23 25 or 28mm ties on road bike

[ndwgolf]

I’m confused; whats the difference between running on 23, 25 or 28mm tire on a road bike.............obviously they are slightly bigger or slightly smaller but as fast as ride comfort and performance is there a real noticeable difference?
Could I for example put a 23 or 25 on my wheels instead of the current 28mm

Neil

[thelawnet]

23mm and 25mm may or may not be different on the bike (actual measurement) 28mm is wider. wider is more comfortable. wider may be faster if the road surface is not perfect. yes, you can put 23mm instead of 28mm, but unless you are riding round a track there may not be a point?

[foxyrider]

Put on 23's if you think you're hard enough!

[Marcus Aurelius]

The wider the tyre is, theoretically, the lower the pressure you can run without risking / getting pinch flats, if you have inner tubes. Lower pressure = better comfort / compliance over poor surfaces. With tubeless tyres, the complication of the tube is removed.

[reohn2]

The 28mm will be more comfortable than the same make and model 23 or 25.
It ain't that simple though,a more supple tyre will be more comfortable than a cheaper tyre with stiff carcass.Supple tyres have a higher TPI(Threads Per Inch) count in the carcass of the tyre which costs more to make and so costs more to buy,with high TPI and a slick tread a tyre will be more supple.
Then you have to consider tyre pressures(TP) and seeing as bike and rider have a uneven weight distribution,usually around 40% front 60% rear,TP's need to be adjusted according,here's a good TP guide(the TP's are per tyre load):- https://www.google.co.uk/search?num=10& ... NwExjl-QBM:

But first you have to determine whether your bike has the clearances under the brake calipers and chainstay bridge to take a bigger tyre if that's what you want.

[ndwgolf]

This is what I ordered this morning

[atlas_shrugged]

Would advise not to use 23mm because even if you check and maintain the correct pressure you run the risk of pinch punctures (snakebites) as already mentioned. On rough roads i.e. most UK roads 25mm is probably faster than 23mm in any case.

In winter I like to use 28mm with a tread (to avoid slipping on leaves / ice etc). For the rest of the time 25mm slicks are OK e.g. Schwalbe One.

There may be some speed advantage of 23mm on a nice race track or velodrome. But it is not worth it IMHO to swap the tyres or wheels or bike just for that. If you race frequently then that may be different.

[freeflow]

I switched from 23mm to 35mm back in 2016 and haven't looked back.

[reohn2]

Just noticed the OP is probably riding disc brakes so probably has more clearance under the fork and rear seat stay and chainstay bridges,but still worth checking how much clearance should he wish to ride a larger section tyre.

[reohn2]

I switched from 23mm to 35mm back in 2016 and haven't looked back.

[ndwgolf]

Just noticed the OP is probably riding disc brakes so probably has more clearance under the fork and rear seat stay and chainstay bridges,but still worth checking how much clearance should he wish to ride a larger section tyre.

Yes I'm using disc brakes.........I am also using 28mm tires and plan to continue using the same size.
Thanks

Neil

[hamster]

GP4000 are wonderful supple, fast tyres, suitable for racing. However on a typical British winter road they are fragile. I don't have thorns round me but plenty of flints. They last typically 1000 miles before a fatally large cut.

Lovely tyres, but perhaps best for summer only.

[Mick F]

I switched from 23mm to 35mm back in 2016 and haven't looked back.

Fitted a mirror too?

[ndwgolf]

GP4000 are wonderful supple, fast tyres, suitable for racing. However on a typical British winter road they are fragile. I don't have thorns round me but plenty of flints. They last typically 1000 miles before a fatally large cut.

Lovely tyres, but perhaps best for summer only.

I’m going to be riding in Thailand all the time so kind of like riding in the UK when you get those 3 to 5 days a year dry hot weather

[hamster]

I hope the roads are clean! I used to live and commute by bike in Singapore - the roads were clean except when it had just dumped a load of rain when they were then completely strewn with debris. I don't recall many punctures but did run touring tyres throughout.

On my road bike I would drain a big camelbak in less than two hours, 32C and 98% humidity is a killer.