TPI (threads per inch) by itself doesn't really influence tire performance. We once tested a Grand Bois prototype with twice the TPI next to a standard tire, on the track, and found that both required the same power output. The "twice the TPI" tire never was introduced. Instead, Grand Bois and Panaracer went back to the drawing board, and designed the new "Extra Leger" tires, which truly are a big leap in terms of suppleness, comfort and (as far as the first indications go) speed.
We still have to test these in a controlled setting... Back to TPI, it's a variable that is easy to quantify, but just like bike weight doesn't determine performance, TPI doesn't determine tire performance. These variables are somewhat correlated, because a lighter frame tends to be more lively, and a high-TPI casing tends to be more supple. But it's entirely possible to make a light bike or a high-TPI tire that performs poorly. Jan Heine Compass Bicycles Ltd. 2116 Western Ave. Seattle WA 98121 http://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?hl=en-US. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
