Mountain bike guys say they're faster with LOW tire pressure

[almightybmw]

The article is for biking, mountain biking. This isn't pavement, it's dirt or sand or rocks. I run 30psi on my tubeless setup when going down, but 35-38psi going up. I'll take a little tire spin for the reduction in RR. There is a noticeable difference in effort required. The last epic trail I ran I had the tires around 32psi going down, and up high the rocks were rough, made for a very bouncy ride. I let a bit out after almost hitting the deck and a few trees, ride improved. I didn't check the exact pressure, but whatever it was the tires didn't bounce as much. When I reached the hardpack lower down (The trail was a 7300-9600-6700ft, EPIC) I pumped a few pounds back in, back to around 33psi. Handled nicely, no washboard so the higher pressure may have helped me run faster.

I don't apply mountain biking logic to driving my car. The two react and handle much too differently to be equated.

[spacer]

I'll toss in here, too. It's all about the surface. A lower pressure tire will more readily conform to an irregular surface, and won't blow a lot of energy skittering and bouncing around. This is only on rough surfaces, and on smooth roads, higher pressures rule.
The bike I tried all this on is a Kona Jake-the-Snake that I commuted on for a few years, and I ended up using Michelin Axial Pro 700x23c tires for the majority of that time.
Now, since I'm a bit older and fatter, I needed tires with a bit better weight-carrying ability, and a smoother ride, so I've gone over to Panaracer Pasela TGs, running about 80psi (as opposed to the former 110). It's slower, yes, but I'm finding myself in less and less of a hurry these days anyway.

[Christ]

I'm not so sure anyone tried to equate mountain biking and associated tire care to FE?