Just a question on tire size. Looking to buy a new hybrid bike and I'm not sure what tire size to go with. Expecting to ride mostly on paved paths but don't want to have issues with curbs and potholes bending my rims. The two bikes I am looking at have 30mm and 35mm tires. Will there be much of a difference between the 2? I saw the 35mm at my LBS and it looked like a thin tire, so I could just imagine how thin the 30mm will be. Should I be concerned going with the 30mm? I don't want to go wider to be safe and be sorry it will be costing me speed. I am coming from a Raleigh comfort bike that has 27.5 x 1.95 tires, so I know anything will be an upgrade. Been riding 30 miles at a clip and looking to boost that with a new hybrid. And no, not looking for a road bike at this time

30mm or 35 should be fine. Might want to check out 28mm even. You can always go thinner or wider.

I ride mostly on paved rural roads and bike paths with crushed limestone or hard-packed dirt, and I have 28mm tires. The only time I've had a real problem was a few days ago when I tried going up a hill with rough gravel. I ended up getting off and walking the bike up, mainly out of concern for my tires. But that is by far the exception, and really it's avoidable -- I could've taken a different path. I'll probably eventually try a set of 32mm tires just to see the difference they make on semi-rough paths, but honestly the 28s are just fine. Like you, I was worried about that before I bought the bike, but it's turned out to be a non-issue for me.

As for your concern about costing you speed, the guy I ride with rides a cyclocross with 35mm bumpy tires, and he can run circles around me. That's not to say wider tires are faster -- just that when it comes to speed, strength and conditioning are much bigger factors than tires. So if curbs and potholes are a regular issue where you ride and you need the 35s for comfort, I don't think you'll have regrets simply due to speed.

Piggyback question of sorts: how do you know what size tires your bike can take? I saw a chart once but I am not sure if it is still up to date. I have 2 bikes (one hybrid, one cruiser), both 700x35 and I'd like to go thinner. I know both could do 32 but how would I know if 28 was too small? Is rider weight an issue when determining tire size?

I couldn't find that information listed anywhere for my bike, so I just emailed the manufacturer directly. They replied within a couple of days.

After reading your post I think you would be more comfortable with the 35
I went from a 38 to a 35 and the difference is easily seen.
My concern is not with curbs etc. but rather the little gap between the road pavement. I like a tire wide enough so it doesn't get caught
in the gap, (seam?) anyway the 35 is fine.

Or these things...

In a bike friendly world the grate bars would run perpendicular to the curb instead of parallel. Voila! No more of 'these things'

I ride mostly pavement and use 28s. I converted from 35s and the difference in ride quickness was pretty noticeable.

Here in Brazil, most of those grates get stolen, so you have to be extra careful...

If comparing two identical tires, one being a 35mm and the other 30mm, I'd go for the 35. It wont be any slower for your type of riding, as you'll be able to run them at slightly lower pressures and float over those cracks in the asphalt. It might actually be faster in the real world riding conditions.

I bet they were quite different tires. When I first got my bike, it came with 28 Kenda Kwest. After swapping them for 35s, then 38s and finally 40s, I never hit those top speeds again, but the tires were all very different in tread pattern and construction. The 35s were cheap, heavy and unflexible and made the bike very slow, while the 40s (Clement X'Plor MSO) I have now are fairly light and flexible and are only a little slower than those 28s but they're also a great offroad tire.

The 35s will ride much nicer...............