On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 00:49:35 +0100, Pete Biggs <pLime{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:
> MSA wrote:
>
>>> A wider tyre is actually faster than a narrower tyre at the same pressure. ~PB
>
>> I don't understand this Pete, can you explain more?
>
> I have read that tests have shown, for example, that a 25mm tyre at 120psi has lower rolling
> resistance than a 23mm version of an equal quality tyre at 120psi.
>
> I might try and find out more about the theory (if no-one else explains it in the meantime) but it
> mainly involves rubber deformation losses*. Friction from tyre to road is a much lesser factor in
> rolling resistance (even on smooth roads) - so it doesn't matter that more rubber scrubs the road
> with a wider tyre.
>
I'm not getting involved in this because I have absolutely no idea which is the "correct" answer and
I suspect "it depends..."
However, the "more rubber scrubs the road" is a popular misconception.
For almost all pneumatic tires, regardless of vehicle, the amount of rubber in contact with the road
is, to a very good approximation, load divided by tyre pressure.
This does break down for stiff sidewall tyres (run-flat) and I suspect that is it less good for low
profile tyres where the sidewall probably has a larger supporting role.
The principle reason why wide tyres give better road holding (on the straight[1]) on cars is due to
the change in the shape of the contact patch. On a wide tyre the contact patch becomes wider but
shorter front to back. This means that the rubber spends less time in contact with the road relative
to the time it can cool while rotating in the air. This in turn means that different compounds can
be used, generally softer, but with better "grip" characteristics.
[1] Aparently there are other dynamics that come into play when cornering on a car tyre which give
wide tyres an additional advantage but I don't know what they are.
Regards,
Tim.
--
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