I'm accustomed to running fatter tires. 26x1.25, 27x1 1/18, and 700x28. I like to ride hard. On group rides I watch people riding around on 23s I always see them swerving around little bits of gravel, and road irregualrities that don't even cause me to think twice. They're pointing out **** on the ground like it's gonna make me crash or something. Just looks like road to me.

Since I would like the low rolling resistance that comes with thinner tires, but don't want to have to baby my wheels I'm thinking of going down to 700x25 on my new fix which will be running open pros 3x with double buted 14/15 spokes. I weigh 190. I wouldn't even be thinking twice about using 25s, except that it seems I have a LOT more tire choice in 23s. I'm aware most roadies run 23s, and heavy tourer types like 28s. It seems to me most people here run 23s.

I'm thinking 23s are going to be more flat prone, as well as handling worse on rough pavement, and out of the question on dirt and gravel roads. Am I mistaken? what size tires do you ride, and how do you feel about gravel shoulders, and bumpy hardpack dirt roads?