John Lafford's Tyre Rolling Resistance Data
The tyre testing procedure involves rolling the tyre/wheel combination along a flat surface and so represents the real case of using the tyre on the road. The tyre is also loaded with a representative weight and rolled at a controlled speed. The speed of rolling is slow so that aerodynamic forces do not come into play.

The power to propel tyres along the road is directly proportional to the Rolling Resistance Coefficient, the weight of the bike plus rider, and also the speed of the bike. 

ROLLING RESISTANCE OF TYRES
TEST DATA
© John Lafford 1998 - 2002
Note: All tubes butyl unless otherwise stated
TYRE
NAME
Size
Pressure
(PSI)
Rolling Res. Coeff
Rolling Resistance Power Absorbed
Unfaired Weight = 185 lbs
Faired Weight = 200 lbs
Prr (20mph)
Prr (25mph)
Prr (30mph)
Prr (30mph)
Prr (40mph)
Prr (50mph)
Watts
Kenda w. tread ground off
37-305
80
0.0068
50.4
63.0
75.6
81.7
109.0
136.3
Kenda w. tread ground off
37-305
90
0.0064
47.0
58.7
70.4
76.1
101.5
126.9
Kenda w. tread ground off
37-305
100
0.0066
48.2
60.3
72.3
78.2
104.2
130.3
Nokian Mount & City (new)
47-305
50
0.0135
99.5
124.4
149.3
161.4
215.1
269.0
Nokian Mount & City (new)
47-305
80
0.0103
75.9
94.9
113.9
123.1
164.1
205.2
Primo (new)
37-349
85
0.0078
57.0
72.0
86.0
93.0
124.0
155.0
Primo (new)
37-349
100
0.0078
57.5
71.8
86.2
93.2
124.2
155.3
Primo (new)
37-349
110
0.0071
52.3
65.4
78.4
84.8
113.0
141.3
Primo (new)
37-349
120
0.0070
51.8
64.8
77.8
84.1
112.1
140.1
Primo w. ground off tread
37-349
85
0.0066
48.9
61.1
73.3
79.2
105.6
132.1
Primo w. ground off tread
37-349
100
0.0063
46.6
58.3
69.9
75.6
100.7
126.0
Primo w. ground off tread
37-349
110
0.0064
47.0
58.7
70.5
76.2
101.6
127.0
Primo w. ground off tread
37-349
120
0.0060
44.0
55.1
66.1
71.4
95.2
119.1
Primo w. ground off tread
37-349
140
0.0060
44.0
55.1
66.1
71.4
95.2
119.1
Primo w. ground off tread - latex tube
37-349
100
0.0066
48.9
61.1
73.4
79.3
105.7
132.2
Primo w. ground off tread - latex tube
37-349
120
0.0061
44.8
55.9
67.1
72.6
96.7
121.0
Primo w. ground off tread - latex tube
37-349
140
0.0058
42.4
53.0
63.6
68.8
91.7
114.6
Primo w. ground off tread - warm
37-349
120
0.0060
44.4
55.5
66.6
72.0
96.0
120.0
Moulton Wolber line tread (new)
32-369
70
0.0092
67.9
84.9
101.9
110.1
146.8
183.6
Moulton Wolber line tread (new)
32-369
100
0.0084
62.2
77.7
93.2
100.8
134.4
168.0
Moulton Wolber line tread (new)
32-369
120
0.0079
58.3
72.8
87.4
94.5
125.9
157.5
Michelin
28-390
100
0.0065
48.0
60.0
72.0
77.8
103.7
129.7
Michelin
28-390
115
0.0064
47.3
59.1
70.9
76.6
102.2
127.8
Continental Grand Prix (new)
28-406
100
0.0072
53.2
66.5
79.8
86.3
115.0
143.8
Continental Grand Prix (new)
28-406
120
0.0067
49.1
61.4
73.7
79.7
106.2
132.8
Continental Grand Prix (new)
28-406
140
0.0066
48.7
60.9
73.1
79.0
105.3
131.7
Continental Grand Prix (used)
28-406
120
0.0082
60.0
76.0
91.0
98.0
131.0
163.0
Continental Grand Prix - latex tube
28-406
100
0.0077
56.7
70.9
85.0
91.9
122.5
153.2
Continental Grand Prix - latex tube
28-406
125
0.0069
51.0
63.8
76.5
82.7
110.3
137.9
Continental Grand Prix - latex tube
28-406
140
0.0067
49.1
61.4
73.7
79.7
106.2
132.8
Continental Top Touring (new)
37-406
70
0.0090
66.3
82.9
99.5
107.5
143.4
179.3
Continental Top Touring (new)
37-406
70
0.0092
67.6
84.5
101.4
109.6
146.1
182.7
Continental Top Touring (new)
37-406
90
0.0079
58.2
72.8
87.4
94.4
125.9
157.4
Continental Top Touring (new)
37-406
90
0.0081
59.5
74.4
89.3
96.5
128.6
160.9
Continental Top Touring (new)
37-406
100
0.0080
59.2
74.0
88.8
96.0
127.9
160.0
Continental Top Touring (new)
37-406
115
0.0084
61.7
77.1
92.6
100.1
133.4
166.8
Haro (new)
37-406
65
0.0077
56.0
70.0
84.0
91.0
122.0
152.0
Haro (new)
37-406
85
0.0067
50.0
62.0
74.0
80.0
107.0
134.0
Haro (used)
37-406
65
0.0073
54.0
68.0
81.0
88.0
117.0
146.0
Haro (used)
37-406
85
0.0068
50.0
63.0
75.0
81.0
108.0
136.0
Haro (used)
37-406
100
0.0063
47.0
58.0
70.0
76.0
101.0
126.0
Nokian City Runner (new)
40-406
72
0.0083
60.8
76.0
91.2
98.6
131.4
164.3
Nokian City Runner (new)
40-406
100
0.0078
57.6
72.0
86.4
93.4
124.5
155.7
Nokian City Runner (new)
40-406
120
0.0071
52.2
65.2
78.3
84.6
112.8
141.0
Nokian Mount & City (new)
47-406
50
0.0083
60.9
76.2
91.4
98.8
131.7
164.7
Nokian Mount & City (new)
47-406
80
0.0072
52.9
66.1
79.3
85.8
114.3
143.0
Nokian Mount & City (new)
47-406
100
0.0068
50.2
62.8
75.3
81.4
108.6
135.8
Nokian Mount & City (new)
47-406
120
0.0063
46.7
58.4
70.1
75.8
101.0
126.3
Nokian Mount & Ground (used)
47-406
45
0.0104
76.2
95.3
114.3
123.6
164.7
206.0
Nokian Mount & Ground (used)
47-406
80
0.0100
73.4
91.7
110.1
119.0
158.6
198.4
Nokian Mount & Ground (used)
47-406
100
0.0089
65.7
82.2
98.6
106.6
142.1
177.7
Nokian Mount and City (new)
47-406
50
0.0104
77.0
96.0
115.0
124.0
165.0
207.0
Nokian Mount and City (new)
47-406
70
0.0087
64.0
80.0
96.0
104.0
139.0
174.0
Nokian Mount and City (new)
47-406
90
0.0082
60.0
75.0
90.0
98.0
130.0
163.0
Nokian Mount and City (new)
47-406
100
0.0073
54.0
67.0
81.0
87.0
116.0
145.0
Primo Comet
37-406
100
0.0074
54.0
68.0
82.0
88.0
118.0
147.0
Primo Comet
37-406
120
0.0070
52.0
64.0
77.0
84.0
111.0
139.0
Primo V Monster (new)
47-406
65
0.0074
54.6
68.3
82.0
88.6
118.1
147.7
Primo V Monster (new)
47-406
80
0.0078
57.2
71.6
85.9
92.8
123.7
154.7
Schwalbe City Jet (new)
32-406
100
0.0087
64.2
80.3
96.4
104.2
138.9
173.6
Schwalbe City Jet (new)
32-406
120
0.0082
60.5
75.6
90.7
98.1
130.7
163.5
Schwalbe City Jet (used)
32-406
100
0.0065
48.2
60.2
72.3
78.1
104.2
130.3
Schwalbe City Jet (used)
32-406
120
0.0063
46.4
58.1
69.7
75.3
100.4
125.5
Schwalbe Marathon (new)
32-406
100
0.0097
71.5
89.4
107.3
116.0
154.6
193.3
Schwalbe Marathon (new)
32-406
115
0.0101
74.5
93.1
111.8
120.8
161.0
201.4
Schwalbe Marathon (new)
32-406
130
0.0100
73.4
91.7
110.1
119.0
158.6
198.4
Schwalbe Spezial City Jet (used)
32-406
100
0.0065
48.0
60.0
72.0
78.0
104.0
130.0
Schwalbe Spezial City Jet (used)
32-406
120
0.0063
46.0
58.0
70.0
75.0
100.0
126.0
Tioga Comp Pool (new)
47-406
90
0.0074
54.1
67.6
81.2
87.8
117.0
146.3
Tioga Comp Pool (new)
47-406
100
0.0071
52.1
65.1
78.2
84.5
112.6
140.8
Tioga Comp Pool (new)
47-406
110
0.0069
50.8
63.5
76.2
82.4
109.8
137.3
Tioga Comp Pool (new)
47-406
120
0.0065
47.8
59.7
71.7
77.5
103.3
129.2
Tioga Comp Ramp (new)
47-406
85
0.0080
58.7
73.3
88.0
95.1
126.8
158.6
Tioga Comp Ramp (new)
47-406
100
0.0079
58.3
72.9
87.4
94.5
126.0
157.6
Vee Rubber (new)
54-406
40
0.0114
83.8
104.7
125.7
135.9
181.1
226.5
Vee Rubber (new)
54-406
60
0.0105
77.1
96.4
115.7
125.1
166.7
208.5
Vee Rubber (new)
54-406
80
0.0097
71.5
89.4
107.3
116.0
154.6
193.4
Vredestein Monte Carlo (new)
37-406
90
0.0069
50.6
63.3
75.9
82.0
109.4
136.8
Vredestein Monte Carlo (new)
37-406
100
0.0067
49.5
61.8
74.2
80.2
106.9
133.7
Vredestein Monte Carlo (new)
37-406
120
0.0064
46.8
58.5
70.2
75.8
101.1
126.4
Vredestein Monte Carlo (used)
37-406
90
0.0077
56.8
71.0
85.2
92.1
122.8
153.5
Vredestein Monte Carlo (used)
37-406
100
0.0069
50.9
63.6
76.3
82.5
110.0
137.5
Vredestein Monte Carlo (used)
37-406
120
0.0068
50.2
62.8
75.4
81.5
108.6
135.8
Vredestein S-Lick (new)
32-406
60
0.0155
114.0
142.0
171.0
185.0
246.0
308.0
Vredestein S-Lick (new)
32-406
90
0.0106
78.0
97.0
117.0
126.0
168.0
210.0
Vredestein S-Lick (new)
32-406
100
0.0098
72.0
90.0
108.0
117.0
155.0
194.0
Michelin
28-440
70
0.0078
57.1
71.3
85.6
92.5
123.3
154.2
Michelin
28-440
90
0.0071
52.0
65.0
78.1
84.4
112.5
140.7
Hutchinson HP 25
25-451
90
0.0089
65.1
81.4
97.7
105.6
140.8
176.1
Hutchinson HP 25
25-451
100
0.0086
63.3
79.1
94.9
102.6
136.8
171.1
Hutchinson HP 25
25-451
115
0.0080
58.8
73.5
88.3
95.4
127.2
159.0
IRC Road Lite (new)
28-451
100
0.0090
66.0
82.5
99.0
107.0
142.6
178.4
IRC Road Lite (new)
28-451
115
0.0089
65.2
81.5
97.9
105.8
141.0
176.3
IRC Road Lite (old)
28-451
100
0.0068
50.4
63.0
75.6
81.7
108.9
136.2
IRC Road Lite (old)
28-451
115
0.0064
47.2
59.0
70.8
76.5
102.0
127.6
IRC Road Lite (old)
28-451
120
0.0064
47.3
59.1
70.9
76.6
102.2
127.8
Primo (used)
37-451
85
0.0066
48.5
60.6
72.7
78.6
104.7
131.0
Primo (used)
37-451
100
0.0065
47.6
59.5
71.4
77.2
102.9
128.7
Primo (used)
37-451
120
0.0062
46.0
57.5
69.0
74.6
99.4
124.3
Hutchinson
28-541
100
0.0059
43.0
54.0
65.0
70.0
94.0
117.0
Hutchinson
28-541
120
0.0052
38.0
48.0
58.0
62.0
83.0
104.0
Hutchinson HP 25
25-541
100
0.0070
51.6
64.5
77.4
83.7
111.6
139.6
Hutchinson HP 25
25-541
120
0.0068
50.4