Tyre widths and performance

Tigerandahalf

I have been very lucky thus far with the tyres on my carrera bike. I have got no punctures and don't always need to pump them before a ride.

I wouldn't be a huge cyclist but the tyre walls do have a few cracks and I am thinking I might as well stock up. Thinking of getting the Continental Gatorskins but there seems to be a few types of them - foldable and wire bead.
Which would be the normal one. It seems you can fold up the former.



Anyway in checking up that I came across an article on tyre width and how wider tyres (25mm compared to 23mm) are becoming more popular as they are more comfortable and have less rolling resistance. Most bikes seem to have 23mm.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Folding are easier to fit and weigh less. Wired tyres are heavier but cheaper.

Buy folding.

Beasty

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Anyway in checking up that I came across an article on tyre width and how wider tyres (25mm compared to 23mm) are becoming more popular as they are more comfortable and have less rolling resistance. Most bikes seem to have 23mm.

Run at the same pressure without doubt 25mm tyres have less rolling resistance than 23mm and typically clinchers are going to be ridden at similar pressure. However I'll run 19mm tubs on the track as comfort is not an issue and you can minimise any rolling resistance by pushing the pressure up

Inquitus

Aye a couple of years back 23's seemed to be the flavour of the month, but 25's are now the supposed faster option.

Daroxtar

Good article about rim and tyre width here.

http://www.velonomad.com/articles/are-wider-rims-better/

saccades

Err, the first answer on the interview is a nonsense.

The benefit of a wider tyre on a wider rim is that it is supported (at its bead) so that the tyre profile is not “pinched” at the bead. Think of a fat tyre on a skinny rim (let’s say a 23c tyre on a 19mm wide rim like a Mavic Ksyrium): the tyre will be the shape of a lightbulb – the tyre beads are only about 15mm apart, yet the widest part of the tyre casing is 25mm apart. On a wider rim (the same 23c tyre on a 23mm rim), the tyre bead are 19mm apart (20% further apart) – the tyre has a rounded “U” shape.

He should be talking consistantly about the interior rim width, rather than switching between measurements as exterior rim width (which he uses repeatedly) has nothing to do with tyre size. He saying wider is better but once it goes too far it's just as dangerous as too narrow.

This chart explains it a lot better, it's the conservative ETRTO chart.



I've got 27c Pave's on a internal diameter 19mm wtbi19 rim, I wouldn't want to go any narrower - you would not get a 23c on there, yet the interview describes that exact combo as a "fat tyre on a skinny rim" :eek:. A nonsense (mavic ksyrium elite internal rim width was 15 is now 17 btw, Open Pro's internall width is a 15c).

On a perfect surface (like a track), a narrow tyre at high pressures is best for the least rolling resistance. The bumpier the road the better it is to have a tyre that can "deform" to the road as your energy is not wasted moving up and down etc. It's one of the reasons that a supple folding tyre is better than an inflexible wire tyre.

The trick is to find that sweet spot for the roads you cycle.