Tire Rolling Resistance

[TroyUK]

Intresting read
http://www.rouesartisanales.com/article-1503651.html

[Mostyn]

Interesting link, so a narrow tyre not necessarily the best for ease of rolling along. Anyone know the best tyres for easy rolling?

[brinsly]

The best tyres for easy rolling are those that are inflated to the manufactures recommended PSI, i use Schwalbe ZX Ultremo's and inflate them to just under the maximum psi of 145 - about 130,i found this improves the rolling resistance by a huge margin compared to when i used to run them at just over 100. Fair do's you do feel every bump on the road, but as the article states finding a good RR and a comfortable RR is like being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

[Mostyn]

The best tyres for easy rolling are those that are inflated to the manufactures recommended PSI, i use Schwalbe ZX Ultremo's and inflate them to just under the maximum psi of 145 - about 130,i found this improves the rolling resistance by a huge margin compared to when i used to run them at just over 100. Fair do's you do feel every bump on the road, but as the article states finding a good RR and a comfortable RR is like being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I also have the Shwalbe ZX Ultremos on my Cube, I run them at 100psi in the front tyre; and 110psi in the rear tyre! They hold the road extremely well.

[stepdot]

Sorry Brinsly, that is not true. Assuming that all tyres are inflated to the correct pressure then some do roll "easier" than others. My current tyre, Continental Ultra Race rolls much better (faster and smoother, not to mention giving better grip) than the Schwalbe Lugano I had on before.

[freeflow]

Thats quite a limited perspective in that article. There is no discussion of the effect of road surface or rider weight or the impact of increasing tyre size. My understanding is that rolling resistance is only one factor in achieving 'maximum' speed and that maximally inflated tyres only have greater speed on very smooth surfaces. For road surfaces you need to deflate the tyre until you get to the point that the tyre is able to flex over the surface rather than bounce over it. If you are really techy about it then you should be adjusting tyre pressure for weight/surface/tyre contruction/tyre surface/weather conditions.

OK, so hopefully that's lit the blue touch paper!!!!!!

[ShropshireLad]

For road surfaces you need to deflate the tyre until you get to the point that the tyre is able to flex over the surface rather than bounce over it. If you are really techy about it then you should be adjusting tyre pressure for weight/surface/tyre contruction/tyre surface/weather conditions.

I guess that's why most of us settle quite readily into the 'can't-be'arsed' category.

[allezhopper]

I guess that's why most of us settle quite readily into the 'can't-be'arsed' category.

+1

I'd never get a ride finished if I had to keep adjusting the tyre pressures for every change in the road surfaces around here. Especially if I had to re-inflate them using my mini-pump ... Pro: it's very small; Con: it's very small.

[freeflow]

Interesting article

http://www.bikequarterly.com/images/TireDrop.pdf