kennyc said:
Trying to get myself organised with with a drop handlebar bike. Tyres wise looking for comfort rather than speed.
Anyone got either of the above tyres?.
Do you have much tread on the above tyres.
Have you got space for mudguards?
Kenny
Comfort-wise, the fatter the better, but if you go too fat it slows you down (though if you go off road you go faster with fatter tyres). Too fat is probably 35mm or wider.
I use 28mm tyres, since they are the widest that will fit on my bike.
You have to make your mind up to some extent before getting a bike, as the maximum tyre size that will be usable will depend on what brakes the frame was designed for. You can always fit a narrower tyre.
Standard racing brakes will allow tyres up to 25mm (no mudguards) :- most road bikes
Shimano 57mm deep drop dual pivot brakes allow 28mm with mudguards, or 32mm without :- "Audax" bikes
Cantilever brakes allow tyres as big as the frame designer felt like - usually up to 40mm :- touring bikes and cyclocross bikes
Well set up cantilever brakes are as good as the dual pivot brakes, but you need to get the right model, and look after the setup more than just twiddling the cable adjuster once in a while.
Good cantilever brakes are Frogleggs, Tektro CR520 or 720, or Paul Neo-Retro (if you are feeling rich). These are all old-style stick-out-sideways models, and there can be problems with them fouling panniers or hitting them with your heels. Because of this some people fit a low profile cantilever at the rear, since it doesn't need a very strong brake to lock the back wheel.
Tread isn't needed on road bikes, and just reduces the grip and slows you down if you have too much of it. The road chippings dig into the tyre, not the other way round, and you have to be doing 100mph to aquaplane a bike tyre.
A token amount of tread can be useful as a wear indicator, but that's all.