(almost fast) said:What're some good clincher tires for time trialing? I have
Specialized composite wheels on my TT bike.
I'm considering the Continental Supersonic and Vittoria
Ultra Speed. Are there others?
Cycling Plus reported that the Vredestein track clincher was
the best rolling tire for TTs, according to their test
procedures. Avocet makes a 23 mm TT specific tire with very
supple casings and really thin rubber.
Quoted message said:I've heard a smooth tire is better than one with a tread
pattern.
A tread pattern is just for looks and has no benefit for
riding on paved roads. Some of Greenspeed's rolling
resistance test results, as posted on their Website, suggest
to me that some tread patterns can increase the flexibility
of the tread and help reduce rolling resistance somewhat. At
least that's the only reason I can think of for some tires
with thick-ish rubber having good results (other than
measurement error).
Quoted message said:I've also heard a feather edge transition between the
tread and sidewall helps aerodynamics. Makes sense to me;
is there any data to back this up?
It's only useful if you need that 0.0025 seconds for
victory, your position on the bike is as optimized as it can
possibly be, and you are already trained to your absolute
maximum potential. Otherwise you're splitting hairs that are
of no account.