Road Cycling - Tire Question

Hi,
I was planning on getting a new pair of tires for my road bike. I currently have 700c x 25's... I was planning on getting 700c x 23 or 700 x 20. I was just wondering if it would be worth it for me to get the 20's. Is there a noticible difference between them?

A few people i know only use the 20's for racing,otherwise 23's for everyday riding.

Hi,
I was planning on getting a new pair of tires for my road bike. I currently have 700c x 25's... I was planning on getting 700c x 23 or 700 x 20. I was just wondering if it would be worth it for me to get the 20's. Is there a noticible difference between them?

How heavy are you and what kind of riding are you doing?

I'm 190lbs and am usually training for road racing. Smooth roads mostly.

I find 700x20C to be a little narrow and harsh riding. As well, I like a little more rubber on the road in corners. For me, 700x25 is too big... 700x23 is a nice balance.

I ride Panaracer Stradius Pro 700x20 at 120psi on Spinergy Xaero-X rims. I also weigh about 190. The ride can be a little harsh, but its faster than a squirrel with its tail on fire.

DEMON

I weigh 156lbs and prefer the 20s. They do provide a very harsh ride when inflated to the upper limit tho. Currently I'm riding 23s and the one thing I just hate, is the brakes are closed in narrower than the tires are wide so taking of the wheels is a bit of work. The 20s do eliminate that.

Don't you have a release lever to open the brakes wider? Most Shimano road brakes have a lever on the caliper, while Campy builds it into the Ergo levers. One quick flip and the brakes open wide enough to eat a 32 or maybe even a 35.

DEMON

Don't you have a release lever to open the brakes wider? Most Shimano road brakes have a lever on the caliper, while Campy builds it into the Ergo levers. One quick flip and the brakes open wide enough to eat a 32 or maybe even a 35.

DEMON

Yeah. I just hate messing with it. Just easier to ride the 20s. Call me lazy.

thanks for all the replies. I weigh 125. I think im going to go with the 20's based on what people are saying. I dont mind a harsh ride as most biking I do is on fairly smooth country roads.

You will descend and turn faster on the 23's. As far as I know most pros only use 20's for time trials. I'd bet the only differences you notice are the rough ride and pinch flats.

Don't you have a release lever to open the brakes wider? Most Shimano road brakes have a lever on the caliper, while Campy builds it into the Ergo levers. One quick flip and the brakes open wide enough to eat a 32 or maybe even a 35.

DEMON

that lever is a lifesaver!!! my friend has rsx calipers on his bike, with 700x25s on the rims..... dang it is a b**** to get off!!!! how did people ever live without that lever!!!! :)

thanks for all the replies. I weigh 125. I think im going to go with the 20's based on what people are saying. I dont mind a harsh ride as most biking I do is on fairly smooth country roads.

Compromise, go with a 20 on the front, and a 23 on the rear. ;)

Come on,riding on 20's other then racing is a big cool factor,right?You know it because it doesnt make any sense to ride on those for everyday rides.

I don't do anything for the cool factor. I ride 20s because 18s are too harsh and 23s feel squishy to me. The tire, wheel, frame, saddle combination I have chosen gives ME the best balance of comfort and speed.

YMMV

DEMON

thanks for all the replies. I weigh 125. I think im going to go with the 20's based on what people are saying. I dont mind a harsh ride as most biking I do is on fairly smooth country roads.

Thinner tire...subject to more flats. Easier to penetrate these, as they are typically considered racing tires.

Another t3wo cents worth:

I ride Specalized Armadillo 700x26 on my trainer and for winter riding. I use Specalized Flack Jacket 700x23's for general riding and "charity Rides". I save my Bontrager Race X Lite 700x23 slicks for racing and fast group rides (They came with my new bike so I am not waisting them. When they wear out I will probably go to Michelin or Vredstein).

I also put most of my miles on the bike on country roads which I would consider less than smooth (although a number of them got reserfaced in my area this past summer). Most of the guys who ride in my area don't go smaller than the 700x23 because of the unevan pavement issue (lots of rills in the road that 700x 20's woud get sucked into and get you killed).

I think 700x23 is the "standard" for a reason. It is probably the best compromise of performance, stability and durability for most riders.

Just my opinion, not an expert by any means.

Bill

Thinner tires are actually NARROWER, not thinner. A Conti 3000 is built the same in a 20 as it is in a 25. I went for almost 3 years without a single flat tire, then I had 2 this year. One was a staple and the other was from snapping a valve stem while trying to inflate the tire before a ride. Some of the roads I ride on are among the oldest in the nation- some are even alleged to be part of Paul Revere's route (but I won't get into a history lesson here), so I know about messed up road surfaces, and they have never been a problem. I check for foreign objects in the tire frequently, and keep my tires inflated properly. I don't use sealant, and I don't like kevlar belted tires. For me it is all about balancing ride quality and energy efficiency.

DEMON