Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower

Re:Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower by analog31 on Monday June 14, 2021 @10:29PM (#27510635)

While I don't dispute this, and I have both kinds of bikes, when I talk to "casual" cyclists who have tried disc brakes, they almost unanimously describe the difference as being like night and day. Perhaps the issue is that they are comparing new disc brakes on good bikes, to old crappy neglected rim brakes on cheap bikes. Still, the difference in popularity is unmistakable.

Myself, I'm not getting rid of my rim brake bikes any time soon, but it's interesting to observe how different people experience cycling.

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Re:Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower by sliken on Tuesday June 15, 2021 @02:43AM (#27512079)

I've had top of the line campy brakes, top of the line shimano (dura-ace), and quite a few of the other options.

Do yourself a favor and try out some decent hydraulic brakes. Now only are they pretty amazing, but amazingly consistent. Even in rain, heat, cold, etc. Also it's MUCH rarer to have to undo a brake, just because your wheel went out of true.

Try to track your use, going downhill and hit a puddle, do you drag your brakes? Why? Wait till they grip again? I had no idea I had such habits.

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Re:Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower by analog31 on Tuesday June 15, 2021 @02:06PM (#27519195)

Yup, definitely. Agreed about wet riding. The weirdest one was coming out of my cold garage into a hot humid day, and the water condensing on my rims. That's why I say I wouldn't get rid of the rim brakes, but appreciate why they might be in decline.

I've tried hydraulics on friends bikes, definitely nicer, but again not enough to motivate me to switch.

That's how it is with all of these improvements. Someone will always have newer, slicker gear than me, but I keep riding. ;-)

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Re:Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower by jmilloy on Monday June 14, 2021 @10:50PM (#27510747)

Yeah, I guess component quality matters, the condiditions matter, rider style and goals matter. It seems like there are plenty of reasons to prefer disc brakes (especially hydraulic), but plenty of others to prefer rim brakes, depending on all of these factors.

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Re:Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower by kohlerm on Tuesday June 15, 2021 @01:48AM (#27511752)

For pure road bikes rim brakes are ok IMHO only under certain conditions.e.g. no carbon rims and not much dirt and try conditions. These are not the conditions you will find off-road. Also the difference in wet conditions is IMHo still night and day.

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Re:Myths in cycling: wider tires are slower by sliken on Tuesday June 15, 2021 @02:45AM (#27512094)

Heh, have you ridden on road? I find it at least as dirty as offroad. If anything more grit in the winter, any moisture and everything (bike, shoes, legs, socks, etc).

Roads are far from clean, and if anything the debris is more abrasive than you'll find off road. I'd rather have normal dirt than tire and disc dust you'll find on the road.

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