Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Tire Sizes: Plus and Minus

just wondering what the benefits are for the different tire sizes out there. im looking into getting armadillos at 700x23 but was wondering what positive and negative effects come from riding larger tires.

just wondering what the benefits are for the different tire sizes out there. im looking into getting armadillos at 700x23 but was wondering what positive and negative effects come from riding larger tires.
Some people feel that a wider tire is a more comfortable tire to ride with little reduction in speed or handling. It obviously depends on the tire in question. I run: 23mm, 25mm, 28mm, and 32mm on various bikes and they all do well for their intended purpose. There is probably less chance for experiencing "pinch flats" with a larger tire. I probably have more 23s on various bikes than anything. Maybe I am a slave to general practice as evidenced by the preponderance of 23mm shod racing bikes. We all like to think that we are going faster, don't we? I have read that there is even an argument to be made, by the engineering types, that a 25mm has less rolling resistance than a 23mm but I will leave that statement to those with a greater understanding of the laws of physics.

fixedgearhead

thats pretty much why i was asking-- since i got the soma all built up, ive bottomed out a few times. once i get a new wheelset, im going to put on some armadilllos. ive heard they have better sidewalls that help prevent pinch flats. i commute on the rush, hit a lot of bad roads and glass... should i be riding 25's at least anyway?
i like the look, weight and ride of 23's but would like to hear more opinions on the different sizes out there.

fixedgearhead, on your bikes, what applications get the different tire sizes?

on the road i stick to 23mm's. i use them everywhere from rare freshly paved roads to pothole riddled dirt roads. you have to get good quality tires though and it helps that i only weigh 140 pounds. i wouldn't go with anything smaller on the road. for really rough roads, or if you weigh a little more, a 25mm tire can actually give you LESS rolling resistance because it absorbs shock better and if you carry a lot of weight in your pack fatter tires will prolong the life of your rims and the fatigue life of your frame. also to be noted, i get a lot of miles out of my tires because they are coated withs layers of duct tape from gashes in the sidewalls.

on the road i stick to 23mm's. i use them everywhere from rare freshly paved roads to pothole riddled dirt roads. you have to get good quality tires though and it helps that i only weigh 140 pounds. i wouldn't go with anything smaller on the road. for really rough roads, or if you weigh a little more, a 25mm tire can actually give you LESS rolling resistance because it absorbs shock better and if you carry a lot of weight in your pack fatter tires will prolong the life of your rims and the fatigue life of your frame. also to be noted, i get a lot of miles out of my tires because they are coated withs layers of duct tape from gashes in the sidewalls.

umm..shock and rolling resistance? try again.

I just feel more comfortable on rough pavement on wider tires. I'm running 700x28 Conti Ultra 2000s and wouldn't want anything narrower for city pavement. Too many gnarly cracks and potholes. Give me rubber or give me flats. For the sake of reference, I run them at 115 PSI.

yeah mountain bikers don't ride fat tires and in Paris Roubaix they don't ride 23mm and 25mm tires because of the cobbles. try riding a mountain bike over a rocky single track, then try riding the same trail with 19mm tires and see which is faster. in case you need a clue the fatter tires absorb shock better and therefore help you to go faster. they "smooth things out." try dropping some pretentiousness and help the guy with his question. how's that for a second try.

I run 23's ( Michelin Megamium2's at the moment ) in the summer and a combination of Nokian 28 studded ice tire front / Nokian Ravagozzi cyclocross 35c rear in the winter

In general,
as the tire gets bigger, you get fewer flats, a smoother, ride, and better handling. The tradeoff is the bike is a little slower. I see threads
about flats (and see roadies with flats) and wonder why.

ive been pretty lucky and havent had any flats since ive upped my tire pressure and added tire liners (knock on wood). i have an ultra 3000 on the front and gatorskin on the rear. im about 170-180 depending on beer... i never had a problem with smashing the rim until i got the rush built up. im really happy with the bike but im not riding as aggressively because of the bottoming out. ive heard the armadillos have nice stiff sidewalls that help prevent pinch flats and bottoming out. i think i might be leaning toward the 25's as a compromise between 23 and 28. id like to keep it light but none of that really matters if im slowing down to compensate for rim scrape. or maybe i just need to adjust my riding technique...