Is it worth upgrading from 700x25 tires to 700x23s?
09-11-06, 04:25 PM
#1
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Is it worth upgrading from 700x25 tires to 700x23s?
My road bike currently has 700 by 25 tires on it. I'm wondering whether it is worth getting 700 x 23 tires. Will there be any noticeable improvement in speed with this upgrade? Has anyone else made a similar change in their tires and noticed improved performance? Seems like it's a fairly cheap upgrade so it would probably be worth it if there was any noticeable effect at all, but I'm not sure there will be. Are there any downsides, such as increased vulnerability to flats?
09-11-06, 04:50 PM
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This thread's been done multiple times, and the general consensus is no. Out of every 20 people usually maybe 1 or 2 think that they notice a difference, and even then it's not much. So no, it's not that big of a deal. Stick with whatever you've got. I use both and they feel the same.
09-11-06, 05:01 PM
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I changed from 23s (Conti Force/Attack) to 28s (Specialized Flak) and, could not be happier. What an improvement in ride, cornering, grip and stability. There may be small compromise in rolling resistance at speed but, I am still out to lunch on this. I think it's there but....well, I am not sure. If it is there then it's indeed a small compromise. If your bike can't take 28s then try another 25 like the Michelin Pro Race 2 or other reportedly good riding tire.
09-11-06, 05:08 PM
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Performance difference depends on things like your body weight, road conditions, fitness level, and riding technique. Heavier people riding on rough roads might actually be slower with narrower tires.
09-11-06, 05:09 PM
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Yeah, I'm a big guy and was considering "upgrading" to 25's for a long RR on rough roads...
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09-11-06, 05:21 PM
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the larger the tyre the lower the presure it runs at.
alot of people complain about their wheels with broken spokes and cracked rims etc and i cant help thinking that if they used larger 28c tyres it would give better protection to the wheels.
if you just use your bike to tool around the suburbs or commuting then you dont need to run on 23c high pressure tyres.
alot of people complain about their wheels with broken spokes and cracked rims etc and i cant help thinking that if they used larger 28c tyres it would give better protection to the wheels.
if you just use your bike to tool around the suburbs or commuting then you dont need to run on 23c high pressure tyres.
09-11-06, 05:27 PM
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Keep in mind that two millimeters is approximately the width of two dimes. Not much difference. Quality of the tire will have a greater impact than such a slight difference between a 23 and 25.
09-11-06, 05:29 PM
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Originally Posted by blue_nose
Keep in mind that two millimeters is approximately the width of two dimes. Not much difference. Quality of the tire will have a greater impact than such a slight difference between a 23 and 25.
And tires wear out. Unless your current pair are total cr@p or you are racing and losing by inches why not wait until it is time to replace?
09-11-06, 05:30 PM
#11
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My advice is ride them until they die then "upgrade" to whatever you want.
09-11-06, 05:35 PM
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Depends on whether you want to use the same tire in 23mm as 25mm, then the answer is no. However, 23mm will give you a greater selection of performance tires.
09-11-06, 06:08 PM
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Wear out your tires, try some 25s, wear them out, try some 28s, rinse and repeat.
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09-11-06, 06:31 PM
#14
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I usually use 25-26mm tyres for training and 23mm for racing. The lower weight doesn't make that much of a difference and the higher-pressures required for 23mm tyres limits how far I can ride. The bumps come through harsher and I'm pretty worn out after 4-5 hours. With 25-26mm tyres at lower pressures, I can go 5-7 hours without too much problem.
Another thing is I can get about 4-5000 miles out of 25mm tyres while 23mm ones only last about 2000-3000 miles.
Another thing is I can get about 4-5000 miles out of 25mm tyres while 23mm ones only last about 2000-3000 miles.
09-11-06, 06:49 PM
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Right now I'm running 25's on my crosscheck. I'll soon upgrade to either 28's or 32's.
09-11-06, 08:23 PM
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Asking if you should "upgrade" to 23c tires from 25c tires is like asking if you should "upgrade" to yellow bar tape.
Each of these "upgrades" will give you about the same performance advantage.
Each of these "upgrades" will give you about the same performance advantage.
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09-11-06, 08:25 PM
#17
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Originally Posted by H1449-6
Asking if you should "upgrade" to 23c tires from 25c tires is like asking if you should "upgrade" to yellow bar tape.
Each of these "upgrades" will give you about the same performance advantage.
Each of these "upgrades" will give you about the same performance advantage.
haha...that actually made me LOL
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09-11-06, 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by H1449-6
Asking if you should "upgrade" to 23c tires from 25c tires is like asking if you should "upgrade" to yellow bar tape.
Each of these "upgrades" will give you about the same performance advantage.
Each of these "upgrades" will give you about the same performance advantage.
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09-12-06, 02:52 PM
#20
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Interesting - everyone seems in agreement that it's not worth it! I will definitely hold off on this then - I'll spend the money I would have spent on the tires on some new sunglasses instead!
09-12-06, 02:55 PM
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Originally Posted by roadCruiser76
Interesting - everyone seems in agreement that it's not worth it! I will definitely hold off on this then - I'll spend the money I would have spent on the tires on some new sunglasses instead!
09-12-06, 02:57 PM
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i've ridden on 25s and i hate them. they don't feel fast as all. maybe it was the tire but once i made the jump to 23s i've never gone back to 25s. 23s just feel damn faster. i think it's due to the fact that less of the wheel is touching the pavement.
09-12-06, 03:05 PM
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Usually the rear tire will wear out much faster than the front due to the weight differential. As an experiment, when one of your 25's wear out you could try running a new 23 on the front and an old 25 on the rear. But the performance improvement may be too small to measure.
Al
Al
09-12-06, 03:08 PM
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Unless you have your racing license, you ought to be considering an "upgrade" to 28mm tires. And, 28mm tires are even more helpful if you weigh more than 200 pounds. That tire provides about 50% more "cushion" against road shock than a 23mm tire, yet a high quality 28mm tires weighs only a few grams more than the average 23mm tire. Better shock absorption, more protecton against broken pavement, a wider contact patch, better cornering and better braking.
09-12-06, 03:11 PM
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Originally Posted by alanbikehouston
Unless you have your racing license, you ought to be considering an "upgrade" to 28mm tires. And, 28mm tires are even more helpful if you weigh more than 200 pounds. That tire provides about 50% more "cushion" against road shock than a 23mm tire, yet a high quality 28mm tires weighs only a few grams more than the average 23mm tire. Better shock absorption, more protecton against broken pavement, a wider contact patch, better cornering and better braking.
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