Touring on 25c tyres

[steveindenmark]

I have just bought a Carbon bike for light touring. It will take 28c tyres, which I always use for touring. I am now looking at getting a Planet X Carbon bike for Jannie but they only take 25c tyres

Does anyone use 25c for touring? We will mostly be on roads and hard packed tracks and with very light loads.

 

[the snail]

Did a few trips last year on 25c and 23c with no problems. My road bike felt a bit twitchy with a couple of well-crammed Ortleibs on the back, and I was nervous about snakebites from potholes, but nothing bad happened.

 

[midliferider]

Yes. I did it with my B Twin Triban 3, one week in Portugal.
But I carry very little in my tours as I do not do camping.

 

[midliferider]

Yes. I did it with my B Twin Triban 3, one week in Portugal.
But I carry very little in my tours as I do not do camping.

 

[Drago]

Done it, I'm still alive.

 

[Onyer]

On our tour of France/Germany/Switzerland this year I had Continental 4 seasons 25c tyres. One day we took a wrong turn and ended up on a no through road at the top of a mountain. Rather than cycle down 15 miles and then back up the right road, we were given instructions to re-join the correct road via a forest track. After 3 miles of scary descent we made it onto the road without a puncture between us! Not sure what the others were using but normally they have 23c tyres. 25c tyres are fine.

 

[willem]

I guess one could, but why would you? I have just taken delivery of a set of Compass Rat Trap tyres: very light and fast 53 mm wide 26 inch tyres. Narrow tyres are faster at Tour de France speed and on new tarmac, but in all other conditions they are measurably slower. They are also less comfortable with worse grip. Wider tyres extend your range onto roads and trails that you would otherwise avoid. During the last two summers I have toured from Italy to the Netherlands and from the Czech Republic to Holland, in both cases largely through Germany, and the German long distance cycle routes are fantastic, but the large sections on forest trails etc do assume wider tyres. I had 26x1.75 tyres, and though doable (with light camping gear) it persuaded me to go a size wider. A few years ago I did a tour in Norway with long streches of gravel roads. It was earily beautiful, but not at all doable on anything narrower than about 35 mm. I was glad with my 48 mm tyres.

 

[ianrauk]

I used 25mm tyres (Vittoria Rubino's) on a Alu road bike with rack and panniers which carried me over the Jura mountains, through France and all the way back home, sometimes in really wet weather, with no problems.

The bike is my commute bike and I use 25mm Spesh Armadillos, once again with rack and panniers.

 

[willem]

Sure, but why would you, if it excludes you from many interesting trails, and if you are choosing a new bike?

 

[TheDoctor]

I've toured on 25mm tyres and lived to tell the tale. Have to say, though, I wouldn't buy a bike for touring that couldn't take anything wider than 25mm. Even Ribble's winter frame will take 28mm without guards, and that's essentially a race frame with rack mounts on.

 

[vernon]

I used 25mm tyres (Vittoria Rubino's) on a Alu road bike with rack and panniers which carried me over the Jura mountains, through France and all the way back home, sometimes in really wet weather, with no problems.

The bike is my commute bike and I use 25mm Spesh Armadillos, once again with rack and panniers.

I did an unsupported LEJOG on 25mm Specialized Armadillos. Rack, panniers, camping gear and oodles of surplus lard.

No problems.

 

[StuartG]

Used nuffin' but 23mm for touring with rear rack hung panniers as long as tarmac is involved. But that is on an Audax style bike (Condor Fratello). I guess more sporty carbon bikes might get too twitchy without the 'give' of steel and longer wheelbase. But 25mm is probably OK for you.

 

[Ajax Bay]

On our tour of France/Germany/Switzerland this year I had Continental 4 seasons 25c tyres.

When considering clearances, I don't have Continental 4 seasons 25s, I have 28s (LEJOG in September with mudguards on Dawes Giro 600 Audax). The dimensions of the 28s are actually (on my 15mm clincher rims at 90psi) 25.6mm width and 24.9mm height (ie from rim to 'top' of the tyre). So if you can fit '25s' then these 28s will probably fit and give you an honest 25.

 

[steveindenmark]

Sure, but why would you, if it excludes you from many interesting trails, and if you are choosing a new bike?

Because the Planet X Pro Carbon bikes dont take anymore than 25c tyres. If you can tell me a full Carbon, full Ultegra bike for less than a Planet X I will look at it.

The bike is for ultra light touring. I have a Koga World Traveller for Full touring and a modified Koga Roadspeed for light touring. I have plenty of bikes but we want to have a go at ultra light touring and have recently bought a Carbon Koga. We are now looking for a bike for Jannie.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I'd give it a go, and I'm no lightweight. I've used 25mm tires on my light touring bicycle before, but it has conventional spokes and rims, so I can fix them on the road, if need be. I'd use some high quality tires, and all should be well.