Raim77

After my first shakedown tour where I discovered I needed better built wheels, I had an amazing friend build me a new set of double butted 36 spoke wheels.

I'm about 300 lbs and will tour with about 40-50 lbs of gear. I thought I should have gone with about a 700 x 35 tire, but the guy at the LBS said I should go with a smaller tire. He said with the amount of weight I would need a tire with more PSI to carry the load. So I bought the Continental Gator Skin 700 x 28 tire.

Of course only after I pay and walk out of the store I begin to ask the questions. Do I need a bigger tire? It's been about 10 days, would a LBS let me exchange tires? I felt convinced that these tires would work but after talking to a handful of people, I'm not so sure now. Some tell me I'm in for a tour of pinch flats.

FrenchFit 

I think the Gs 28s are a great tire. I've used them LD with a load, no problems, but I'll spec out at about a hundred twenty pounds lighter than your rig specs. Sounds like you will want to go bigger, at least on the back wheel.

michaelnel

I think you will be more comfortable with larger tires at a lower pressure. I am 270 lbs and ran 700x28s for a while. I am currently running 700x35s and they are SOOOOO much more comfortable, and I really can't tell much (if any) difference in rolling resistance. In your case you might want to consider 700x38 or 700x40.

https://www.rivbike.com/assets/full/0...ick_a_tire.pdf

10 Wheels

I think you could ride with 28's on the front and go larger size on the rear.

I have done that and it works great for me.

10 Wheels

That is a good link...Thanks

steve0257

The 25s will work for road riding. Not sure about loaded touring. But they will give a harsher ride than a wider tire. Last year I was riding on 25s and switched to 35s late n the year and the bike rode much smoother and I was actually a little bit faster

hammond9705

What kind of wheels? The wheels will only fit certain width tires. Road wheels typically only take up to a 700x28. Touring wheels might take 700x28 up to 700x35.

bradtx

Raim77, I've heard the smaller tire/higher pressure idea before and while it may be true, I don't agree fully. The 28s will be fine WRT snake bite punctures if you're vigilent keeping the tire pressure near or at max, but they'll also transmit more road shock to you and the bike. If you put a larger tire on the rear I suggest using the same brand and model so as to keep the same or nearly the same tire profile.

Brad

10 Wheels

37,000 miles and I have never had a pinched flat. Ran 700 X 20's to 37's
Keep your tires aired up.

Raim77

The tires I have on now are the SMALLEST that would fit on the rim. So I would have no problem going to a bigger tire. Thanks for all the feedback.

chipcom 

IMO 700x28 is too small for loaded touring...not only because of the high pressure you'll have to keep them at to reduce your risk of pinch flats, but because you limit the types of road surface you can handle comfortably. To me, 700x32 is about as small as I'd go and I would choose a quality, proven touring tire like a Schwalbe Marathon or, my favorite, a Conti Top Contact.

cyccommute 

Keep them inflated to the proper inflation and pinch flats won't be a problem. The 28's are slightly narrow but I've toured many miles on tires that are only slightly wider.
After my experiences last year in Arkansas (see Twisting Down the Alley in my sig), I've reached a very different conclusion about superwide tires. I experienced several blowouts using 700x38 Contis that were pumped up to the rated limit on the sidewall. I had to run 70 psi or less to avoid blowouts and, at that pressure, pinch flats do become a possibility. I switched back to 700x32 which I've used for years at higher pressures without problems and had no issues on a tour of the Natchez Trace in the fall. I'd much rather endure a harsh ride than carry 8 tubes to ensure I don't get stranded somewhere.

CraigB

I agree with chipcom. With proper inflation 28s would work, but if your road conditions are unknown, and could conceivably include dirt, gravel, limestone screenings or even just crappy pavement, you'll be better off with wider tires. The first trail I ever tried to ride was Elroy-Sparta in Wisconsin, about 30 years ago, and the 25c tires I had on my old Sekai were not happy with that surface. Between that, and carrying almost all of my load in a handlebar bag, I was fighting the steering the whole way, as well as having to put way more effort into pedaling than would have been needed if the tires hadn't wanted to sink into ruts of their own making.

sstorkel

For once, I agree with chipcom. I run 700x32 or 700x35 tires on my touring bike...

Seattle Forrest

28 is plenty fat, but I don't do anything you'd recognize as loaded down touring. I'd like something a little wider if I was going through lots of gravel, or really bad road surface. If not, you're fine. I'm not a big fan of Gatorskins, personally.

How do you like your new wheels?

chipcom 

<weeze> Luke, I am your father, welcome to the dark side

Raim77

Love the new wheels. Had them hand built by a mechanic who's garage at homerivals anything I've seen at a LBS.

As for the terrain I'd be on- I plan on being 100% on paved road. Unless Iget lost, I don't plan on being on anything else.

Another LBS showed me some Bontragers 700 x 32 tires that have a PSI of100+. Is that a best of both worlds scenario?

Otherwise I have an old set of Bontragers 700 x 35 I could put on. The PSIis labeled at 60-80.

CliftonGK1

Sort of.
Yes, there are certain width rims that you don't want to exceed a certain size of tire, but Sheldon's Tire Guide is really (to put it politely) just one guy's opinion. The general suggestion is that you shouldn't exceed 28mm on a "road wheel", which is typically a 19mm outer dimension (13.5 - 14.5 i.d.) However, I ride CX with guys using 30 - 34mm low pressure knobbies on narrow road rims (DT Swiss RR450, Mavic Open Pro, etc.) I roll on a pair of IRO Cold Fusions (19-ish mm o.d. rim) wearing WTB All-Terrain 37mm rubber, and I've had no problems; from 60psi on the road down to low 40s psi on the trail.
A wider touring rim like the Sun CR18, Velocity Dyad or Mavic A719 might have an issue with tires smaller than 28mm, but will easily handle 47 - 50mm tires.

What you need to look at is application and ride style. The issue with narrow bead rims and big fat tires is that even at higher pressures you can suffer from sidewall roll if you're going fast enough (or at low pressures you're more susceptible to pinch flats and bead blow-offs.) I wouldn't take my big ol' 37mm tires around a hairpin mountain descent at high speed, but my 32mm Pasela TGs have faired very well on exactly those conditions on a narrow road rim.