Originally Posted by
smd4
You do realize “smaller contact patch” = less friction = less rolling resistance?
1-Friction forces between a typical sealed road surface and a tire are substantially more proportional to total normal force than to contact area. A small contact area mostly just makes the friction less consistent, i.e. traction can be sketchier.
2-The friction between tire and road surface is mostly static friction, not sliding kinetic friction, meaning that there's not much frictional energy dissipation happening at the interface.
3-The two above points have very little to do with rolling resistance. Ignoring vibration, Crr on a sealed road surface is largely driven by friction internal to the tire (i.e. hysteresis of the casing and tread and whatnot), not friction between the tire and the road surface.