[lasitter]

I've been very frustrated in the lack of hard information on any given LRR tire. All you're really left with is the idea that they roll easier than some other tire by that tire maker.

But if you're a company like Tirerack, the cost of the machine you need to measure rolling resistance is really probably not so much more than the cost of a Hunter road force balancing machine. I think the main point is that it is well within their grasp, compared to how far it would be from any one of ours.

Of course as it presently stands, there is a disincentive for them to buy and use such a machine for their customers, as it basically generates no income for them -- at least not in any direct way.

I've just placed an order with Tirerack, and if I had the opportunity, I would be willing to do something for the benefit of everyone here: Sponsor the collection and publishing of rolling resistance information for the tire / wheel assembly that I just purchased.

Given the chance, I would pay five to 10 percent of my total order just so they would run the tire and wheel on the equipment and publish the LRR / CRR data.

This information would better inform other tire buyers, and I hope motivate some of them to do the same.

I can imagine lots of ways for this to work out to the greater benefit of all. Perhaps a tire maker would happen not to like the published numbers ... and perhaps as a result Tirerack would offer them the chance to replace the data for one tire with data for all sizes of the same tire. That would generate a lot more data for the rest of us. I think that other tire makers would feel pushed to publish more data for their tires so as not to be left out.

Is there anyone else here that could imagine spending / donating $30 - $50 to advance a cause like this? I'm sure I'm not the only one.