What size tires?
 

I recently purchased a 2003 Leland Buenos Aries. It has Bontrager Select wheels, the stock ones I think. It has 700c-23 tires. I’m focusing on fitness and making miles rather than racing and I plan to sign up for a couple of upcoming group fun metric half century rides. How large a tire can run and how large a tire should I run? The frame is 61cm and I’m 6’3”, 225lbs.

Thanks.

Road bikes of that vintage tended to have pretty tight clearances. My bet is that 25mm might be your max. How much clearance do you have with 23s?

There seems to be some clearance and I have 25s on another bike that look like they would easily fit. In addition to frame clearance I’m concerned with how wide a tire can the narrow rims handle. I think I’ll mount those 25s and see how things look.

Oh, then just swap those other wheels in and see if they fit. And a rim that can take a 23 can take a 25.

Even most older road bikes I've seen or ridden have jussst barely enough room for 700x25. Try 'em, you'll like 'em. Eventually you'll probably hanker for a more endurance oriented bike that's designed for 700x28 tires. I still have chronic back, neck and shoulder pain from being hit by cars twice, so my next road bike will definitely be more endurance oriented, not a classic road bike.

For me (stringbean, 5'11", 150 lbs), there's a significant improvement in comfort riding 700x25, without any downside on my real world favorite routes. I usually run 'em around 85-90 psi rear, 70-75 front. Huge difference in comfort after 50+ miles on mostly rough rural chipseal.

My '89 Ironman can easily handle 700x25, which I'm using now (Continental Ultra Sport II, because they're good and I'm a cheapskate). It might even handle some 700x28 but I haven't tried yet. That's my road bike equivalent to a comfort bike, with a springy fork and flexy bottom bracket.

My early 1990s Trek 5900 could handle 700x25 but it'd be a tight squeeze. And I can see from tire rub inside the chainstays that a previous owner tried 700x28 on 'em but stopped after realizing it was a no-go. I run 700x23 Conti Ultra Sport II on them, although I've also used other pricier tires. I usually run 700x23 around 100-110 psi rear, 85 or so front. But I mostly stick to 20-30 mile routes that I know have smoother asphalt. That bike can be tiresome on longer rides with lots of chipseal. But it's hella fun on roller coaster routes with smooth pavement and punchy short, steep climbs.

I was a roadie back in the 70s with long rides and several double centuries. I rode a Nishiki frame. It’s forty years later and forty pounds heavier trying to get back in wherever I fit. My fitness level requires low gears where I live and the Lemond has a triple. I’m using a high rise stem now with thoughts to lower the bars in the future. I have one of those hybrid/comfort Specialized Sequoia bikes with an aluminum frame and carbon seatstays and fork but I’m drawn to the more classic road bike frame.

Im only a couple hundred miles into my return still trying to ride a new Brooks B-17 into shape. The hills are mean to me.

It depends upon the clearance that you have to allow upsizing to X size tire on your bike. Your size options are 25mm, 28mm, and 32mm. The largest of those three that will fit is best IMO.

My 2005 Lemond Tourmalet came with 28s and the same wheel.It fit but the gunk from the road would gather and get stuck as there was to little clearance for it to roll out.So every few minutes I would have to stop and remove the gunk from the wheel.I switched to 23's but am going to try 25's