nayr497

I currently ride a 20 mm tire on the front and a 21 mm on the rear of my road bike.

I ride 23 mm on another of my bikes.

What are the pros/cons of sticking to 20/21 or switching to 23s? The tires I'm after seem to be easier to find on the internet at a good price in 23s. I'm either going to go with Micehlin ProRace 2s or the Vittoria Rubino Pro. I ride both on some other bikes and have no complaints with either.

I have Mavic CXP 33s and remember when I put the current tires on (Specialized Open Pros) it was a total nightmare seating them on the rim.

Will going to slow me down? I am pretty sure some argue for 20s and some argue the rolling resistance et cetera with 2 mms is negligible.

With 23s be easier to mount on that rim? Anyone use 20s and then use 23s on those rims?

nayr497

A follow up question...are folding or wire bead tires better for CXP 33 rims?

Or, does it not really matter?

Dubbayoo

I believe 23 has lower rolling resistance. nothing but 23 for me cuz i'm heavy anyway.

urbanknight

Unless you're <120 lb, I would go to 23s. Folding beads are generally lighter and easier to store the tire, nothing more imo.

clausen

Easier getting your wheel off with 20mm. Either size I'd go with folding beads just for the weight savings.

Phantoj

20mm is more aero and probably lighter. It will require a higher pressure to deter pinch flats. Higher pressure = harsher ride.

Also, thinner tires are less good on sketchy surfaces.

531Aussie

eh, don't use 20s; they're horrible. I rode 20s for years, and I now feel as though I wasted all that time.

Pretty much the only time pros use very narrow tyres is for time-trials, and only for a tiny aero advantage. Other than that, 23s roll better at lower pressures over anything but the glassiest of roads, they corner 10 times better (!!), and they're more comfortable. 20s have to be at higher pressures to get the same rolling resistance (Google "contact patch"), which means they corner even worse.

Nine times out of ten, bigger tyres are easier to mount

Foldable tyres are a bit lighter because they have a kevlar
bead instead of wire, so you're more likely to find high-end tyres
in a foldable. Both are fine on CXP33s

BikeWise1

You are partially correct. They certainly weight a tiny bit less, but for them to be more aero, you need to run a really narrow rim. Optimal tire/rim aerodynamics occur when the tire width is approximately 2mm wider than the rim. That means, in most cases a 23mm tire is going be optimal.