Originally Posted by
cny-bikeman
Weight penalty? Rider plus bike is about 250lbs, so even a 1/2 lb weight diff in tires would come to .2% (.002) and the net effect is even less. I guarantee you that the typically better rolling resistance of a wider tire and lessened bouncing on rough roads would far outstrip any weight "penalty."
Absolutely agree. That's why I recommended that the OP consider higher volume tires and more bombproof wheels. You may have noted that my wheels aren't light by modern road bike standards and my tire choice is 25mm only because on my current bike the 28s give darn little clearance. My previous bike was more generous and I rode 28s all the time. My all-rounder currently has equally overbuilt wheels and sports 40mm tires. Don't read too much into my use of the phrase "weight penalty" as it is a common expression when weight is added to a bike.