TECHNICAL PAGES
Rolling Radius

We have had numerous enquiries about this, particularly with regard to wheel diameters and their effect upon top speed and acceleration.

Compare the circumference (distance around the outside) of a large wheel and with that of a small wheel. Since it’s larger, anything attached to the wheel will travel further, every revolution. A larger wheel gives a higher top speed, provided the engine has the power to overcome all rolling and wind resistances at that speed.

It follows that in reaching the high top speed acceleration will be slower. However, it is the circumference of the tyre that concerns us, not the diameter of the wheel. For example, a 17in wheel  with a very low -profile tyre might have a smaller circumference than a 15in wheel fitted with a high profile tyre.

Stand the two side-by-side and the 17in wheel will sit lower than the 15in one with the fatter tyre fitted.