Road bikes unable to accept wide tires

[mustang1]

With the trend of wider-tires being better, why is it that road bike frames were ever designed to not let any tire over 25mm fit? Even 23 in some cases.

Years ago when I got back into road riding, I was told these frames have very tight clearances to aid in handling, agility, snap acceleration and so on. If road bikes start accepting wider tires, will these snap acceleration and nimble handling properties disappear? Or, as I suspect, was this always marketing schpiel?

 

[Sharky]

Admittedly, not a "race" bike, but my Ribble Audax/Winter frame takes 28mm's without problem.

 

[mjr]

Old 27x1¼" steel road bike tyres are 32mm wide (but 27x1¼x1⅛ aka 28-630 are common too) so it seems like a recent thing to me and probably due to marketing to new cyclists whose main perception of cycling is now racing, so everyone must want a race-inspired bike and not a more practical English roadster.

 

[Drago]

Doughtless smaller clearances, tighter gaps, create a stiffer structure. However, I suspect any improvement will be beyond the ability of the typical ride to detect with the arse-dyno, so it's done for the purposes of marketing spiel.

 

[mythste]

With the trend of wider-tires being better, why is it that road bike frames were ever designed to not let any tire over 25mm fit? Even 23 in some cases.

Years ago when I got back into road riding, I was told these frames have very tight clearances to aid in handling, agility, snap acceleration and so on. If road bikes start accepting wider tires, will these snap acceleration and nimble handling properties disappear? Or, as I suspect, was this always marketing schpiel?

I think you've kind of answered your own question. It appears to be relatively recently that wider tyres have been considered "better" (and please don't quiz me on what better means!) I think it used to be the case that narrower tyres were considered faster/easier rolling/other marketing stuff so there was never any need to think about going larger

 

[Erudin]

View: https://youtu.be/QCA6YHpq4hc?t=25s

http://cyclingtips.com/2016/03/what-is-road-plus-650b-taipei-cycle-show/

 

[steveindenmark]

There is a recent upsurge, not only on wider tyres but also on styles of bikes, with the CX and adventure bikes. These bikes are taking the wider tyres and seem to becoming more popular than "roadbikes". Possibly because they can take thick and thin tyres.

 

[TheJDog]

My supersix evo just about takes 25mm tyres and you have to deflate the rear to get the wheel out.

 

[derrick]

My bike will take 23mm. I am happy with that.

 

[MichaelW2]

Race bikes only need 25mm max (unless you ride Paris-Roubaix).
In the days of standard sized steel tubes, shorter tubes are stiffer, so you need clearances as tight as you can.
Now we can make forks and rear triangles any shape and stiffness at a miniscule weight penalty; there is no reason for tight clearance outside the professional peleton.
If you race at an elite level, you probably have one or more raceday bikes. All other bikes should really accommodate some real world, all-weather road tyres, pref with mudguard clearance for optional 'guards.

 

[biking_fox]

Where's the clearance issue? Just really narrow forks? I've never seen this on any of my (not recent) bikes.

Mind you I passed a guy on an MTB this morning, with 3"+ tyres on. - tarmac cycle path so it was making a right racket.

I thought the trend in pro racing was actually to get slightly larger these days. 19mm has mostly been replaced by 23 or 25.
But narrower does seem to give a better/tighter ride to me, less deformation in the wheel - even at high pressures there is some.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

My steel road bikes loves 27mm gatorskins.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Years ago when I got back into road riding, I was told these frames have very tight clearances to aid in handling, agility, snap acceleration and so on. If road bikes start accepting wider tires, will these snap acceleration and nimble handling properties disappear? Or, as I suspect, was this always marketing schpiel?

You were told nonsense. They were (badly) post-rationalizing whatever they had in stock.

 

[Andrew_P]

My supersix evo just about takes 25mm tyres and you have to deflate the rear to get the wheel out.

I was told 2015 and Pre 2015 it invalidates the warranty by Cannondale. The 2016 come with 25mm and can take 28mm. I had chainstay rub with 23mm that came up 24mm!

 

[mustang1]

Race bikes only need 25mm max (unless you ride Paris-Roubaix).
In the days of standard sized steel tubes, shorter tubes are stiffer, so you need clearances as tight as you can.
Now we can make forks and rear triangles any shape and stiffness at a miniscule weight penalty; there is no reason for tight clearance outside the professional peleton.
If you race at an elite level, you probably have one or more raceday bikes. All other bikes should really accommodate some real world, all-weather road tyres, pref with mudguard clearance for optional 'guards.

I kinda get what you're saying but not entirely. So race bikes don't need greater than 25mm tires...why? I thought the latest buzz was wider tires are faster.