Rubber Tire Compression: Solid vs. Inflated - Which Compresses More?

An inflated mountain bike tire contains air, which is compressible. This means that when a force is applied to the tire, the air inside will be compressed, and the tire will deform. The amount of deformation will depend on the amount of force applied and the pressure of the air inside the tire.

A solid rubber bicycle tire, on the other hand, does not contain any air. Therefore, it is not compressible. When a force is applied to the tire, the rubber will not deform. Instead, the entire tire will move as a rigid body.

So, the inflated mountain bike tire would compress more than a solid rubber bicycle tire.