worth getting narrower tires? (currently running 40mm)
10-18-20, 05:33 PM
#26
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I have been commuting on 28mm tires for decades. Never an issue with flats or durability. I also have a Miyata 1000 with 38mm tires on it that I use for commuting once in a while. The fit of the two bikes is near identical. The rack, bags, lights, pedals, and drive train are identical. The different tire size makes a slight difference in the commute time. 15 miles one way takes about 10 minutes longer on the wider tire bike. Mostly I feel the difference climbing out of the river valley, and the other hills on the route. Comes down to acceleration. When the wheels have to be pushed the narrow tires do it better. I will say, the 38mm tires have never had a flat, whereas the 28mm have had two flats in the last 4000 miles. 28mm tires are the low end Conti Ultra Sport tires, the 38mm tires are Conti City Ride tires.
10-18-20, 06:01 PM
#27
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Narrower tire will FEEL faster because you will bounce more at a given speed. But unless the pavement is 100% smooth, the wider tire will be faster.
Get a tire of the same size with more efficient rubber and tread. However, unless you have knobby tires, tires contribute little to effort required.
Get a tire of the same size with more efficient rubber and tread. However, unless you have knobby tires, tires contribute little to effort required.
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10-18-20, 06:10 PM
#28
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10-18-20, 06:25 PM
#29
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Rolling resistance behaves exactly the same as road slope. I can't tell where your cut off is for a little contribution but I don't think road grade and gravity are something to be ignored. From Robert Chung, "If you're a weight weenie, you should definitely also be a Crr weenie." https://marginalgainspodcast.cc/the-...-robert-chung/ https://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/S...hung_P7086944/
As I said, unless you have an MTB tire, the differences in rolling resistance are small. Especially compared to aero on a hybrid. But I'm a hypocrite, I run Schwalbe Almotion with extremely low resistance. But I have 2.15 in front and 2.0 in rear. Nice comfy and rolls well over imperfect surfaces.
10-18-20, 06:44 PM
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Narrower tire will FEEL faster because you will bounce more at a given speed. But unless the pavement is 100% smooth, the wider tire will be faster.
Get a tire of the same size with more efficient rubber and tread. However, unless you have knobby tires, tires contribute little to effort required.
Get a tire of the same size with more efficient rubber and tread. However, unless you have knobby tires, tires contribute little to effort required.
Otto
10-18-20, 07:10 PM
#31
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Read the OP. He would go from one hybrid tire to a slightly different hybrid tire. I have a 4.8" fatbike and know very well the huge rolling difference to my hybrid. But that isn't the OP question.
10-18-20, 07:17 PM
#33
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How fast one goes depends on the propulsive force provided by the rider balanced against the resistive forces from the environment. It makes no difference if you increase the former or decrease the latter. For an experienced rider, there is usually much more to be gained through reducing resistance.
10-18-20, 07:19 PM
#34
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No kidding. On a recent climb with a 17% grade traveling at 6.3 MPH (34/34@80rpm) 12.8 watts were needed to overcome rolling resistance, 5.6 watts for drag, and 421.3 watts for gravity. Gravity made up 95.8% of the power needed to make that climb at that (low) speed.
10-18-20, 07:27 PM
#35
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I’m not about to repeat what was explained so well in the podcast. Listen, don’t listen; think about it or not, doesn’t matter to me.
10-18-20, 07:36 PM
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Narrower tire will FEEL faster because you will bounce more at a given speed. But unless the pavement is 100% smooth, the wider tire will be faster.
Get a tire of the same size with more efficient rubber and tread. However, unless you have knobby tires, tires contribute little to effort required.
Get a tire of the same size with more efficient rubber and tread. However, unless you have knobby tires, tires contribute little to effort required.
10-18-20, 08:16 PM
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No. Bicycle tire calculators say that is right for my weight. Years of riding experience tell me that is the right pressure for my weight. Frankly, I see any thing less than that to be far too low. I’ve never had problems with pinch flats nor with rim damage. I’ve ridden on tires that are going flat and could never stand the wallowing feel that goes along with flat tires.
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10-18-20, 10:16 PM
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Ridden Colnago on sew ups. Everything in between. Currently on a Cross Check with 42c Conti Speedrides. Rolls as well as anything I’ve had, and rides incredibly well. I run them a little soft. Just go by feeling. Never going back!
10-18-20, 10:31 PM
#39
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And, as I said above, tires run at 20 psi feel like flat tires to me. I’ve ridden on tires that are going flat and hate how they feel on corners. It feels like the tire is folding off the rim which it is. I’ve been running this pressure for most of 4 decades without issues. I don’t experience pinch flats because I don’t ride flat tires. I don’t bend rims because I don’t ride flat tires. I ride off road just fine with the pressure I use.
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10-19-20, 10:01 AM
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Otto
Last edited by ofajen; 10-19-20 at 10:32 AM.
10-19-20, 10:32 AM
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10-19-20, 10:40 AM
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With a total weight of 200 lbs, I run almost 40 psi on the rear with a 26x2.0 Contact Speed on road and dry crushed stone trails, but more like 32 front 34 rear on 26x2.2 Race Kings on gravel and slightly soft trails. If it were messy, I’d be running lower. YMMV.
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10-19-20, 12:29 PM
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I'm 165lbs. I run the following:
33mm CX tubulars are usually around 20psi for racing.
33mm - 35mm clinchers are usually around 30-45psi for training and gravel
32mm tubeless road tires are 50psi
When I used to run 28mm clincher road tires, I'd air them up to around 65-70psi. I didn't notice any difference in speed between 28mm and 32mm. I do notice a pretty big difference in speed (on pavement) between 32mm road tires and 35mm gravel tires.
33mm CX tubulars are usually around 20psi for racing.
33mm - 35mm clinchers are usually around 30-45psi for training and gravel
32mm tubeless road tires are 50psi
When I used to run 28mm clincher road tires, I'd air them up to around 65-70psi. I didn't notice any difference in speed between 28mm and 32mm. I do notice a pretty big difference in speed (on pavement) between 32mm road tires and 35mm gravel tires.
10-19-20, 06:45 PM
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Actually I have a basically similar bike with touring bars and 42/16 SS built from a vintage MTB and running 26x2.0 or 2.2. The only benefit to switching would be more selection of tires.
It’s mainly for nostalgia that I keep a 700x32 roadish bike built up: it gives me a use for nice caliper brakes, road cranks, etc that I bought long years ago. Of course that bike is also a few pounds lighter and typically at least 1/2 mph faster, at least on routes I’m willing to ride a “skinny tire” bike.
Otto
It’s mainly for nostalgia that I keep a 700x32 roadish bike built up: it gives me a use for nice caliper brakes, road cranks, etc that I bought long years ago. Of course that bike is also a few pounds lighter and typically at least 1/2 mph faster, at least on routes I’m willing to ride a “skinny tire” bike.
Otto
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10-19-20, 07:51 PM
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10-20-20, 06:55 AM
#49
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Id been leaning towards more versatile bikes. A Grant Peterson fanboy. Was about to hit the button on a demo Riv. The next day the CC came up local. Very similar, but 1/3 the price. Goes anywhere, does anything. Trails. Road. Errands. Just for fun. A half century. A really good bike!
The guy who sold me the RockHopper MTB frame a few years back runs one of our local bike shops. A year ago he was selling his CC frame and wheels to go with it, if needed. But it was a 23” frame and I’m tall enough to really want something around 25” in 700C.
If I do buy another frame, it will be something about like that, to run Speed Rides in that size. About the only new parts I would need other than what’s on the Schwinn would be brakes. That would be a little sad, as I’ve run the Superbe brakes for over forty years and they are probably good for at least another forty.
Otto
