Northeast - tires for NYarea 29 or 32?

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zixingche
03-12-09, 12:52 PM
I am a bit torn on which tires to choose
I am riding with 700mm Continental ultrarace 25 right now and seems rough and stiff on the road as I feel in my body after about 30 miles.

Any suggestions. I was thinking of the Bontrager hard case in a 32 or 28.
I want to use the tires mainly for my commute to NYC from NJ. and for a century ride this Spring.

Would there be a difference in performance or comfort enough to notice?

The reason I think of 32 because the stock tires on my Surly were 32 and seemed very comfy however were cross tires which I want a smoother tire.

thanks


Surly rider

pgoat
03-12-09, 02:34 PM
The 28 will be a nice compromise. You can run them a bit harder for fast riding or the century, or leave them a bit lower psi for the commute.

A 32 will def. be safer and more reliable for commuting on NY roads, and you should feel a little more zip if going from knobby 32s to smooth 32s, esp if you pick up 10-20 psi in the process. But then you are getting more fatigue from pedaling the wider tire over many miles vs. the jarring to your body with the narrower contact patch.

My advice is try the 28s. I've used 28s and 25s in NY for commutes with no problems, providing they were decent, kevlar belted tires and I was careful about potholes, glass, etc.
40 Cent
03-12-09, 02:56 PM
I am a bit torn on which tires to choose
I am riding with 700mm Continental ultrarace 25 right now and seems rough and stiff on the road as I feel in my body after about 30 miles.

Any suggestions. I was thinking of the Bontrager hard case in a 32 or 28.
I want to use the tires mainly for my commute to NYC from NJ. and for a century ride this Spring.

Would there be a difference in performance or comfort enough to notice?

The reason I think of 32 because the stock tires on my Surly were 32 and seemed very comfy however were cross tires which I want a smoother tire.

thanks


Surly rider

I've used both the Continental and Bontrager hard case, size 25, and already the Bontrager felt a bit more plush, so I think 28 in the Bontrager should relieve quite a bit of shock, and still ride fast enough for your century.

Bacciagalupe
03-12-09, 04:34 PM
I'm doing pretty well with 28's @ 100psi, Conti 4 Season Grand Prix. It's a good blend of flat resistance, speed and comfort.