On Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 8:29 PM, <loudeeter@aol.com> wrote:
> I think all the studies have shown that the aerodynamic resistance
> increases somewhere around 20 MPH so that the wider tire loses that roll
> fast advantage.
>
When you factor in the rider on the bike, churning legs and all, do you really think that the 5mm difference in tire width between a 23 and 28mm tire is going to make any measureable difference in aerodynamic resistance? I would be very surprised. What I have seen in aerodynamic tests is that it's not the tire width that matters, it's the transition from tire to rim. Fat tire plus narrow rim = Bad. Narrow tire + narrow rim = Good. Fat tire + Fat rim = Good.
John
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John Wood
Open Road Bicycles
Missoula, Montana, USA