Re:Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower
by jaypeg25 on Monday June 14, 2021 @04:59PM
(#27508232)
They came with 35mm "roadsport flak jacket" https://www.specialized.com/us/en/roadsport/p/155765?color=2....
They're pretty smooth overall, perhaps why I never really had an issue commuting with them, but I'm always looking to go faster!
Found the details - I went from 40mm WTB Nanos [0] to these 38mm GravelKing Slicks [1]. If you look at the product pages, the difference is pretty striking. I don't know much about the RoadSports, but at least when it comes to "slick-ness", it looks like you're already starting from a slicker baseline than I was.
- [0] https://www.wtb.com/products/nano-40c
- [1] https://www.panaracerusa.com/products/gravelking-slick-foldi...
You could try Gravelking slicks which are fast and still grippy or Conti GP5000s which are very fast.
I have enjoyed the WTB Trailblazers as they are knobby enough to run singletrack but have a solid centerline for touring longevity and better rolling resistance. You just have to adjust the tire pressure according to what you're predominantly doing that day. Commutting I run them at 35-45psi and on the trail I run them at 18-22psi no worries.
The Topstone shipped with some pretty knobby WTBs that definitely had an impact on rolling resistance. If your tires are knobby/optimized for off-road, putting a slicker tire (the GK slicks are quite popular for good reason), I suspect you’ll notice quite a difference, but I’d look more at the knobbiness than the fatness if you’re considering a change.
Also worth noting that some knobby tires have a hard line down the middle that keeps resistance minimal until you start to turn, at which point you hit the high traction portion of the tire. Takeaway: even if it looks knobby, it might not be as slow as it looks.
32mm+ is already getting into “fat” territory for a road bike, and for me personally, 38mm seems to be my sweet spot.