195/60 R15 on 1.4 Sport.

Isn’t it generally lower profile have bigger contact patches?
For both the 175/60R15 and 185/50R16, the contact patch areas with the road are the same...assuming the tyre pressures are the same...which they should be because they both have the same load index.

However, the shape of the contact patches are different. The 185/50R16 has a wider but shorter contact patch, whereas the 175/60R15 has a narrower but longer contact patch. If you decrease the tyre pressures both contact patches will become longer and vice versa, ie. if you increase the tyre pressures both contact patches will become shorter.
 
Back
Top