Fifty Plus (50+) - Experimentation is Good

I'm in my early 60s and got back into biking for exercise. Got a new road bike with 700x25c tires that I found too hard for putting on the miles. Could never get comfortable even w/gel shorts/saddle. So, experimented with 32c tires and they are a world of difference! Seems easier to ride (rolls easier) but subjectively seems heavier and little slower. But at lower speeds, it seems easier to ride uphill AND it's easier on the seat (mine). Any similar experiences?

I use a 23 and on the occasions when I have gone to a wider tyre-the bike felt sluggish.

Most of my riding has been offroad and I use a comparitively narrow tyre on that aswell. 1.8 as to most using 1.95 That is because I am a light weight and I don't Know any better.

Once again it is down to Drag on the Trails- but also because I am a light rider.

I use a 23 and on the occasions when I have gone to a wider tyre-the bike felt sluggish.

Most of my riding has been offroad and I use a comparitively narrow tyre on that aswell. 1.8 as to most using 1.95 That is because I am a light weight and I don't Know any better.

What he said.

There is a definite trade off between tire width - comfort - performance and you need to find the spot that works for you. I'm bigger than stapfam and I also use 23's but may switch to 25's eventually.

If the 32c tires suit your style and let you enjoy your rides, then that is exactly the right width.

My new bike came with 28s and I had them switched to 32. I run them at 85psi. Definitely smooths out the vibrations & ride. Performance is not a big deal to me, as I have so little of it.

I've increasingly a fan of larger tires. I have 32c's on my commuter bike, and find that it's much safer to be watching traffic than to be constantly watching the pavement to avoid cracks and potholes.

I also just increased the size of the tires on my long-distance bike (the Davidson in my sig line) to 28c's from 25c. A lot of the riding I do w/that bike is out in the hills and mountains; frequently there is gravel on the edge of the road and pavement problems...it now feels more stable and sure-footed than it did with 25c's.

I've also been reading "Bicycle Quarterly", including a bunch of back issues; the editor (a very accomplished and fast randoneer) has been systematically testing wider perfromance tires and is a big advocate of bigger tires for fast, long-distance riding. If you're really interested in the topic it's worth getting some of their back issues where they explore the benefits of wider tires (wider = 32c and 35c).

Many tourers use 32 tires. In fact, many touring bikes are configured with 32s as standard equipment.

One of the old standard tires was the 27" x 1.25" size, which is a 32.

I've never used 32s, but 28s, 25s and 23s, mostly the latter. Frankly, I can't tell much difference. I'm 195, pump 'em up pretty hard (120) and go. I ride lots of miles, but have never felt any kind of fatigue or pain I could associate with the tires.

I running 32's (1 1/4) @ 100 psi on my Volae and I love them!! I've got
1 1/2" tires on the LWB recumbents and love them, on those bikes. However,
I run 23's on my Schwinn Road Bike and would never think of swapping them
out for anything else. I guess it's all about personal preference and use.

Happy Trails