I'm accustomed to running fatter tires. 26x1.25, 27x1 1/18, and 700x28. I like to ride hard. On group rides I watch people riding around on 23s I always see them swerving around little bits of gravel, and road irregualrities that don't even cause me to think twice. They're pointing out **** on the ground like it's gonna make me crash or something. Just looks like road to me.

Since I would like the low rolling resistance that comes with thinner tires, but don't want to have to baby my wheels I'm thinking of going down to 700x25 on my new fix which will be running open pros 3x with double buted 14/15 spokes. I weigh 190. I wouldn't even be thinking twice about using 25s, except that it seems I have a LOT more tire choice in 23s. I'm aware most roadies run 23s, and heavy tourer types like 28s. It seems to me most people here run 23s.

I'm thinking 23s are going to be more flat prone, as well as handling worse on rough pavement, and out of the question on dirt and gravel roads. Am I mistaken? what size tires do you ride, and how do you feel about gravel shoulders, and bumpy hardpack dirt roads?

I've run Conti GP3000 23s over dirt, gravel, and really rough roads with only two flats in the life of the tire - 1 goathead and 1 pinch flat. That said, my primary 20 mile route to work invoves some really rough roads so I'm running them in 25s now. I like the extra volume and really don't notice the rolling resistance. I hear that the GP4000 roll even better.

23s all the way...on all types of roads/grass/packed dirt/snow

smooth rolling...faster...although they will probably make you ride more like the people in your group rides...
I actually find it kind of fun...finding the smoothest path possible on the road

I ride 25s and 23s...I've got a 25mm michelin carbon on the front and a 23mm rubino pro on the back, simply becuase the back michelin carbon wore out, and the front one didnt. When I went to the shop, there were no carbons in stock, but there were a few rubinos (an underrated tire, IMO) left, so I bought one.

honestly, I didnt see much difference in the 23 vs. 25. Perhaps the ride is a bit harsher, but not by a whole lot. I ride on hardpack dirt/gravel a fair amount, and I think that the big difference is not in size, its in construction. a 28mm version of a michelin pro light is gonna flat easier than a 23 mm michelin carbon.

I find it kinda fun riding up and down curbs, and over stuff that makes most roadies swerve madly out of the way. But then I might not be able to do curbs even with 25s.

My most lasting impresion (so far) of 23s: I went for a ride with my boss(geared). I remember pedaling down the hills at the same speed he coasted. On the way back I remember marveling at the tiny size of the tube as he changed a flat.

I weigh 190 and I run 23's and 25's. I really don't see much difference.
21's look way too skinny IMO, but 23's work fine.

I've noticed the same thing.
Personally, i think the best is to put on a light, large tire, rather than touring or skinny tire.
The kevlar belted panaracer pasela or t-serv are great this way- very light for the size, and can take high pressure.

It's entirely possible that larger tires have a lower overall rolling resistance when you're riding on bad roads.

I like the 25 in front 23 in back thing, too, though i'm not doing it anymore. On my last bike I liked to get something really tough and grippy in the front, and then a tough slick in back. The vittoria randoneur (some people complain about the ride on these, but I thought they were fine) + rubino (I agree, these are good tires for the price) was a good combo. That way I got the best of both.

Now I run 23s both front and back (vredstein fortezza) but I'm also skinny + light so that makes a difference in tire size choice.

I try to be cautious about sand and gravel because I've slid out and had two accidents because of it. I'd say the thonly bad thing about 23's is feeling every hole and road irregularity, but you can ride over most of it.

I've ridden dirt roads and a couple of trails on 700x23. Not the best traction, but possible, and much faster than my mountain bike.

Get some Vittoria Rubino wire beads. They come in 25, are about 20 bucks, last very well, and come in all kinds of fancy colors.

You don't skid throught those tires really fast? I had a set that came on an a bike i purchased. I went through that tire like butter.

Can I put 25's on my 22mm wide rims? What is the general rule of thumb for how much bigger/smaller you can go with the tires than the rims? Also, tire widths are measured where? at the bead? inflated width ?

I had the same experience. On top of that they kept flatting.
Not sure if it had to do with the fact that mine were some $15 Nashbar closeouts.

benny - havent had them long enough to know yet. just swapped out some crummy contis for em.

rikard - https://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html scroll down to the green and red chart.

Sweet! thanks!

I ride a 28mm michelin in front and a 32mm continental city tire in the rear and really like the combination. I ride a dirt trail regularly and some thick loose gravel. I especially love the dampening effects on the road, though. Any larger, though, and I think I'd experience the law of diminishing returns.

I was actually thinking of getting the Vittoria Zafiros in 25c. Performance has them for $15. Where can you get the Rubinos in 25c for $20?

I love my Fortezzas but when I ran them front and back, the rear didn't last at all. They flatted very often -- too often for my liking. These days I run a 23 Fortezza up front and a 25 Gatorskin in the rear. I can live with the mix n' match and it gives me the ride I like -- high pressure up front with a cushier lower pressure in the rear.

46x17, I'll ditto what mattface said - where you can get Rubino's for $20? I'm guessing you're referring to your LBS. They seem to be lacking in Vittoria's in Chicago at least - I only ever come across Zaffiros.

Yes the LBS sells them for about $23 minus my bike coalition discount adds up to about 20 bux. Nashbar sells the 23s right not for 19.

$21 here: https://www.bicycletires.com/tek9.asp...cific=jogqkpf0

Switch that around. THe thicker tire should be on the back. The front tire last longer then the back.

that's a fat tire?

On my road bike I've used the Zaffiro Pro (23c) and Maxxis Re-Fuse (25c) over the past year or so. The Zaffiro's squared off faster than I would've liked. The Maxxis tires, however, were quite good and are currently installed on my fixed. At my LBS, both cost about the same (roughly $25 apiece).

I said "fattER" as in fatter than 23c.

By my eyeball, it's closer to 32c. I also run 2inchers, but that's not what this thread is about.

dont listen to benny. Wider tires give better cornering traction and shock absorbancy, so it makes more sense to have it in the front. Narrower in the back for speed and less rolling resistance (since thats where your power goes and your weight is)