Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard
All else being equal, a large(r) diameter narrower tire will have lower rolling resistance and lower aero drag than a small(er) diameter wider tire.
One reason is that a larger diameter tire will 'bridge' across unevenness of the road better. Another is that since a tire is essentially 'wedging' the weight of the car uphill constantly - a larger diameter tire has a mechanical advantage, because the 'wedge' it provides is a lower angle.
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just noticed this post.
a larger diameter tire actually has worse mechanical advantage when driving over a bump. the lever arm is longer, so it take more torque to do the work.
i'm not sure all the math, but my physics professor did this exact example in class once, and I've remembered it to this day.