Why do the fastest bicycles have very thin tires, while the fastest cars have very wide tires?

Question

Can someone explain this?

In: Physics

Answer 1

Because of the relative difference in the amount of power that can be applied. A human can only put so much force into a bicycle, so wheel slip isn’t a huge issue except maybe at take-off and aerodynamic drag is a much bigger concern. Meanwhile a car can spin tires all day long, so wider tires allow for more grip and thus more ability to put power down. Also bikes aren’t going that fast relatively speaking and can lean to turn, whereas grip is a much bigger concern when cornering in a car.