Who’s still on 23mm?

[Shearwater Missile]

Spot on. Could not agree more on everything you've eluded too.

Which is why earlier in this topic i said 'Real World riding'. Anyone's stats, facts, figures, rolling resistance quotes, contact patch mathematics, perfect scenario gains or indeed losses are in my World: subject to less then perfect road-surfaces, lumps, bumps, potholes, repaired surfaces etc etc. Not to mention the Human element and influence from those. And for me (As a 90kg guy) on narrower tyres at higher pressures - that meant i was frequently getting jarred / bumped out the seat / was spending energy actually absorbing the shocks / at times even at the very least stopping pedalling momentarily - while gaining composure back - as opposed to driving forward.

The move to bigger volume rubber / lower pressures may well have lost me rolling resistance in a laboratory. But the comfort, shock absorbing properties, feeling better apre-ride, less instances of tingling fingers: and hence probably a net speed gain (Although i have no scientific Data on this) are huge plusses for me. And one i currently have no intention of giving up.......

Although I use 25mm tyres and most of the time I am OK with them, but........ What slows me down the most, apart from my own ability and wind, is the poor road surfaces that I encounter now. I should say we all encounter. I could only go up to about 32mm on one bike but the other stuck with 25mm. Floating over a poor bit of road or bad repairs, must seem like a dream !

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Which is why earlier in this topic i said 'Real World riding'. Anyone's stats, facts, figures, rolling resistance quotes, contact patch mathematics, perfect scenario gains or indeed losses are in my World: subject to less then perfect road-surfaces

Just having the confidence to know that the smaller road imperfections are not going to throw you off line or cause you to tram line; gives you the confidence to ride that little bit faster, particularly downhill. Avoiding proper big imperfections still order of the day.

 

[Shearwater Missile]

Just having the confidence to know that the smaller road imperfections are not going to throw you off line or cause you to tram line; gives you the confidence to ride that little bit faster, particularly downhill. Avoiding proper big imperfections still order of the day.

You are certainly right. It`s the imperfections that take you unaware that catch you out. The ones that are hidden by shadows or you are busy missing one and catch another.

 

[sevenfourate]

Although I use 25mm tyres and most of the time I am OK with them, but........ What slows me down the most, apart from my own ability and wind, is the poor road surfaces that I encounter now. I should say we all encounter. I could only go up to about 32mm on one bike but the other stuck with 25mm. Floating over a poor bit of road or bad repairs, must seem like a dream !

Each to their own - and sounds like we're on the same page

The 3 bikes i currently ride on road; are about to be at 35mm minimum width. **THAT bike i've actually just reduced from 38mm. but have gone to GP5000-S tyres in 35mm....which i gather tend to be a very supple / vibration absorbing tyre anyway. So i've possibly lost nothing regarding overall 'comfort' per-se. The others are at 38mm.

Some here are quoting facts and figures and perhaps dismissing the new-fangled trend, while also saying their bikes frames will only take 25mm wide or thereabouts for example. I presume from that - they have not been able to long-term test wider rubber (?). The difference with me perhaps - being; that i've easily been able to test and compare the same bike with different widths / volumes / pressures - due to have modern frames with huge clearances. So my choice of 'larger' tyres has come from real-world exposure and comparison.

At the end of the day i'm neither endorsing, condoning or proposing anything to anyone. I'm more than happy with my choice. I presume others are too. However they've arrived at that.......

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

Some here are quoting facts and figures and perhaps dismissing the new-fangled trend, while also saying their bikes frames will only take 25mm wide or thereabouts for example. I presume from that - they have not been able to long-term test wider rubber (?).

I have run everything from 23mm to 40mm on a variety of road and gravel bikes. I have to be honest, and I am in the minority here, I notice very little difference in terms of comfort or performance across the varying widths. There is obviously a slight difference in feel, and I lean towards 25-28mm as a sweet spot for me, but actual tangible differences appear lost on me! I actually notice bike frames a lot more, stiffness and power transfer as well as road and vibration dampening (and yes, I have swapped the same wheel/tire combos across bikes to make sure that wasn't making the difference!).

Having said all that, I don't doubt though that tire and pressure choices do make a lot of difference for many cyclists.

 

[sevenfourate]

I have run everything from 23mm to 40mm on a variety of road and gravel bikes. I have to be honest, and I am in the minority here, I notice very little difference in terms of comfort or performance across the varying widths. There is obviously a slight difference in feel, and I lean towards 25-28mm as a sweet spot for me, but actual tangible differences appear lost on me! I actually notice bike frames a lot more, stiffness and power transfer as well as road and vibration dampening (and yes, I have swapped the same wheel/tire combos across bikes to make sure that wasn't making the difference!).

Having said all that, I don't doubt though that tire and pressure choices do make a lot of difference for many cyclists.

For interest - what average pressure (*And your weight) at your preferred 25-28mm tyre width ?

As stated - i'm at the heavier end of the scale. And i've no doubt that perhaps influences the pressure i run. And my 'feelings' from that.....

 

[johnblack]

25's, none of my three roadies will take a 28.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

For interest - what average pressure (*And your weight) at your preferred 25-28mm tyre width ?

As stated - i'm at the heavier end of the scale. And i've no doubt that perhaps influences the pressure i run. And my 'feelings' from that.....

I am 57-58kg. I run 70psi in a 25mm and 65 in a 28mm. I do also have a 30mm on my winter bike at the moment, run 55-60 psi in those.

You could well be right on weight and how much this has an effect. Being at the very light end myself, my thought is that this likely plays a significant part in why width and pressure does not seem to affect me as much as others.

As an aside, I have a mate who still runs a 23mm at 110psi and wonders why he is uncomfortable 😂

 

[sevenfourate]

I am 57-58kg. I run 70psi in a 25mm and 65 in a 28mm. I do also have a 30mm on my winter bike at the moment, run 55-60 psi in those.

You could well be right on weight and how much this has an effect. Being at the very light end myself, my thought is that this likely plays a significant part in why width and pressure does not seem to affect me as much as others.

As an aside, I have a mate who still runs a 23mm at 110psi and wonders why he is uncomfortable 😂

The same mate with tingling hands, joint problems and 4 teeth missing ?

 

[Shearwater Missile]

Each to their own - and sounds like we're on the same page

The 3 bikes i currently ride on road; are about to be at 35mm minimum width. **THAT bike i've actually just reduced from 38mm. but have gone to GP5000-S tyres in 35mm....which i gather tend to be a very supple / vibration absorbing tyre anyway. So i've possibly lost nothing regarding overall 'comfort' per-se. The others are at 38mm.

Some here are quoting facts and figures and perhaps dismissing the new-fangled trend, while also saying their bikes frames will only take 25mm wide or thereabouts for example. I presume from that - they have not been able to long-term test wider rubber (?). The difference with me perhaps - being; that i've easily been able to test and compare the same bike with different widths / volumes / pressures - due to have modern frames with huge clearances. So my choice of 'larger' tyres has come from real-world exposure and comparison.

At the end of the day i'm neither endorsing, condoning or proposing anything to anyone. I'm more than happy with my choice. I presume others are too. However they've arrived at that.......

I would go up in size if I could. My CB as my winter bike would I think take 32mm. I have taken the full guards off, they were OK with 28mm. As the current tyres are still good I will wait and see. I swapped the full guards for Zefal swan guard set. It makes the bike easier to wash mud off and that sticks like glue around here.
We talk a lot about comfort of tyres and the trend to go bigger. By the same token, car wheels are getting bigger and wider and tyres even more low profile and therefore less comfortable. Odd, that one really but I think it all comes down to marketing and sales. My dad`s old Rover P5 had a lot of meat between the rim and the road and gave a lovely comfortable ride. OK, so the car was set up to ride like that but the tyres helped. Useful comparisons.
Perhaps I need another bike with clearance aplenty !

 

[sevenfourate]

I would go up in size if I could. My CB as my winter bike would I think take 32mm. I have taken the full guards off, they were OK with 28mm. As the current tyres are still good I will wait and see. I swapped the full guards for Zefal swan guard set. It makes the bike easier to wash mud off and that sticks like glue around here.
We talk a lot about comfort of tyres and the trend to go bigger. By the same token, car wheels are getting bigger and wider and tyres even more low profile and therefore less comfortable. Odd, that one really but I think it all comes down to marketing and sales. My dad`s old Rover P5 had a lot of meat between the rim and the road and gave a lovely comfortable ride. OK, so the car was set up to ride like that but the tyres helped. Useful comparisons.
Perhaps I need another bike with clearance aplenty !

Car wheels / tyres going wider: presumably for looks, style and grip. And again - i'm sure on perfect surfaces (Racetrack ?) the latter would be true. As you say - the reality is if the profile is less....and the volume isn't increasing; then comfort suffers. And they can sometimes probably grip less when the suspension / acting suspension properties of the tyre cant cope and the tyres then aren't fully in contact with Tarmacadam.....

I'm 'lucky' my daily bike and my current ongoing road 'build' both take hugely wide rubber. The Burgamont build is called a Grandurance frame. The front of the bike is somewhat Aero. And the forks are definitely anything other than generally round in profile. And i could get 50mm on there with ease if wanting to 'Gravel' it. And obviously less wide rubber for road use - just means more gap either side. And many ultra modern bikes seem to sport that: regarding 'looks' these days.

I didn't really plan for such choices of tyre swapping either. But boy am i glad of it now. The freedom must be something many lust after for a variety of reasons.....

 

[fossyant]

I've not dismissed wider tyres, I can, and do run 38mm knobblies on my CX bike, and they roll surprisingly well on tarmac - lovely and smooth. They aren't more 'worse' enough to notice much. So I'd imagine a wider tyre is better, attached to a suitable wider rim. All my road bikes are older and run 19mm wide (external) rims, so even a 28 comes up narrower. Given how bad the roads are now, the wider tyres are more desirable, but the narrower tyres aren't an issue. I have gone for more robust tyres than I used to use.

 

[fossyant]

If I don't know an 'area' - the "go to" choice of bike is my CX with the knobblies - then I can do gravel and the not so 'perfect' back roads, that are often better on knobblies.