The latest issue of Bicycle Quarterly has a very nice summary of all their tire testing data. Interesting that the fastest tire they tested was a 25 mm tire -- a Vittoria, and that thanks to its casing. I daresay that up to some point, a wider tire with the same casing would be a wee bit faster yet. I wish I could find something like that in a 559 571.
Playing around with my daughter's new-to-her Diamond Back "Outlet", with heavy sidewall'd tires, thorn proof tubes, liner, and sealant, I discovered that hard is indeed faster, at least on pavement. I dropped pressure to a point where I could pinch the casing with a strong grip, and the ride was very definitely slower. Oh well, if she rides it a lot, I'll invest in better wheels, tubeless, and Stan's. I must say that I tend to fall into Jan's camp: riding is for fun, even when, as just now, it is just a 11 mile rt to the PO and grocery store. The Parigi Roubaix feel nice even with 20 or 30 lb in back. On Wed, Mar 19, 2014 at 11:28 AM, RJM <crccpadu...@gmail.com> wrote: > I appreciate both you and Grant chiming in to this thread. There doesn't > have to be much more to say to the topic, but I will say this - I think you > both are totally correct with the wider tires are better tires. Even on my > set up for fast club riding Roadeo I went with 33's and don't feel slowed > down compared to the other club riders are riding 23's. I know I am more > comfortable on the 33's, also happier. > > Oh, and I hate flats. > On Wednesday, March 19, 2014 10:37:22 AM UTC-5, Jan Heine wrote: > >> Grant, >> >> Thank you for the nice words. Yes, I appreciate your friendship, too. >> Fond memories... I totally understand where you are coming from when it >> comes to tires. There is a place for sturdy tires. You articulate it well: >> How much do you want to think about your bike. I don't mind changing my >> chain once in a while, so I ride derailleurs, not an internally-geared hub. >> And I don't mind looking at my tires every couple of months to make sure >> that the sidewalls are still OK. (They usually are, I haven't had a >> sidewall cut in decades.) >> >> For me, riding a bike is all about the smiles. The wind in my face, the >> bike leaning into a corner, picking up speed as I pedal harder – it's an >> incredible feeling. It's as much fun today as it was when I was ten and got >> my first ten-speed. I am looking for tires that sing on the road. I want my >> tires to absorb even the worst chipseal without making my hands blur on the >> handlebars. On gravel roads, I want my tires to float over the pebbles >> rather than bounce with each little bump. It's an added bonus that these >> tires allow me to ride through the night and feel none the worse for wear >> when I see the sun come up behind some peak in the Cascades. But even on >> short rides – especially on short rides – great tires makes the ride much >> more fun for me. >> >> When I go for a run or a walk, I wear running shoes, not steel-shanked >> hiking boots. I'll have to be a bit more careful where I step, but that is >> OK. I also don't wear racing flats, and for the same reason, we don't make >> "event" tires with ultra-thin tread that lasts only 1500 miles and is more >> likely to puncture. I want tires that offer a great ride and performance, >> but that a good rider can use every day. >> >> Like Grant, I don't like flats, and with the wider tires we ride these >> days, flats are such a rare occurrence that I rarely think about them. In >> more than 25,000 miles of riding Hetres and Babyshoe Pass 650B x 42 mm >> tires, I've had three flats. Two were caused by steel wires that would have >> penetrated most tires eventually. Even so, I would be willing to endure a >> flat every few months in return for a tire that puts a smile on my face. >> >> Jan Heine >> Compass Bicycles Ltd. >> www.compasscycle.com >> >> Follow our blog at http://janheine.wordpress.com/ >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- Resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and letters that get interviews. By-the-hour resume and LinkedIn coaching. Other professional writing services. http://www.resumespecialties.com/ Patrick Moore Albuquerque, Nouvelle Mexique, Etats Unis -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
