On the effect of tyre and rim size on road bicycle dynamic comfort

Engineering of Sport 15 - Proceedings from the 15th International Conference on the Engineering of Sport (ISEA 2024)

In road cycling, the pursuit of comfort and performance has always been a central focus. The dynamic interactions between the rider, bicycle, and the road surface play a pivotal role in determining the overall riding experience. A road bicycle’s dynamic comfort (RBDC) relates to its capacity to filter vibration generated by the road surface and is an essential aspect of rider well-being and performance optimisation. Among the various factors influencing this dynamic interplay, tyre and rim size, as well as tyre pressure, have emerged in road cycling circles and bike shops alike and are thought to be critical parameters. The trend in the last decade suggests that a wider tyre increases comfort and the recent introduction of disk brakes on road bicycles allows fitting much larger tyres than is possible with rims brakes. However, there is limited scientific evidence linking these parameters with RBDC, although it is widely discussed online with anecdotal evidence driving a number of unsubstantiated claims. This paper therefore aims to quantify the influence of tyre size, rim size and tyre pressure combinations on the RBDC experienced by road cyclists using the state of the art metric of transmitted energy. Such insights can be used to debunk common myths, inform design considerations for the design of bicycles, component and cycling infrastructure, for technology and sensor development, and to inform personalised recommendations for road cyclists and their bicycle setup.