what size tire for hybred on trail
 

My wife is getting a new Fuji Absolute 1.5. It comes with 700x28 tires. We are used to riding with 700x35 tires. We ride most on paved trails but about 15% on crushed lime. We think the 28's might be a little narrow. We are considering going to 32's . One would expect the 32's to be just a little faster but possible have a little rougher and less stable ride than the 35's. Do you think there would be a noticeable difference in any of these areas. My wife is nearing 60 so safety is a concern. Is there a certain brand of tire or tire tread you would recommend? I appreciate your thoughts. Thanks

I've got some 700x32s on my Kona Splice and they work good on dirt/gravel roads and trails, yet are still very efficient on pavement.

I use and would highly reccomend Schwalbe Marathon supreme tires. Very flat resistant, smooth but just enough tread for light off roading. Well worth the money. Let me know if you have any other questions about the tires.

Amazon.com: Schwalbe Marathon Supreme RLX Folding Bead Tire (700X32): Sports & Outdoors

28s works great for me on paved, crushed limestone, and packed dirt. I have Vittoria Rubino that are just perfect, even price wise. If safety is a priority, I would go with something "fatter". 38, 40 or wider will also give you more comfort.

If you're worried about comfort, why not stick to the 35s, or even go up to 38? The additional weight won't matter unless you have hills - that is one situation where less weight will help. If you haven't bought the bike yet, you can ask the shop to switch to 35s/38s at the time of purchase - you might get a discount as well.

I depends a lot on where you are riding. If that aglime is dry, even 28s will be OK, but if it is sometimes wet, you will want 32 or 35s.

How much room is there for bigger tires? 35s are a good choice for better ride, and floatation on unpaved surfaces. 32s are awful close.

Wider tires will also make handling a little more forgiving, and soften the ride. Even 32s will be better than 28s.

Expensive, but I love Schwalbe Marathon Supremes - almost bulletproof. About as flat free as you will find. Roll easy, spin up fast, outstanding traction, very good wet or dry, no transitions zones due to their sidewall to sidewall tread pattern, lightweight, etc, etc, etc...... and the reflective sidewall is really bright. I won't ride anything else. http://www.niagaracycle.com/categori...supreme-700x35

I decided I was going to splurge a bit on tires this year, and bought some that I think will work well for me. My riding mix is about the same as yours, but I am very large, so I went wider than you are looking due to my weight.

I went with 40 mm tires since they would fit my 7.2 FX (barely). Probably as important as the width for me is the need for tread (i.e. not complete slicks), especially on any soft spots in the crushed limestone. I just started riding the Kenda Happy Medium (120tpi) at 40mm and have put about 30 miles on them, and they seem efficient and stable on the surfaces I have run across, except for a couple of patches of crusty snow and deep mud, but even then they performed ok and I was able to keep riding. They come in 32, 35 and 40mm, and my 40's seem a little wider than other 40s I have on hand. Kenda K1083 Happy Medium Cyclocross Tire at BikeTiresDirect

For when I lose some weight, and want a narrower tire for my riding mix, I ordered a another set of tires that look great for my needs. Clement X'plor USH in 35mm (60TPI) to try. It looks like a good tread design, and may be slightly more efficient than the Kendas on paved surfaces. Clement XPlor USH 60 TPI Adventure Tire at BikeTiresDirect

For riders in a more normal weight range than me, I would still suggest 32mm or wider on crushed stone for those that ride for health, fresh air and scenery. If you enjoy more speed in your mix, then going narrower is ok, but it depends more on your preferences than anything else. :)

I ride 28's (Conti Contacts) on a 1997 Trek 730 hybrid and have never had issues with gravel or limestone. I do take this bike on the road a fair amount, so I enjoy the lower rolling resistance. Only time you might have an issue is mud or loose sand.

You should be fine with 32's (or even the stock 28's) unless the limestone paths are badly rutted, or you're climbing steep grades. As Wanderer suggests, you should ask the bike store what size tires the stock rims can accommodate.

I know this is an old thread, but I'm curious what you decided. I just ordered the men's version of the same bike but won't be able to pick it up for a few more weeks (so I haven't seen it in person yet). My anticipated riding sounds very similar to the type you do, and I am also a little hesitant to stick with the 28s. I definitely preferred 32s on the bikes I was able to test ride locally. I can't find much information about this bike online, so I'm hoping you can also tell me what the maximum width tire this bike/rim will accept. I wouldn't go any wider than 35, and probably would stick with 32. But I'm still curious to know what my options will be. And one more thing, if you stuck with the stock tires, what did you think of them (rolling resistance, durability, etc)? Thanks.

My wife and I like to do short, one week, Inn to Inn tours. We lite tour with our Raleigh Hybrids. Sometimes that takes us on parts of Rail-Trail routes both paved and cinder or small crushed stone paths. One tire that we found that works for us is the Nashbar Streetwise 700/35 Kevlar tire. This past year was the first year riding on them and have been very happy with them for the price. We have found they roll easy on pavement and have gained about 2mph on asphalt and being a 35 work well on the trails also (I will decrease some of the air pressure if needed).
Worth a look...
http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...24_-1___200546
Good luck!