I prefer a 32mm tire, but, on most "modern" road bikes, a 28mm tire leaves very little clearance. Some very good tires are made in the 28mm size. I was looking at some tires on the Continental website, and I was surprised to see that in some models, the 28mm version only weighed 40 grams more than the 23mm version. So, the rider is getting an air cushion that is about 50% larger, a much wider contact patch, better cornering and better braking for just 40 grams...a few sips of water worth of weight.


For the past several years, a number of pro riders at the Paris-Roubaix bike race have refused to ride their sponsors "official" bike, because the official bike did not have enough clearance for 28mm tires. So, the sponsor had to provide a different bike, or modify the "official" bike for 28mm tires.

Why did the riders make such a fuss? Before you can win a race, first you have to finish the race. A 28mm tire is less likely to get flats (due to the weight being spread over a larger contact patch) absorbs road shock better, and will be more stable on wet and broken pavement.

There is no good reason for any road cyclist who is NOT in the middle of a race to ride on 23mm tires. The fact that a 140 pound pro (with spare tires and wheels on a car right behind him) might use a 23mm tire for racing does NOT make a 23mm tire a good choice for a 190 pound rider commuting to work, or riding for fitness, on the broken and trashed mess that passes for streets in most American cities.