Correct. Wind resistance is often a much greater issue than tire width. Not just speed, but clothing/helmet choice, and body positioning affect it greatly.
It should also be noted that tire design and construction (casing, compound, tread design), and matching tire size properly to rim width (affects contact patch size and shape, and casing shape), have a big affect on rolling resistance. Thus why it's a good idea to get feedback from users about which tires are 'fast' and 'slow' before choosing what to spend your dollars on. Personally I've ridden 'slow' narrow tires, and 'fast' wide tires, and noticed this to hold true even though I usually run the maximum pressure.
Bill Roberts Jacksonville, OR
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org]On Behalf Of BobHoveyGa@aol.com Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2005 11:49 AM To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: [CR]CR]Constructeurs? NOW Wave of the future
In a message dated 11/13/2005 2:35:59 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, classicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org writes:
Mike Kone:
<much context removed>
>".....wide tires overall are likely to be faster than skinny tires which
have HIGHER rolling resistance).
>
> Marcus Coles replies:
>
You forget the important words "at the same pressure."
At a given weight and pressure the contact patch is going to be pretty
much the same area regardless of tire size, the wider tire has the
rolling resistance advantage as the contact patch while the of the same
area is shorter i.e. the flat spot is not as long.
Due to structural reasons skinner tires generally can take more pressure
which creates a smaller contact patch which can quickly overcomes the
advantage of the wider tire.
Very true. Furthermore, I believe studies have shown that one does not have to go very fast before wind resistance will overcome any advantage the wider tire might have had with it's lower rolling resistance.
Bob Hovey
Columbus, GA