23mm vs 25mm... teach me oh wise ones
12-15-14, 12:04 PM
#51
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My wife switched from 23s to 25s earlier this year, and she offered an interesting observation, wonder if anyone else here has experienced this:
Irrespective of how they perform during normal day-to-day use (the jury's still out for her, though she's leaning towards the 25s as being more comfortable) she claims that when she gets a flat while riding the 23s are much more controllable. Since changing to the 25s she claims the bike is noticeably more unstable when a tire goes flat at speed.
Anyone else experience that...or have a suggestion why that might be the case?
(I'm no help, I've never used 25s.)
Irrespective of how they perform during normal day-to-day use (the jury's still out for her, though she's leaning towards the 25s as being more comfortable) she claims that when she gets a flat while riding the 23s are much more controllable. Since changing to the 25s she claims the bike is noticeably more unstable when a tire goes flat at speed.
Anyone else experience that...or have a suggestion why that might be the case?
(I'm no help, I've never used 25s.)
12-15-14, 01:26 PM
#52
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My wife switched from 23s to 25s earlier this year, and she offered an interesting observation, wonder if anyone else here has experienced this:
Irrespective of how they perform during normal day-to-day use (the jury's still out for her, though she's leaning towards the 25s as being more comfortable) she claims that when she gets a flat while riding the 23s are much more controllable. Since changing to the 25s she claims the bike is noticeably more unstable when a tire goes flat at speed.
Anyone else experience that...or have a suggestion why that might be the case?
(I'm no help, I've never used 25s.)
Irrespective of how they perform during normal day-to-day use (the jury's still out for her, though she's leaning towards the 25s as being more comfortable) she claims that when she gets a flat while riding the 23s are much more controllable. Since changing to the 25s she claims the bike is noticeably more unstable when a tire goes flat at speed.
Anyone else experience that...or have a suggestion why that might be the case?
(I'm no help, I've never used 25s.)
If you're a lighter rider <170lbs, 25mm tires really need more like a 23mm wide rim so that the contact point remains between the bead seats. Personally, I tried 25mm tires, and hated them, because lowering the pressure for comfort just resulted in unstable handling.
12-15-14, 06:55 PM
#53
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I've never noticed anything of the sort, and I've used (and flatted) road tires from 16mm to 42mm.
As far as wider, softer tires resulting in unstable handling, it's exactly the opposite. The bigger contact patch slows handling and results in increased stability. That's why the old French bikes designed for wide tires had relatively steep head angles (compared to racing bikes of the time) and extra fork rake - to add in a measure of instability to negate the effect of the wide, soft tires.
As far as wider, softer tires resulting in unstable handling, it's exactly the opposite. The bigger contact patch slows handling and results in increased stability. That's why the old French bikes designed for wide tires had relatively steep head angles (compared to racing bikes of the time) and extra fork rake - to add in a measure of instability to negate the effect of the wide, soft tires.
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