Do you like wide or thin tires?

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Do you like wide or thin tires?
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flag speddownhiller
Posted: Jul 6, 2008 at 9:30 Quote
i like 2.5 up front and 2.35 in the rear when it comes to dh
flag masjo
Posted: Jul 6, 2008 at 9:32 Quote
terrance wrote:
If you had a bigger diameter tire couldn't you pump up the tire a whole bunch so its hard and rolls fast for less rolling resistance?

It doesn't matter, most tires run at around 50 PSI for DH or XC. If you inflate a 2.0 Tire and a 2.75 Tire to 50 PSI, both will feel just as hard, because PSI is just a measure of pressure in pounds per square inch.
flag terrance
Posted: Jul 6, 2008 at 12:15 Quote
masjo wrote:
terrance wrote:
If you had a bigger diameter tire couldn't you pump up the tire a whole bunch so its hard and rolls fast for less rolling resistance?

It doesn't matter, most tires run at around 50 PSI for DH or XC. If you inflate a 2.0 Tire and a 2.75 Tire to 50 PSI, both will feel just as hard, because PSI is just a measure of pressure in pounds per square inch.

so I guess if you took a 26x2.5 tire and a 26x2.8 tire of same make and line of tire and pumped them up to 50 psi the 2.5 would still roll faster. right? and also there's less rotating mass so it would accelerate faster and take less to slow it down.
flag masjo
Posted: Jul 6, 2008 at 13:15 Quote
terrance wrote:
masjo wrote:
terrance wrote:
If you had a bigger diameter tire couldn't you pump up the tire a whole bunch so its hard and rolls fast for less rolling resistance?

It doesn't matter, most tires run at around 50 PSI for DH or XC. If you inflate a 2.0 Tire and a 2.75 Tire to 50 PSI, both will feel just as hard, because PSI is just a measure of pressure in pounds per square inch.

so I guess if you took a 26x2.5 tire and a 26x2.8 tire of same make and line of tire and pumped them up to 50 psi the 2.5 would still roll faster. right? and also there's less rotating mass so it would accelerate faster and take less to slow it down.

The 2.5 would roll faster, yes, but only because it has less resistance. There is less rubber in contact with the ground, and therefore less rubber to move.
As well, there is less rotating mass, but a 2.8 tire would start off faster than a 2.5 tire because it has more traction. It has more contact with the ground, so it is easier to start up. There is less of a chance of a 'burnout' because there is increased rubber. That increased rubber also helps muchly with stopping power for the same reason.
Look at F1 cars, they have VERY wide tires. This is so that they get more initial traction. The tires are also thin so as to cut down on weight, but also so that it takes the tires shorter to heat up (hot tires stick better).
flag poozank
Posted: Jul 6, 2008 at 15:08 Quote
masjo wrote:
terrance wrote:
masjo wrote:


It doesn't matter, most tires run at around 50 PSI for DH or XC. If you inflate a 2.0 Tire and a 2.75 Tire to 50 PSI, both will feel just as hard, because PSI is just a measure of pressure in pounds per square inch.

so I guess if you took a 26x2.5 tire and a 26x2.8 tire of same make and line of tire and pumped them up to 50 psi the 2.5 would still roll faster. right? and also there's less rotating mass so it would accelerate faster and take less to slow it down.

The 2.5 would roll faster, yes, but only because it has less resistance. There is less rubber in contact with the ground, and therefore less rubber to move.
As well, there is less rotating mass, but a 2.8 tire would start off faster than a 2.5 tire because it has more traction. It has more contact with the ground, so it is easier to start up. There is less of a chance of a 'burnout' because there is increased rubber. That increased rubber also helps muchly with stopping power for the same reason.
Look at F1 cars, they have VERY wide tires. This is so that they get more initial traction. The tires are also thin so as to cut down on weight, but also so that it takes the tires shorter to heat up (hot tires stick better).
in terms of acelleration tire size is imaterial a rider does not produce the tourqe of a f1 witha bike smaller would be better
flag ICAS
Posted: Aug 26, 2008 at 20:49 Quote
My bike came with Kenda Nevegal 26x2.35

I like the wide tires for the type of riding I'm doing but find them a little washy on the corners. I assume thicker tires would be ideal for cornering no?
flag DavidMakalaster
Posted: Aug 26, 2008 at 20:51 Quote
ICAS wrote:
My bike came with Kenda Nevegal 26x2.35

I like the wide tires for the type of riding I'm doing but find them a little washy on the corners. I assume thicker tires would be ideal for cornering no?

Not necessarily. Depends on the conditions.
flag ICAS
Posted: Aug 26, 2008 at 20:54 Quote
Dirt & mud generally. I'd categorize mt riding as extreme xc / some downhill.
flag DavidMakalaster
Posted: Aug 26, 2008 at 20:58 Quote
ICAS wrote:
Dirt & mud generally. I'd categorize mt riding as extreme xc / some downhill.

Stick with a 2.35. Maybe get one with a more consistent edge knob row.
flag stinkyrider17
Posted: Aug 26, 2008 at 21:01 Quote
I like a fat tyre because you can pump them up really hard. I used to think skinny tyres rolled heaps better but you need lower the pressure in them to still get grip, which means there is more resistance and means you get more flats.
flag ICAS
Posted: Aug 26, 2008 at 21:03 Quote
Cool, I'll look for ones with sharper edges

2.35's it is! Cheers
flag DavidMakalaster
Posted: Aug 26, 2008 at 21:08 Quote
Minion DHFs and Michelin Comp 16s are great.
flag princeofthenorth
Posted: Aug 27, 2008 at 15:56 Quote
what are your opions on specialed chunder? those look like pretty good tires, they look like they gotta nice tread.
flag peach
Posted: Aug 27, 2008 at 16:00 Quote
Can I pick medium tires? lol I like to ride 2.5's . Do people consider that wide or thin? Because thin in my eyes are 2.1" and smaller and wide tires are anything 2.8" up to 3". Sound fair?tup
flag stinkyrider17
Posted: Aug 27, 2008 at 16:40 Quote
The way a tyres width is measured is completely different from brand to brand. A 2.1 specialized tyre of my mates looks the same thickness of my minion 2.5. so its hard to class wether a tyre is thick or thin from brand to brand

 


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