Tire pressure, tire diameter, tire construction, tire tread and other factors all have an effect on rolling resistance.
On a smooth surface the following applies: The higher the tire pressure, the less is tire deformation and thus rolling resistance.
Off road it is exactly the reverse: The lower the inflation pressure, the lower the rolling resistance. This applies equally on hard gravel roads and soft forest tracks. Explanation: A tire with low inflation pressure can adapt better to a rugged surface. It sinks into the ground less and the whole rotational mass is retarded much less by the uneven surface.
Tires with a smaller diameter have a higher rolling resistance with the same tire pressure, because tire deformation is proportionally greater. In other words the tire is “less round”.
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