OT: Marathon Racing Wheelchairs' Tire sizes

[RoosterCogset]

Happened to catch a few bits on TV of the current NYC Marathon, and the wheelchair racers out on the course first. Noticed how skinny their wheels and tires appear to be. Didn't they get the memo that wider is faster?

Checking out some online equipment for racing wheelchairs, it appears that 19-22mm tires are typically stock.

[Fat Cat]

Big tires might be problematic for rubbing

[bigbill]

I've done some escorting for wheelchair racers and most are using skinny tires, and most were using 24" tires which limits their choices in tires, but there is also an industry that caters to the racers with tubulars and clinchers. Most of the top end racers I met were on tubulars and carried a spare. There are some amazing athletes out there. If the racer has legs, they're strapped down and the racer is essentially doing situps for 80-90 minutes.