'Upgrading' to skinny tyres pointless for London commuting

Different tread/compound/feel/big weight increase.

That's why all discussion about the rolling resistance benefit of bigger casings should be accompanied buy the caveat all other things being equal

in the context of road racing, 25mm counts as big

Ok. I'm glad this has been said.

A lot of what was written above would have people expecting to be chainganging on Marathon Plus tyres which whilst possible... wouldn't be great.

Have a look around the page. Can see any other words?

A lot of what was written above would have people expecting to be chainganging on Marathon Plus tyres which whilst possible... wouldn't be great.

It would be fine if everybody did it. It only takes one wanker on Corsa CXs to spoil it for everybody :-)

Actually it would be awesome and quite possibly save everyone a bloody fortune (and some of the earths recourses).

Are you some kind of communist?

;-)

No bloody way I'll switch my tyres for one that's heavier than my front wheel alone.

the earths recourses

The earth recourses to throwing up flints to punish those who train on racing tyres.

She (Mother N) is the only real winner.

sigh

Nick?

n***?

A lot of what was written above would have people expecting to be chainganging on Marathon Plus tyres which whilst possible... wouldn't be great.

Personally I think that's what people misconception of bigger tyres are base on, bigger = heavier.

A 32c Marathon Plus is pretty hefty at 800g* each, whether a 32c Grand Bois (bear with me here) weight a modest 290g*, which is almost on par with a 23c Continental Gatorskins** at 280g*.

*manufacturer claim weight.

**The Gatorskins are labelled as winter/training tyres, but the width of the tyres can also make a difference, wider tyres are less prone to puncture, thus a fair comparison.

puN***re?

N*** = Nail?

After all this I've concluded that I definately need to change my tyres.

I've no idea what they need to be replaced with but there's absolutely no doubt in my mind that they need changing.

Fat ones I think. Wait no, definately thin ones. Maybe I should do a mixture or something.

Mixture is the way to go. Veloflex Record 700x20 on the front, Schwalbe Marathon Supreme 700x50 on the back. Corollary benefit is lo-pro style constant downhill without the extra hassle of a 650c front

OMG I was totally thinking the same thing!

That's probably going on right now over in HHSB thread.

Kind of like when yooufs put bricks in the boot of their tricked out corsa to make it look like the suspension's been lowered?

Wider tyres have lower rolling resistance, this have been around for quite some time, it's just conventional wisdom that narrower, firmer tyres = better performance.

Actually I said lower rolling resistance, I said nothing about it being better in performance.

O rlly Ed? And if you reckon you were just talking about rolling resistance, and 'conventional wisdom' talks about better performance, you're conflating the issue, at best.

Boonen was on Vittoria Pro-Team Special Pave 25mm (the ones with the green sidewalls) for his last few Paris-Roubaix, I don't know about yesterday.

Well yes, conventional wisdom said that narrow tyres is faster, what's the confusion?

you're inflating the issue, at best.

But not to excessive pressure, I hope. That's another old wives' tale, that harder tyres roll faster. Higher pressure gives lower rolling resistance on a steel roller test, but field testing shows that the extra suspension travel provided by moderate tyre pressure is a bigger gain than the slightly worse hysteresis loss in the tyres.

Ed, you said that conventional wisdom says narrower tyres are faster. But you said that wider tyres have lower rolling resistance.

So either you are talking about rolling resistance, or you are talking about faster/better performance.

To compare one with the other is like comparing apples with pears.

Lower rolling resistance ≠ faster.

Faster ≠ lower rolling resistance.

Clear?

I think you're right mdcc_tester, I've inflated this issue enough.

I'm off to have a lie down in a darkened room.