That is interesting stuff, but I think the idea that wider tires are a disadvantage on smooth roads is a bit outdated. I wonder when this video was recorded.
You might also be interested in a podcast that featured Josh Poertner, formerly of Zipp (now of Silca), James Huang and me, talking about the latest research. I was surprised that the guys at Zipp came to the same conclusions as we did at Bicycle Quarterly, only their research was top secret and only available to their sponsored riders! You can listen to the discussion here: http://cyclingtips.com/2016/08/cyclingtips-podcast-episode-9-rethinking-road-bike-tire-sizes-and-pressures/ Jan Heine Compass Cycles www.compasscycle.com On Tuesday, August 23, 2016 at 8:31:22 AM UTC+9, Lee Legrand wrote: > > Listen to what Keith Bontrager says about wide tires. Not directed at you > Jan. It is at 2:35. > > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpxUcfZhxLk&list=TL7aUwq5E8PH4yMjA4MjAxNg > > > > On Mon, Aug 22, 2016 at 5:26 PM, Jan Heine <hei...@earthlink.net > <javascript:>> wrote: > >> The Rat Trap Pass use the same casings, same tread pattern, and same >> tread thickness as the other tires in the Compass line. We did a lot of >> testing with prototypes to make sure that you could actually use such a >> supple casing on such a wide tire – nobody had ever done that before. >> >> As to tread wear, the wider the tire, the more rubber touches the road. >> So the wear is spread over a larger surface, and the tire lasts longer. >> It's that simple. Our tires have a somewhat thicker tread than event tires >> like the Soma Grand Randonneur or the Pari-Motos. Again, we did a lot of >> testing to see how thick we could make the tread rubber without slowing >> down the tire significantly, so we could optimize speed and longevity. >> >> I get about 5000 miles out of a set of Babyshoe Pass tires before I >> retire them. When I cut them apart to check the wear, I am always surprised >> how much tread is left – I probably could have ridden them another 1-2000 >> miles. I haven't yet worn out a set of Rat Trap Pass, so I cannot comment >> on how much longer they last. >> >> Of course, you'll find tires that last longer (harder rubber that doesn't >> grip well, thicker tread that rolls slowly), but for a high-performance >> tire, I am very happy with the mileages we and others get on these tires. >> >> Jan Heine >> Compass Cycles >> www.compasscycle.com >> >> On Sunday, August 21, 2016 at 1:47:26 AM UTC+9, Mark in Beacon wrote: >> >> >>> Maybe there is something about the RTP that makes them different from >>> the other tires in the lineup? >>> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com <javascript:>. >> To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com >> <javascript:>. >> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
