Tire Size Recommendations
 

Hi all,

I posted this on the hybrid forum, but they must not have the depth of knowledge or expertise that this group does. :thumb: Question is, what size tire should I run on my stock 7.5 FX for road riding? I'm looking to cover up to 30 miles on very decent roads. Wondering if my 700x32s are slowing me down that much or if I am just wasting time/money if I downsize. Would a 700x28 make that much of a difference? There are a few sizable hills and I understand a fatter tire will slow you down while climbing. Thanks for any and all input in advance!

Adam

Go for 700x23's if you want to go fast. If you are riding a hybrid 700x25's or 28's should suit you fine.

Depends on the quality and type of your 32s.

If 32s are good tires designed for road use, it won't make much of a difference. As long as you're going from and to slicks (or close to slicks). If the 32s are knobby or all-purpose "all terrain" tires, heck yeah it'll make a difference if you go to road-specific slicks.

And unless you're consistenly getting up well over 20 mph AND need the miniscule aero advantage narrower tires have at those speeds, narrower isn't going to make you faster.

Don't pay one bit of attention to what pros ride - they're going a HELLUVA lot faster, every second DOES count for them, they weigh 150 lbs, they ride tubulars, and they ride what their sponsor gives them for free.

Selecting a width also depends on the load (mostly your weight) and how rough the roads you are riding on.

If the road is rough, you could be faster for longer with a wider tire.

It's possible that 23 mm tires are marginally too narrow for your rims.

The manufacturer of the rims I have (Mavic A319) recommends widths from 28 to 47 mm.

The tires I have now are just the Bontrager slicks that came stock. I'm not subjecting the bike to any extraordinary loads... just me at ~170 lbs.

I think your stock tire is this tire in 700x32.

That is a fairly fast tire to begin with. You will need a fast 23-25mm tire to notice improvement. A light tire and light tube will help. (Don't blame me for flats, though. :D)

My Trek 7.3 hybrid commuter came with Race Lite Hardcase tires (http://bontrager.com/model/00443) in 700x32. (Smooth, no tread). I'm probably almost as fast on it as I am on my road bike, but that 32mm volume sure soaks up the urban jolts better.