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Whether on an e-MTB, gravel bike, SUV or even a classic trekking bike: wide tyres are hip. And rightly so! Because of course you can ride wider tyres with slightly less air pressure. The result is more comfort and greater riding safety. And: wider tyres tend to roll even better.
What many people don't realise: Wide tyres roll even better!
In order to check this again, we ordered Schwalbe's gravel classic G-One Allround in two widths for this test. One is a moderate version with 45 millimetres / 1.7 inches (>> available here) and once as wide 57 millimetre / 2.25 inch SUV tyres (>> available here). Both tyres have an identical structure and both were tested tubeless.
Clear advantage for wide tyres: measured values in the lab
In addition to the classic measurements for cut resistance and puncture protection, we also carried out a series of measurements in the laboratory with different air pressures to determine the rolling resistance. The result (see below) is clear. At only 2 bar, the wide 57 mm tyre still rolls better than the 45 mm tyre at 4 bar! Also clearly visible in the series of measurements: even in the laboratory, a higher air pressure only leads to savings of 10 to 15 per cent in rolling resistance.
Laboratory values Wide vs narrow: rolling resistance in comparison
| Air pressure | 4 Bar | 3 Bar | 2.5 bar | 2 Bar |
| G-One Allround 45 mm | 11.4 watts | 12.3 watts | 13.1 Watt | 13.5 watts |
| G-One Allround 57 mm | 9.1 Watt | 9.2 Watt | 9.6 watts | 10.3 watts |
In practice, this means that it is better to choose a slightly wider tyre and ride a little softer. Because in the real world, on often uneven roads, the pendulum swings even more in favour of wider tyres. Small obstacles are swallowed up by the tyre instead of slowing the bike down. As a result, the difference in rolling is even greater in practice than in the laboratory. Not to mention the increase in comfort and traction. Due to the bumpy ride, narrow tyres often feel faster, but the data speaks a clear language in favour of wider tyres.
Disadvantages of wider tyres: They are somewhat heavier and less aerodynamic. For road cyclists, this, combined with the poorer acceleration behaviour of wide tyres, is the decisive argument. For touring cyclists, who are often travelling at a moderate speed, both factors are negligible. Incidentally, despite the poorer aerodynamics and acceleration, wider tyres have also become established among professionals. While 23 millimetre tyres were the measure of all things in the Tour de France for a long time, most pros now ride 28 millimetres and more. In the MTB World Cup, almost all racers now use wide 2.4 inch (62 millimetre) tyres instead of the 2 or 2.25 inch tyres that used to be the norm.
BIKE conclusion: Wide tyres almost always have an advantage
The laboratory test and our practical experience show: Wide tyres pay off. Not only in terms of comfort and riding safety, but also in terms of rolling resistance. This applies to almost all touring, gravel and mountain bikers. The tyre clearance in the frame usually sets the limit here. Only those who ride very sporty and fast and regularly have to pedal hard are really better served with narrow and light tyres. - Adrian Kaether, Editor Test & Technology
The background: Why do wide tyres roll better?
With identical air pressure, the contact patch of tyres is always the same size, regardless of the tyre width. With wide tyres, however, the contact patch is wider and shorter at the same air pressure, with narrow tyres it is longer and narrower. The narrow tyre is therefore compressed over a longer distance when rolling. It therefore rolls more. In direct comparison, this results in the increased rolling resistance of narrower tyres.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
