Are smaller wheels slower than large wheels?
Yes and no. All test conditions being equal, a small wheel has a slightly higher rolling resistance than a larger wheel. But rolling resistance is only one element of “speed.” Small wheels have several important performance advantages compared to larger wheels. First, small wheels accelerate faster due to a lower moment of inertia. Second, small wheels are more aerodynamic than larger wheels. Third, small wheels are lighter than larger wheels. In fact the world speed record for a bicycle ridden in an upright position was set twenty years ago on a bike with 18″ wheels.
