I agree... I must be a fool for not noticing that much difference between a 35 mm studded winter tire and a 28 mm Gatorskin. Of course other than more comfort and noise on the studded. I have been tracking average speed for a long time and don't really find much of a difference in anything. Flatbar vs drops or wide vs skinny... I did just change from a 28 mm Gatorskin to a 28 mm Continental Touring Plus and the Conti is far harsher (hardcase though). But really, when it comes to speed, my legs make all the difference in the world. I say go with what is most practical. I really like Hardcase tires (Race Lite) as I have never had a flat on them. My Gatorskins however do tend to flat more and they seem to rip too. I just lost a tire that likely had less than 2000 km on it due to a rip in the tire that went through the kevlar or whatever it is.