You are reading a single comment by @jamesjohndanceclub and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@jamesjohndanceclub
trying my hardest to remember my physics, because altho the law you're thinking of is relevant, i don't think it's the only consideration...
the traction between your tyre and the road is dynamic, and the max coefficient of friction can occur at any point where the two surfaces meet. the greater the area, the higher likelihood of maximum traction. so fat tyres do give you a higher chance of better grip. altho strictly speaking you're right in absolute terms, just not including probability.
and then there is the instance where the max frictional force is higher than the structural integrity of the rubber in contact with the ground, causing the tyre to tear. i'm not sure whether this favours skinny or fat tyres. skinny are normally higher pressure, so the rubber is less likely to tear. fat have more rubber to tear.