Quote:
Originally Posted by txsurfer
That is another factor Im working on. At what point do I want to give up speed for comfort, mileage or time wise?
The weather on the ETS was horrendous and my BMC Monstercross disc ate it up and was comfortable to the finish. In dry weather, I wonder if I could have hammered the 280 out on my Bowman Pilgrim's (road +) on 32-35c gravel tires. It would have been fast and potentially bone jarring, but less time in the saddle.
|
The calculus is fun, wondering what would have been faster. For the courses around here, at my weight, I can't race on anything less than 40mm or I end up pinch flatting a lot, if I boost the pressure, getting big punctures. Several years ago when I was about 5 kilos lighter I was on 35s with no issues. There are enough smooth sections to tempt me every year but I just know I'm not skilled/lucky enough to make it on smaller tires.
Having the upper body strength to handle the narrower tires is another thing often underrated. I let hand and arm strength languish my first couple years on the road and really paid for it when I started back on gravel.
It's definitely worth experimenting. I've seen more than one guy show up to a race with 28s stuffed in his road frame and crush everyone else on our gravel bikes. Part of it was luck (and being lighter weight), but a big part was skill.
Quote:
|
The responses/irrelevant concepts in this thread are whack... ask a cyclocross rider (pro or otherwise... heck I'd think even a beginner) about how much more important tire pressure is than 5-8mm of width, if you don't want to take my word for it.
|
A difference of 5-8mm can be 30%+ more air volume in the tire. A 33mm tire vs. a 40mm has a much narrower band of fast/comfortable/ideal traction. Tire pressure can only go so far, there's no reason to look at one variable in isolation for this exercise.
For me; 5mm difference was the cause of pinch flatting, and coming in down 15+ minutes over a 3 hour race. Then the next race, getting a huge rock cut, losing the pack and coming in down 5 minutes over a three hour race. Moved from 37s to 42s and won the field sprint for 5th in the third race.
It's not possible to affect a 35mm tire as compliant and comfortable as a 50mm tire using pressure, for most gravel. As well it's not possible to make a 50mm tire as fast and aero as a 35mm tire for road, and some gravel.