Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Tires: skinny V. Wide

So after having wheel problems this whole past week, waiting for funds and other such little things, I am the new owner of a set of MTB Mavic X317 disc (32hole) laced to XT high flange hubs and I'm running Continental Sport Contacts (1.3). All winter and most of my riding in the past has been on fatter tires.
These puppies roll pretty nicely! Did 40 miles with an average of 15, so not too fast but so much better than I'm used to! The only thing is, I need to get used to how I corner on them. They feel more likely to tip in/break free under my large self.

I know these are still wide compared to most roadie tires so my question is how do you roadie guys feel taking turns leaned way over? More tendency to tip out? I haven't clipped pedals on ground yet and I'm using all the tread on turns but man! Still feeling twitchy! What is it like to run on 23-26's on roadies? I'm awaiting my Eno hub to be laced to a narrow touring 27" (I like the look on my old Panic) and now I'm kind of concerned about what I can realistically carry speed wise into turns? Anything to look for?

I used to do track days on sportbikes so I'm familiar with wheel drift and all but not really looking forward to smacking earth at a shallow re-entry wearing ShinyDrawers (lycra)...

Any pointers and tips would be greatly appreciated....


ps~ I can FINALLY get my miles back up on Spinner Sataurdays again! See you all this weekend...

Thank You!!

I still have the stock 25c Bontrager road tires on my Trek 1500 which supposedly suck.

Still, I love to bomb the downhills and really lean into the corners when I get a chance (yay for gravity muscle!).

On clean, dry pavement I never worry about the tires breaking loose, however I do worry for the wheels sometimes. The rear only has 24 spokes, I can sometimes feel it flexing when cranked way over.

In less than ideal conditions, I take it easy, but I've never had a problem.

I recently added a road bike to my stable a couple months ago and I'm still trying to figure out where that 'point of no return' for leaning is with out actually crossing it (700x23c). At first I was nervous about hard turns but I am finding out just how light and responsive the handling is compared to my heavy MTBs. I can only winder what those ultra light weight 'weight wienie' bikes would be like for handling. But sadly a 4 spoke rim would be useless the second I threw a leg over the top tube.

This old ignorant theory?

which ignorant old theory?
Your not being specific, just an horses' behind.

I asked a question, not a stage for posturing.

So after having wheel problems this whole past week, waiting for funds and other such little things, I am the new owner of a set of MTB Mavic X317 disc (32hole) laced to XT high flange hubs and I'm running Continental Sport Contacts (1.3). All winter and most of my riding in the past has been on fatter tires.
These puppies roll pretty nicely! Did 40 miles with an average of 15, so not too fast but so much better than I'm used to! The only thing is, I need to get used to how I corner on them. They feel more likely to tip in/break free under my large self.

I know these are still wide compared to most roadie tires so my question is how do you roadie guys feel taking turns leaned way over? More tendency to tip out? I haven't clipped pedals on ground yet and I'm using all the tread on turns but man! Still feeling twitchy! What is it like to run on 23-26's on roadies? I'm awaiting my Eno hub to be laced to a narrow touring 27" (I like the look on my old Panic) and now I'm kind of concerned about what I can realistically carry speed wise into turns? Anything to look for?

I used to do track days on sportbikes so I'm familiar with wheel drift and all but not really looking forward to smacking earth at a shallow re-entry wearing ShinyDrawers (lycra)...

Any pointers and tips would be greatly appreciated....


ps~ I can FINALLY get my miles back up on Spinner Sataurdays again! See you all this weekend...

Thank You!!

A bicycle can actually go quite far over, in dry conditions with a solid surface, this is why we have round tires, like motorcycles do, rather then square tires like cars do. Tires are not really the limiting factor, pedal clearance at speed is, the faster your going the farther you can lean, except that you must stop pedaling at a certain point because the pedal on the low side will not clear, that limits your speed, and the amount of lean. Now a loose surface, the rules change, because the surface will break away (not the tire), on wet pavement we discover that water makes a loose surface, but you should be going slower anyway.

Personally I am not a big fan of super narrow tires, they need extremely high pressure (over 120PSI), which makes the tires as hard as if they were solid rubber, and that makes for a less than comfortable ride. Personally I wouldn't go much narrower then 32mm or 1.25" as this keeps the pressure lower and makes for a more comfortable ride.

Thank you. I figured it was something along those lines. Mainly worried about how twitchy they get when that narrow>tires< under this wide>me<.

240 and bombing down mtn switchbcks at 30-40 mph. Learn how to chose a line, counterbalance with the opposite leg, and don't brake in turns, you'll be fine. I use Continentals, 700X23's but like DeepV's 32 spoke cause they feel solid with no flex.

FYI, I ditch the Bontrager tires right away after having both tires blow sidewalls on one of the new roadies. When I bought my wife's roadie, took no chances, changed them before leaving the shop floor.

I like 25mm. As in most things, the happy medium between extreme opinions is probably where you want to go. If I were heavier, I would go for 28's. If you're riding a fast, sporty, responsive bike, wider tends to feel sluggish, but too narrow feels very hard and harsh due to the pressure required. Try it for yourself, don't just believe me. Ride the same bike with wide and then narrow. You will see what the difference is, and at the cost of a set of tires you will end up not using and maybe a few curse words as you try to get the tires onto the rim, having your own proven opinion will be well worth it.

Thank you. I figured it was something along those lines. Mainly worried about how twitchy they get when that narrow>tires< under this wide>me<.

Probably the best route, is to narrow one size at a time, if your used to 60mm (2.34") wide or wider tires, then best is to go to maybe a 50mm (2") tire, then a 40mm (1.6") then a 35mm (1 3/8") then 32mm (1 1/4"), 29mm, 27mm, 25mm, 23mm. When you get to a width your uncomfortable with, then you go up a width, and you know the narrowest tire for you,

which ignorant old theory?
Your not being specific, just an horses' behind.

I asked a question, not a stage for posturing.

I prefer jackass.

The old ignorant theory is skinny tires are less stable. It's not the size, but how you use it.

which ignorant old theory?
Your not being specific, just an horses' behind.

I asked a question, not a stage for posturing.

I prefer jackass.

The old ignorant theory is skinny tires are less stable. It's not the size, but how you use it. Bike handling is a rider's skill, not any certain piece of equipment.

I also recently changed my 26 x 1.95 stock tires to some Sport Contact tires, but in the 26 x 1.6 size.
I was really impressed by the performance increase with the Continental Sport Contact tires. I've been using them for a little over 500 miles now. When I drop a little more weight I'll try the 26 x 1.3 like you're using.

By the way, did you remember to recalibrate your bike computer for the new tires?

So after having wheel problems this whole past week, waiting for funds and other such little things, I am the new owner of a set of MTB Mavic X317 disc (32hole) laced to XT high flange hubs and I'm running Continental Sport Contacts (1.3). All winter and most of my riding in the past has been on fatter tires.
These puppies roll pretty nicely! Did 40 miles with an average of 15, so not too fast but so much better than I'm used to! The only thing is, I need to get used to how I corner on them. They feel more likely to tip in/break free under my large self.

I know these are still wide compared to most roadie tires so my question is how do you roadie guys feel taking turns leaned way over? More tendency to tip out? I haven't clipped pedals on ground yet and I'm using all the tread on turns but man! Still feeling twitchy! What is it like to run on 23-26's on roadies? I'm awaiting my Eno hub to be laced to a narrow touring 27" (I like the look on my old Panic) and now I'm kind of concerned about what I can realistically carry speed wise into turns? Anything to look for?

I used to do track days on sportbikes so I'm familiar with wheel drift and all but not really looking forward to smacking earth at a shallow re-entry wearing ShinyDrawers (lycra)...

Any pointers and tips would be greatly appreciated....


ps~ I can FINALLY get my miles back up on Spinner Sataurdays again! See you all this weekend...

Thank You!!

At 240+, I spend all of my time riding mountain roads. Usually downhills are 30-40 mph. I ride 23s and wouldnt go any wider (on the road bike at least). A quality tire, properly inflated, on a stable wheel, and I have no problems - Just need to back off when surface conditions are poor. Clearly water, gravel, bad pavement etc, change everything. Smaller tires have nearly the same contact area but have less "sidewall" to flex and cause instability.

DiesalDan: Got it. Thanks for pointing out which theory. Its a similar one with motorcycles... Thought I would check for pointers and such for skinnier tires. To me, its like switching sportbike tires. Check with the guys who already run 'em to get a 'feel' for them. I know its subjective...

Jakereed: I really like how they roll so far! And I did remember to roll out and measure my new set up...

At 245 lb I ride 700 x 25 but will probably go with 23's when I need new rubber. It is all about how you feel and what you are comfortable with, my old Cannondale and aluminum fork would get a little scary but it was okay. My new Felt with carbon fork seems very stable and tracks nicely... I guess the fork has a alot to do with the feel. I have gone down hills in the past at 50 mph and routinley hit over 30 mph on many rides. I always felt as safe as 1" of rubber can make you feel 8^)

Thank you. I figured it was something along those lines. Mainly worried about how twitchy they get when that narrow>tires< under this wide>me<.

It's less about the width of the tire than it is about how you use it. I've ridden everything from 2.3" knobbies to 19mm road tires and never felt that they were going to slide out on clean dry corners at speeds up to 55.

The key is to weight the tire properly so that it pulls you around the corner. You do this by pressing on the outside pedal as you go into the corner. The harder the lean, the harder you push on the pedal. Don't try to pedal in the corner, especially when you are leaned over, since this invites a pedal strike which will lift the rear wheel and result in disaster. You can, and should, push on the outside handlebar but not as much as you push on the pedal.

In wet or with gravel around, use the appropriate caution:eek:

It seems to me that in normal cornering, you're leaned over at the right angle such that the force on your tires is still aligned with the bicycle. So there's a sideways force on the pavement, but not on the tire, if that makes sense. It would be different if you were skidding around the corners on a tricycle or 4-wheeler.

Even if you did that, there would be a different in stability from one tire size to another if you ran them all at the same pressure. Only you don't. So there's no way to really compare.

Tire:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z172/stephenhazelton/MiscBikePhotos/Tire.jpg