Cycling UK Forum

GrahamJ wrote:

The utility cyclist wrote:Please show some hard evidence for this hypothesis because despite many making this claim the numbers simply don't work out, only when you inflate a wider tyre to the same higher pressure of a narrower tyres does it equal or have a slightly lower rolling resistance on rough tarmac.

See page 43 of Thorn's Touring Bike Bible (http://www.sjscycles.com/thornpdf/thorn ... ochure.pdf). Andy Blance provides these links to support his statements.
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2012/08/ ... on-losses/
http://trstriathlon.com/talking-tires-w ... -poertner/
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2016/06/ ... confirmed/
http://www.roadrevolution18.dtswiss.com/endurance/

I'd read most of that and elsewhere previously, Jan Heine using rumble strips is just ludicrous, not a single road surface replicates that, the bike rolling resistance drum has a continual uneven surface but not extreme, it's as close to a rough road as you're going to experience, the evidence shows that wider tyres are not quicker/lower roiling resiatance unless you inflate them to the same higher pressures of narrower tyres.

Just an update to what you guys said to me a little while back.

I ended up getting some Schwalbe Silento 26 x 1.75 hybrid tyres and it's fair to say they made a huge difference. the ride was much smoother and easier! I've now recommend to a friend who rides their MTB mostly on road to switch his knobblys our for something similar.

Ironically, I have switched to a new road bike now. however when I go for rides with my daughter and partner I know I will have much smoother and easier ride when I get the MTB back out!