sprinting at the traffic light, etc.
On fast road bike with skinny, light weight tires...I feel more tired when I get home.
My reasoning is that with less resistance, I tend to ride more aggressively, accelerate harder and more often, which burn more calories.
So, I get home 3 minutes sooner, but am more fatiqued.
On cruiser I go slower but steady speed. No sprinting at the traffic light, etc.
Exactly this.
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My daily commute is 12 miles, and even though the three bikes I ride are all road bikes the tires on them are different, from decent-rolling 25mm Michelin Lithions with zero puncture protection on a relatively light bike to 38-mm puncture-resistant Conti CityRides on a heavier steel bike, and even to super-heavy 35-mm studded Schwalbes on a bike I named Clydesdale. For that distance it really doesn't matter. Yeah, I'm happier when I ride the first bike, and sometimes miserable when I ride the last bike, but it's only 12 miles.
If I'm riding 50 miles, that's a different story. No way I'd want to ride studs for that distance, and now way I'd want to ride a bike named Clydesdale for that distance.
If I'm riding 50 miles, that's a different story. No way I'd want to ride studs for that distance, and now way I'd want to ride a bike named Clydesdale for that distance.
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I think it all comes down to what your priorities are. A ten mile ride is plenty long enough to notice a tire that feels sluggish. It's probably even long enough for a sluggish tire to induce a bit of extra fatigue if you try to maintain the same pace you would with supple tires. It's definitely long enough for a tire with poor puncture protection to be exposed as a problem. It's not long enough for even the worst of tires to make much of a difference in total time, aside from psychological effects.
My commute is ten miles each way, and my highest priority is enjoying the ride. That means I want (1) a tire with enough puncture protection to avoid becoming a nuisance regularly, (2) a tire that provides a decent cushion from road buzz and pavement irregularities, and (3) a tire that rolls well.
My commute is ten miles each way, and my highest priority is enjoying the ride. That means I want (1) a tire with enough puncture protection to avoid becoming a nuisance regularly, (2) a tire that provides a decent cushion from road buzz and pavement irregularities, and (3) a tire that rolls well.
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Two things for me. First my aerospace engineer nerdbrain makes me despise anything that feels inefficient. Second, my heart problems mean I go slow, and so the RR is a higher percentage of the total for me. So if I’m going to spend my limited power I don’t want it taxed by something that could be better.
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#16
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Depends on your ability on how much inefficiencies matter. My average ride with my gravel bike and XC trail bike is about 35 miles and I push on those rides (at least 80% my max HR average). I'd think I could ride in a "commute" mode on a Walmart heavy fat bike for 10 miles with no problem unless it just didn't fit me well or that 10 miles was one long hill. My Hybrid bike that I do not ride much anymore has Marathons on it because flat prevention and durability on that bike at the time was critical to me. That bike was pretty heavy and I don't think really efficient tires would have changed the overall experience much. If I did commute 10 or so miles to work, it would probably be that bike with those tires.
Last edited by u235; 05-13-19 at 03:02 PM.
#17
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My Hybrid bike that I do not ride much anymore has Marathons on it because flat prevention and durability on that bike at the time was critical to me. That bike was pretty heavy and I don't think really efficient tires would have changed the overall experience much. If I did commute 10 or so miles to work, it would probably be that bike with those tires.
Spandex Warriors squeezing out every W commuting to work are funny to watch. Especially, when that short commute is their only training.
The only thing funnier than that is watching the motorists erupt in anger at them.
https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...ational-people
Meanwhile, no one bothers an unpretentious father commuting to work on a FGSS with marathons.
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I tend to agree, but the bike has to be at least somewhat decent. Last month I used a bike-share bike while traveling for work, and it was absolutely horrible. I think they (I tried a few) had solid tires, horrible gearing, bad seats, strange riding position... just awful. It was discouraging enough to make me consider walking instead.
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You speak the truth.
Spandex Warriors squeezing out every W commuting to work are funny to watch. Especially, when that short commute is their only training.
The only thing funnier than that is watching the motorists erupt in anger at them.
https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...ational-people
Meanwhile, no one bothers an unpretentious father commuting to work on a FGSS with marathons.
Spandex Warriors squeezing out every W commuting to work are funny to watch. Especially, when that short commute is their only training.
The only thing funnier than that is watching the motorists erupt in anger at them.
https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...ational-people
Meanwhile, no one bothers an unpretentious father commuting to work on a FGSS with marathons.
Just an observation on the first part and an armchair psychoanalysis on the second, but whatever. It gets tiresome.
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#20
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Your constant and seemingly incessant need take jabs at road cyclists who choose to commute in workout clothes makes me think that there's some deeper issue that you're harbouring--resentment, insecurity, superiority/inferiority complex, or just like putting down a group of cyclists cause they're easy to poke fun at. Says more about you than they ones you're judging, BTW. And I chuckled at the word 'unpretentious'.
Just an observation on the first part and an armchair psychoanalysis on the second, but whatever. It gets tiresome.
Just an observation on the first part and an armchair psychoanalysis on the second, but whatever. It gets tiresome.
You seem very defensive about it? Are you a MAMIL and part of the problem it causes for me?
Anecdotally, it's always the MAMILs causing issues compared to the regular-clad cyclists. And the MAMILs tend to ride in packs, which is even more annoying as they skirt laws (red lights, etc...)
Why don't you read the article and get back to me before stating that I have an issue. Should you choose to simply make fun of me, you're missing an issue exists already and is well-documented, that you're seemingly somewhat naïve about.
Last edited by acidfast7; 05-14-19 at 01:14 AM.
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It's just part of the Anglospehre (UK and AUS mostly) culture exemplified by a national newspaper article that I initially attached. Due to poor riding habits, the spandex-clad warriors ruin it for normal cyclists, like me, which I why I also state that fact that they're humourous/annoying (as cited in the article). This isn't my opinion or psychosis, this is an established and well-documented behaviour. Blame European culture if you must find somewhere to place your anger. BBC even uses MAMIL (middle-aged male in lycra) on a regular basis.
Not trying to make fun of you, but like I wrote previously, when you make the kind of comments that you do it is quite telling the kind of person you are. You, or anyone else, can make the same judgments about based on what I've written in the 5000 posts I've done over the past five years.
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#22
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Like I said, I don't live where you live, so even if I am a cyclist who wears spandex and who wears it proudly, middle-aged or otherwise, I wouldn't be causing problems for you in the least.
You lost me at anecdotally.
Not trying to make fun of you, but like I wrote previously, when you make the kind of comments that you do it is quite telling the kind of person you are. You, or anyone else, can make the same judgments about based on what I've written in the 5000 posts I've done over the past five years.
Thus, I will continue to make such commentary, while continuing to cite national news articles for those not in the same locale, so they can make an appropriate judgement of my post, until the problem ceases to exist.
I don't have an issue with all cyclists in Spandex, just the ones the feel the need to be a MAMIL during rush hour when they could cycle at any other time as be less of a burden.
Last edited by acidfast7; 05-14-19 at 06:13 AM.
#23
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I don't live in Europe, and I suspect most members here on BF do not live in Europe either. In fact, most of the BF members live in North America, so when someone who doesn't live here constantly makes fun of cycling culture here, well, it just makes him sound like a self-righteous DB. Just saying
After cycling in both systems, it makes me qualified to speak about both. There are some very nice components about American cycling. Namely the landscape is phenomenal and the random people are more friendly than over here.
I'm sorry that you feel that way. I've found that people pointing out DBs usually have an inferiority complex and are looking for someone to direct their frustration at, so your commentary cuts both ways.
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Again, road cyclists during rush hour here not a problem. Rush hour here not the same as rush hour in London. Most road cyclists here ride on the weekends. Drivers antagonizing more of a problem than the reverse. Trying to apply the same standards to two different cultures makes about as much sense as driving on the left side of the road.