kenshireen

I have a Look KG96 CF bike from 1992.. 7 speed downtube.. Light bike..Mavic open 4CD rims
Me... 180 pounds...ride maybe 40 miles...don't race...69 YO but an athlete.

Am getting ready for first new tires in 5 years....used to ride 20/23 but based upon "new" science it looks like wider tires are being used.
I would like to minimize RR and minimize flats.... Will probably get a vittoria open corsa or a conti 4000.

Any suggestions on size would be appreciated

fietsbob

25 if there is clearance, 23 if that's all that will fit .. light if you don't mind mending punctures ,

Given the puncture resistant features in a tire casing adds weight ..

jfowler85

It really doesn't matter...one manufacturer's 23 is another manufacturer's 25. Run whatever is cheaper. Or more expensive, depending on your cycling paradigm.

GP

I went to 25s a few years ago. It let me lower the tire pressure 15 psi for a noticeably better ride.

devianb

I say go for the 25s.

obed7

I have 25's on all my bikes except one, and I am changing the brakes on that one to allow me to run 25's there too....oops not quite true, I have 35's on my cross bike.

RISKDR1

I have gone to 28's on my mid 80's Medici and am happy I did. Ride is smoother and roll just fine. They fit well too. https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/70...28-cerf-green/.

By the way, I am 70 and weight 203. I pump them to 80 on the rear and 70 on front. They ride very nice on rough pave. I use 32 mm https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/70...stampede-pass/ on my Velo Orange Pass Hunter set up for longer distance riding. VERY nice ride.

Of course there will always be someone who does not like a specific tire brand or model. I like them.

ThermionicScott 

Given a choice between those two, I'd go for the 25mm and I'm not even heavy (~150lbs). 28mm is as small as I go on my bikes.

richietables 

25's are the new 20's!!! Right now I'm riding 25 in the back and 23 in the front but will go with 25 from now on.

OldTryGuy

Pretty sure you will like 25mm better than 23mm. I'm 136lbs ride on 23mm at 120psi.

Homebrew01

Don't they bounce you around at that high pressure ?
I bet you'd get a nicer ride at 90-ish psi

randyjawa 

Been running 23s on the front and 25s on the back for years and I rarely flat out.

cwar

It's true, some 25s are the same size as some 23s. They differ across manufacturers and even from the same manufacturer.

With that said, things seem to be trending toward 25s. There have been some studies that show, in general, they have a lower rolling resistance than 23s. I have a bike with 23s and one with 25s. The 23s are Conti 4000IIs and the 25s are Conti 4 Season and they are almost exactly the same size!

OldTryGuy

Roads around here aren't that bad, although during my Ironman Florida rides the Paris-Roubaix section was pretty bad. I tried lowering the pressures, as per charts, and did not like the ride at all. Noticeable effort difference.

Some people like the comfy limo type ride, I like the ride in my son's classic 911.

Blue Belly

I ride a pretty small tire but, have 23 Vittoria's hanging around. I also ride a 32mm on my cross bike. It's easy to make statements about rolling resistance in a controlled environment. I don't know about you but, What I ride is anything but controlled. I think a nice reasonably weighted, supple, 23 mm tire is about as good as it gets, so long as I can keep the road debris out of them.
With that said, bike geometry & wheel design can also play a huge factor in the equation. Biggest deal for me is road surface. My rides can go from perfect flat ashalt to freshly graded dirt roads at a pretty good percentage gradient. Therefore, I need a tire that can handle all occasions, to some degree. So, Given my extreme environment, I'm more concerned with durability, weight & grip, than rolling resistance on perfect asphalt.
Data is great but, generally Its intent is to sell a product, not decifer your road conditions.

bobbyl1966

I have hear many pro riders use 25c tires. What pressure put in the tires. I have kenda 28c tires on my road bike, max pressure is 90psi. is okay if i put 90psi?

yuoil 

I haven't noticed a performance loss going from 23 to 25. I never was a fan of 23 or 20s! I fine 28s often worth the effort, as well. I tend to run light weight tires but seem to be lucky about punctures. I weigh about 190 if that helps. I run 25s around 100/110 psi depending front/rear and road quality.

Doctor Morbius

So true. I have some Continental 25s that fit the front fork of my road bike, whereas some Specialized 25s won't.

ThermionicScott 

@kenshireen, I forgot to ask: do you have any pictures of this Look you could post?

allroader55

From what you have in the OP, don't even think about 23s. Go for the 25s for safety. Think about which tire fits your needs, as there are a few excellent choices that would outperform a lesser tire with a bigger difference than you will ever see from 23 vs 25.

kenshireen

Shoot me your email and I will send some pics

kenshireen

I forgot to ask... Which is easier to change out...25 or 23.... on a mavic open4cd rim

fietsbob

depends .. on specific tire not general width category

kenshireen

same tire ?

fietsbob

try them your self.