Is Bigger Better?????

Sometimes bigger is better, but the question at hand is...

Is a 20" rear wheel better than an 18"?

I have even seen and heard of some people in Europe kicking

on a full sized rear wheel.

So what are the benefits? What are the draw backs?

Draw backs= slower start, slower getting up to speed,

more effort pushing up a hill.

Benefits= rolls faster once you are up to speed, maintains higher

speed with less effort.

Faster overall.

This is what I understand.

Now I get to put it to the test.

Chris surprised me last weekend with a new 20" rear wheel.

I am going to start training on it and see what differences I notice.

I will let you know if I think

"Bigger is better."

Here are some notes I found about this very subject, but refering to different sized tires.

"The most common wheel is the 700. They have a larger circumference and less rolling resistance. This means they will decelerate slower than a smaller wheel would, which is beneficial in races like triathlons where you mostly maintain a constant speed. If you were to stop pedaling, a larger wheel would roll faster and longer than a smaller wheel, which translates into saved energy when you are trying to maintain a high speed. The smaller 650 wheels accelerate and climb better due to their lower mass and size, but have a harder time maintaining high speeds. You basically have to work harder to hold a certain speed with 650’s than you do with 700’s."

Another thing to consider is with the new 20" rim I am also riding on a more narrow tire with a higher pressure rating. Many factors.

I will do some feild work.