Eli5: Why do offroad bicycles have fatter tires while offroad motorcycles have skinnier tires?
In: 17
Road motorbikes have plenty of power to go fast and can thus handle some lost efficiency from beefy tires. Wide tires give more stability, traction and offer more space for a gradual curvature for leaning into a turn. Offroad bikes need to be nimble and maneuverable and have to sacrifice less width for extreme leaning angles. Touring offroad bikes are kind of a middle ground, which reflects in the tires being not so studded, but also not so wide.
Road bicycles need to make the most out of muscular power and the thin, stiff and lightweight tires are very efficient, allowing cyclists to hold higher speeds for a longer time compared to a mountain bike. Mountain bikes need wheels and tires to be able to take a beating and be more stable on uneven underground, as well as have studs to bite into loose underground. This all is at the expense of speed on paved roads.
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