Why do we have to have low profile tyres to look "sporty"?

Why do we have to have low profile tyres to look "sporty"?

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Discussion

strain

419 posts

100 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
quotequote all
Surprised that nobody has mentioned the mondeo (from what I can see)

Saw quite a few with wheels that look tiny, every time I see one all I can think is 'god that must be comfortable'


Flibble

6,470 posts

180 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
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Mr Tidy said:
The profile is a percentage of the tread width, so a 255/35 tyre has a sidewall that is 35% of 255mm for example.

What will fit over a brake isn't a variable - a 16" rim may fit or not, but changing the size/profile of the tyre won't make any difference! If the rim won't clear the brake it doesn't matter what tyre you put on the wheel. banghead
While that is true, moving to a lower profile tyre allows a larger rim while keeping the same rolling circumference, so in the real world changing tyre profile can help.
For instance a 235/35/19 and a 225/45/17 are within 1% of each other so would run much the same, but you have an extra 2 inches of brake clearance (spoke design notwithstanding).

Incidentally Corsas "limited edition" models seem particularly bad for the brake to wheel size ratio:

Lozw86

871 posts

131 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
quotequote all
My Bmw runs in 275/35/20 runflats on the back. They look great but the ride is hard and the tyres expensive

I have vowed my next car will have deep side walls and non run flats!


Shiv_P

2,725 posts

104 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
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Flibble said:
While that is true, moving to a lower profile tyre allows a larger rim while keeping the same rolling circumference, so in the real world changing tyre profile can help.
For instance a 235/35/19 and a 225/45/17 are within 1% of each other so would run much the same, but you have an extra 2 inches of brake clearance (spoke design notwithstanding).

Incidentally Corsas "limited edition" models seem particularly bad for the brake to wheel size ratio:
[i]https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9UQDC_ERGpU/maxresdefault.jpg[/img]
Limited edition lol

Flibble

6,470 posts

180 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
quotequote all
Shiv_P said:
Limited edition lol
Then you realise that's the front brake and the back has drums! rofl

MC Bodge

21,552 posts

174 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
quotequote all
strain said:
Surprised that nobody has mentioned the mondeo (from what I can see)

Saw quite a few with wheels that look tiny, every time I see one all I can think is 'god that must be comfortable'

I was going to mention this too. They are 215/60/16 tyres. Possibly a result of being a US Ford Fusion originally?

My Mk4 Mondeo has 215/55/16 tyres -it rides and handles well (friends and colleagues have commented on the ride) and I absolutely do not want massive rims and tyres of low depth on my next car.

I want something fairly comfortable that can remain composed being hustled down a bumpy, undulating, twisty mountain/back road like a Mk3 or Mk4 Mondeo on standard suspension.

Edited by MC Bodge on Thursday 22 March 13:56

donkmeister

7,998 posts

99 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
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Nanook said:
Bear in mind a 17" wheel will clear a 330mm disc? Well, that depends on a whole bunch of things, doesn't it? The discs on the front of my car are 324mm. By the time you wrap the 4-pot calipers around them, you need 18s to clear them.
304mm discs with 4-pot AP Racing calipers under 16" wheels (so a tighter fit than 324mm with 17s), standard fit on the MG TF160.
I can't find a closeup to post here but do a google image search for "MG TF 160" and you'll see them.
Fills the space nicely, but is definitely the upper limit of what will sensibly fit.

MC Bodge

21,552 posts

174 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
quotequote all
Flibble said:
While that is true, moving to a lower profile tyre allows a larger rim while keeping the same rolling circumference, so in the real world changing tyre profile can help.
For instance a 235/35/19 and a 225/45/17 are within 1% of each other so would run much the same, but you have an extra 2 inches of brake clearance (spoke design notwithstanding).

Incidentally Corsas "limited edition" models seem particularly bad for the brake to wheel size ratio:
But a massive looking brake caliper hanger arrangement?

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
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donkmeister said:
304mm discs with 4-pot AP Racing calipers under 16" wheels (so a tighter fit than 324mm with 17s), standard fit on the MG TF160.
I think the higher performance S2 Elise/Exige derivatives come with 308s under 16s on the front (with four-pot calipers).

BluePurpleRed

1,137 posts

225 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
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I am very happy to have the "peasant" spec wheels on my Quattroporte.

I have these "only" 19s






Instead of these 21s




As I have a baby in the back and also wanted it to do what it was made to to. Float about and make a great noise. Don't get me wrong it still can shift and I have yet to wish for the extra traction some assume the 21s would afford... because public roads. :P

Flibble

6,470 posts

180 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
quotequote all
Those 19s look a damn sight better.

Aside from the somewhat marginal handling improvements on a track of larger wheels, they do have the disadvantage of being heavier (typically), so I could easily imagine a setup whereby the smaller wheels are quicker because the unsprung weight reduction offsets the stiffer setup.

Kawasicki

13,041 posts

234 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
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Tim662 said:
0U9A7629 by Matt Moreman, on Flickr

That's about the perfect amount of wheel, tyre and brake for me. yes
255/40 R17, so you are a fan of low profile tyres.

Kawasicki

13,041 posts

234 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
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Lots of love for low profile tyres in this thread with plenty of cars looking great on their 55, 50, 45 and 40 profile tyres.

Gad-Westy

14,521 posts

212 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
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Kawasicki said:
Tim662 said:
0U9A7629 by Matt Moreman, on Flickr

That's about the perfect amount of wheel, tyre and brake for me. yes
255/40 R17, so you are a fan of low profile tyres.
40% of of 255mm is quite a reasonable side wall on a 17" wheel. Or at least it is compared to the current norm.

Kawasicki

13,041 posts

234 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
quotequote all
Gad-Westy said:
Kawasicki said:
Tim662 said:
0U9A7629 by Matt Moreman, on Flickr

That's about the perfect amount of wheel, tyre and brake for me. yes
255/40 R17, so you are a fan of low profile tyres.
40% of of 255mm is quite a reasonable side wall on a 17" wheel. Or at least it is compared to the current norm.
Definitely, still a low profile tyre though. Looks like it would work great too!

LarsG

991 posts

74 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
quotequote all
strain said:
Surprised that nobody has mentioned the mondeo (from what I can see)

Saw quite a few with wheels that look tiny, every time I see one all I can think is 'god that must be comfortable'

My 16 plate has 19" wheels, and even with rim protectors they suffer attrition.

Jonny_

4,108 posts

206 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
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Gad-Westy said:
Another hater of the trend for rubber band tyres here. My Leon Cupra has 19" wheels with barely any tyre showing. Unexpected potholes absolutely pound through the car and normally have me pulling over for a quick check. I'm very nervous parking anywhere near a kerb and the ride, although not as bad as it ought to be, is poor over many roads. I also think the car would look better with a wheels a couple of sizes smaller. looks like the cartoon cars that Hugh J Teens drove in Max Power.

For some time I had an E39 that had 15" wheels (I think there may have been a factory 14" option too! ) and the ride was just fantastic. Had an E46 at the same time with 18" wheels and 35 profile tyres and the difference was so stark. The E39 felt like a magic carpet.
Thank God I'm not the only sad act who remembers that! biggrin


ETA: Hugh J Teens was one of their "automotive agony aunt" characters wasn't he? One of the writers in a silly costume IIRC. The cartoon bloke was Maxwell 'Ard ("He Arses About in Cars")...

As you were! wobble

Edited by Jonny_ on Thursday 22 March 19:55

RoachM

21 posts

72 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
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Most average users care more about the looks than anything else, that's likely the reason/problem for this.

Sheepshanks

32,530 posts

118 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
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Ninja59 said:
Strange LV on the ABI Winter Tyre Commitment is no and no.
That is specifically tyres though. When I said the wheels were smaller they were very iffy about it.

Mind you, getting the summer's put back on at Costco (as I'd injured my shoulder plus I wanted them balanced anyway) resulted in a massive argument due to the different size. The only did as the other tyre fitters where basically telling the supervisor he was being an arse. But he wrote on the paperwork that they wouldn't do it again!

ajprice

27,317 posts

195 months

Thursday 22nd March 2018
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Dog Star said:
PSRG said:
The ride’s not actually that bad, but the rear discs are completely lost...



Crikey! Those are the tiniest brakes I've ever seen - they're like mountain bike diameter - so cute biggrin
Luxury! You can get the same 18" wheels and tyres on the 95bhp FR, with rear drum brakes...