Rolling resistance - Schwalbe Marathon Plus

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
OP
OP
Rooster1

Rooster1

I was right about that saddle
Mmmm, fresh rubber
 

Attachments

  • Photo 03-12-2018, 14 31 46.jpg
    Photo 03-12-2018, 14 31 46.jpg
    81.4 KB · Views: 77

Will Spin

Über Member
Just wondering how meaningful the rolling resistance test is. OK you may compare one tyre with on other but once out on our rough old roads are really going to notice the difference? May be if the road is dead smooth like the rolling test machine, but otherwise I think the result is meaningless.
 
Location
Loch side.
OK ... hands up who has taken up YS on this challenge? I've got as far as mentally designing a modified track pump for delivering the water.

I'm wondering whether to stop at water, there are higher density liquids available. Mercury tyres anyone?

I'm wondering what effect the incompressibility of water would have on the ride.
Just suck water into a standard hand pump and fill the tyre. The trick is to convince yourself that you can or can't feel it. Therefore, play the trick on an unsuspecting riding buddy and ask if he/she noticed anything.

But, I wasn't rubbishing the claim because of a subjective experiment. I'm rubbishing it based on doing the calculations. I've done them before and posted them on here.
 
Location
Loch side.
Just wondering how meaningful the rolling resistance test is. OK you may compare one tyre with on other but once out on our rough old roads are really going to notice the difference? May be if the road is dead smooth like the rolling test machine, but otherwise I think the result is meaningless.
It is meaningful. Really meaningful.
You can apply it in your everyday moving about. Push a loaded wheelbarrow over a lawn onto concrete paving. Notice the difference.
Push a loaded supermarket trolley over a smooth hard floor over one of those spaghetti welcome mats and feel the difference.
Push a car standing on a hard surface vs one on a soft surface or with softer tyres.
 

MikeG

Guru
Location
Suffolk
Just suck water into a standard hand pump and fill the tyre. The trick is to convince yourself that you can or can't feel it. Therefore, play the trick on an unsuspecting riding buddy and ask if he/she noticed anything.

But, I wasn't rubbishing the claim because of a subjective experiment. I'm rubbishing it based on doing the calculations. I've done them before and posted them on here.


What would you hope to achieve with this experiment? The water would roll around the tyre internally, with friction therefore being a factor in addition to extra weight. You would therefore be attempting to test two variables (at least) with one "test", which isn't good science.
 
Location
Loch side.
What would you hope to achieve with this experiment? The water would roll around the tyre internally, with friction therefore being a factor in addition to extra weight. You would therefore be attempting to test two variables (at least) with one "test", which isn't good science.

It is a subjective test to show that a lot of extra weight in a tyre doesn't not present as people postulate. The fact that there's a bit (yes, just a small bit) of friction from moving water is neither here nor there. The myth goes that "rotating weight at the outer perimeter of the wheel makes the bike very slow to accellerate bla bla bla." It doesn't. You can't even feel it if you add two kilos of "rotating weight" to your wheels.

Try it and report back. The experiment is super easy, harmless and startling. However, don't use this as the basis of a retort. Do the calculation. It is easy: 1/2 mv2 etc.
 

ianrauk

Tattooed Beat Messiah
Location
Rides Ti2
Marathon Plus tyres just suck the life out of you.
But, if you want piece of mind for puncture protection then there's probably none better.
 

nickyboy

Norven Mankey
Ahh, this is the site I remember seeing before on rolling resistance tests.

OK, so its about 20% slower which is also my avg speed difference. At least I know I am not slacking.
It's just 20% more rolling resistance...this doesn't mean 20% slower.
Imagine you cycle at 120W (not too difficult). M+ eats 25W of this, leaving 95W effective power. Some other tyre eats 20W, leaving you with 100W effective power
In this example, you will be 5% slower (forgetting wind resistance for now). So if you're 20% slower most of that speed drop off is coming from elsewhere
 

MikeG

Guru
Location
Suffolk
.......Try it and report back. The experiment is super easy, harmless and startling. .......

No. I don't accept that it is harmless, and frankly, it doesn't make a blind bit of difference to me either way. I was merely interested in the poor design of your suggested experiment.
 
Location
España
Lot's of Schwalbe tires are directional (is that even a term? ^_^).
Check you have them on the right way - it makes a massive difference to speed & comfort!

Just something I read... Not from personal experience, honest! :whistle:
 
Top Bottom