Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - 23s for borderline Clyde?

Wheels are due to arrive soon and am ready for tire purchase for my 'lighter' bike, the one I'd use on club rides or to keep up with my zippier friends.

I'm 198/200 down from 220 and getting lighter. I'm contemplating a pair of Serfas Seca RS 23 folding beads and wondered if there are any borderline clydes out there running 23s on the back? They don;t seem to make a 25 in the Seca RS folding, and of course the wire bead is a different color and likely heavier.

You should be allright, just watch your tire pressure carefully is all to avoid snakebite punctures. (Pinch Flats)http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/7312/av1479qd.gif

I am borderline Uber Clyde and run 23's without any problems. Like Tom said, just check the pressure and you should be fine.

When I started riding my road bike I was ~250 pounds. Never had a moments trouble out of 23s.

Thanks very much gentlemen, for the fast feedback!

(With a bit of luck the new frame will soon be off its fork and chainstays and on some wheels by the end of the week.)

I've always run 23s. Just keep them inflated.

Can I put a plug in for Michelin Krylion Carbons?

I've always run 23s. Just keep them inflated.

Can I put a plug in for Michelin Krylion Carbons?

Sure! Not a problem at all!:D

I've always run 23s. Just keep them inflated.

Can I put a plug in for Michelin Krylion Carbons?

Love these. I have them on my specialized.

Michelin Pro2 running 115 psi with no problem. Bontrager Race X Lites at 120 psi were a problem.

I'm 235 down from 270 and I've run nothing but 23's in 12,000 miles of riding. You'll be just fine, just keep them at the recommended pressure.

~ my shameless plug??.....the Vittoria 'Rubino Pro'. So far, the longest wearing tire I've tried for a clyde!

Michelin Pro2 running 115 psi with no problem. Bontrager Race X Lites at 120 psi were a problem.

I think I have those tires... bontrager race lites (don't know about the X) and they are the hard case ones? what kind of problems did you have with them? (I recently put them on because my maxxis xephyrs 25 mm wore out... )

Bontrager tires are definitely not clyde friendly.

I'm 210 lbs and have been running a few different kinds of 23's. I think the biggest concern is the wheels themselves not the tires. There are quite a few wheels that can't support riders over 200 lbs. Some even over 175. However there are quite a few wheel sets that can support riders over 250 lbs. Just have to do your research.

Back in my tri-racing days I was rolling 23s and weighed 215. Never had a problem with them.
Now, I'm a little bigger and a little over-cautious, so I've got some 25s on the way for my new build.

Bontrager tires are definitely not clyde friendly.

I have put on them about 40 miles (just put them on) and have had no problems and unfortunately, I am definitely in the higher end of clydesdale category....

Bontrager tires are definitely not clyde friendly.

KT runs RaceLite HardCase tires on his touring rig, and I know he hasn't had any problems with them during our weekend rides.

Hey, KT! You have any problems with your Bontragers?

I ran a 23 in the back for years without any issues and i'm around 200.

I've always run 23s, ranging from 225-190ish and never a problem or concern. Currently running Hutchinson Top Speed 105psi front/110psi rear, though I've run them as low as 100/105 with no worries....

I run 23's on my bike (F&R) at 80-100 PSI from 260lbs to my current 230lbs. Put ~500 miles on so far w/ no problems. Nothing special, AlexRims R500's with whatever tire and tube my bike came with. I've taken it on grooved pavement and dirt roads just fine!

I run 23's on my bike (F&R) at 80-100 PSI from 260lbs to my current 230lbs. Put ~500 miles on so far w/ no problems. Nothing special, AlexRims R500's with whatever tire and tube my bike came with. I've taken it on grooved pavement and dirt roads just fine!

well, Im a bit over the 3 dollar mark with maxxis xephyrs at around 100 and had no problems except that the tire did wear out only after about 800 miles... I ride the 23 bontrager race lites at about the same so far no problems... seems the tire is a bit stiffer than the maxxis tires were so at least at this point, I am not worried about pinch flats...

No way. You won't explode the tires or anything, but you'll have to run them at high pressures, the ride suffers, the handling takes a dump, the bike will be skittish and if you hit a patch of sand, the first thing that touches the ground will be your face. Grant Petersen at Rivendell has a tire-size chart based on weight, and while I don't have it handy, I think he'd put you on 28s or 32s at 80-95 psi.

I am 230lbs. Rolling on stock 23 Bontrager Race wheels and tires. I was at about 100psi the other day when I got a pinch flat and a slight "ding" in my rear wheel. I am thinking about getting heavier rims built up for piece of mind. I will wear out the tires and get some "tougher" ones....but will stick with 23's.

I am coming from many years of mtn biking and need to learn to ride around the stuff I used to like riding over :D

I certainly hope that 23's aren't a problem. My mail order finally arrived, and they shipped one 25 and one 23. (Not really certain how that happens...) I'm going to run the 23 up front, and call them about getting the proper tire shipped out.
I'm glad I didn't go with 28's, because looking at that 23 up front I think a 25 will just squeak clear of the fork crown.

No way. You won't explode the tires or anything, but you'll have to run them at high pressures, the ride suffers, the handling takes a dump, the bike will be skittish and if you hit a patch of sand, the first thing that touches the ground will be your face. Grant Petersen at Rivendell has a tire-size chart based on weight, and while I don't have it handy, I think he'd put you on 28s or 32s at 80-95 psi.

yeah, my lbs recommended 28's but I found these on sale for 20 bucks a piece and decided to give it a try... I think the reason I don't have the problems you mention is because I have a lower end chro-molly bike that is stable (by that I mean a bit heavier than the higher end bikes, around 24lbs)... (although I have also have a trek 1220 that I bought used and I haven't had a problem with that either and it runs some version of a 23 tire...).

some things of note:

I found that the tire on the trek is a bit more "squishy" than the bontragers...
the bontragers act similarly to the maxxis 25's that I had on the bike before (which I liked and never had a "snake bite" flat with)
I run my tires around 100-105 (give or take depending on my patience with fiddling with it...)
I really don't "hammer" the bike as I usually have an average speed of about 15 mph and I have maxed out at 22 mph for short stints on flats...

I am 230lbs. Rolling on stock 23 Bontrager Race wheels and tires. I was at about 100psi the other day when I got a pinch flat and a slight "ding" in my rear wheel. I am thinking about getting heavier rims built up for piece of mind. I will wear out the tires and get some "tougher" ones....but will stick with 23's.

I am coming from many years of mtn biking and need to learn to ride around the stuff I used to like riding over :D

hmmm this is interesting, I wonder if it has anything to do with the rims on my bike?
I have a lower end bike that I bought new off of ebay and I haven't dinged anything on the rims...
it has Alex Rims... well knock on wood, I hope I don't have problems "down the road"...

You should be golden. I know someone who started out riding 23's at around your weight, and he did just fine (and lost a ton of weight!). I'm going to be moving to 28's here shortly, my rear wheel is shot and I noticed on my last tire removal that the sidewalls on my Bontragers (Race Lite Hardcase) are coming apart. Avoid Bontrager, but besides that just ride the snot out of 'em!

I run 23's on my bike (F&R) at 80-100 PSI from 260lbs to my current 230lbs. Put ~500 miles on so far w/ no problems. Nothing special, AlexRims R500's with whatever tire and tube my bike came with. I've taken it on grooved pavement and dirt roads just fine!

can I ask you what kind of bike you have?

I certainly hope that 23's aren't a problem. My mail order finally arrived, and they shipped one 25 and one 23. (Not really certain how that happens...) I'm going to run the 23 up front, and call them about getting the proper tire shipped out.
I'm glad I didn't go with 28's, because looking at that 23 up front I think a 25 will just squeak clear of the fork crown.

Actually a lot of riders ride a thinnner tire up front. Some of my lighter friends run a 20 up front and 23 in the back.I've also seen 23/25 rear. Since you have the 25 I would just put it on the rear. Not necessary but a good compromise.

Actually a lot of riders ride a thinnner tire up front. Some of my lighter friends run a 20 up front and 23 in the back.I've also seen 23/25 rear. Since you have the 25 I would just put it on the rear. Not necessary but a good compromise.

It's a barely perceptable difference, so I'm OK with how it looks. (Yeah, this is one of "those" builds; as opposed to my commuter which is just functional.) I was thinking at first that a 25r/23f combo would make my bike look like a funny car, but it doesn't.

I'm 245, run 23 Conti Pros, no problems.

Thanks again for all the feedback.

Even though I recently started running a 23 Ultra GatorSkin on the front of my old steel training bike, (28 on the back) I am amazed at how many Clydes are riding them front and back with no problems, so that's reassuring news.

Why? 25s are better for a comfortable ride and don't have an appreciable difference in rolling resistance from the 23s. The weight in a tyre isn't any excuse to getting dropped by your zippier friends. Try 25s with a high Tpi (threads per inch) count and you may find that it will give better flat protection.

I am around 240 and have been riding hutchinson top speed 23's at 120 rear and 115 front without any issues. And that includes a couple of rough roads in my loop.

I am not sure what people are referring to as far as comfort as I have never felt uncomfortable with the ride of my alum frame and 23 tires at a very high psi. So I can't be much help there.

I ride a c-dale synapse alloy