Other than size...what's the actual difference between the two?

I searched the forums and all i got was that people said they felt faster on the 23 than on the 25...

It's the width of the tire measured in millimeters.
25's with absorb more road vibrations, as there is more room for airs.

And 2mm is hardly anything at all, if anyone felt "faster", it was probably placebo effect.
**** I can hardly notice the difference going to 28's, but damn the ride is much more comfortable.


If you really wanna go fast get some 20mm lolz

Thats it....the size difference is the only difference. A larger tire obviously produces a different ride quality, but a difference of 2mm is very minor.

i do notice a difference. i just changed from a 25 to 23 and the weight difference and rolling resistance is tiny but i can feel it. for the most part, its not really worth weighing the differences since it really is so a small.

They probably overinflate their 23s and then feel faster because the tires are bouncing off the ground so often.

in general, 23s are narrower, yielding a slightly narrower contact patch. As said, they're "smaller" so there's less air to absorb bumps, creating a stiffer (hence faster) ride.

it's also worth mentioning that the 23 and 25 measures are somewhat arbitrary, and there can be a good bit of variance in the actual inflated width.

I've seen a few "23s" that are almost imperceptibly different from "25s"

i've been thinking of putting 28s on my iro now that it has gone from only bike to commuter only. Do 25s absorb vibrations noticeably better than 23s or should i just make the jump to 28s?

I've ridden a ton of tires.
I find 28's to be the perfect mix of rolling resistance and shock absorption, at least in NYC.
We have some pretty bad roads and Cobble stones.
In Colorado I road 25's comfortably.

If you have fairly smooth roads I'd say 25's.
If you have flawless roads or don't mind riding on rocks go with 23's or less.

If you want to ride on a cushion of air or live in a warzone, go with 32+, it is so awesome. You can ride over anything.

I ride a 23 in the front and a 25 in the back.
(Waiting for my back tire to finally become bald before replacing it)

I like the look and feel of 23s, it feels more like a zippy sports car... or bike!

I'm with the 28c cushion crowd, I'm running two "full-bodied" 28c tires and they're a big improvement in ride quality over the 23c and 26c's which were nearly painful to ride on my GTB on bumpy roads.

Here: https://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_in...ing_resistance

I use 28s on the Madison and 25s on the Kilo TT

I've ridden 23mm tires for the past five years, but have decided to go with 25mm tires on my new bike.

First of all, I've noticed that not all manufacturers use the same measuring standards.

For example, my 23mm Schwalbe Ultremo's look as large or larger than Continental's 25mm offerings.

So, the 23mm tires from one manufacturer and the 25mm tires of another manufacturer might overlap or coincide in size, or even seem marked in reverse, with the larger tire marked smaller and the smaller tire marked larger.

I have in the past ridden 23mm tires because of their low weight.

I find that low rotating inertia makes for easier acceleration and braking (I don't skid).

The newest offerings in 25mm come so close to the weight of 23mm tires in the past, that I see no penalty in riding a 25mm tire.

As for advantages in riding a 25mm tire, I think the slightly lower tire pressure will mean a slightly lower percentage of flats.

Given my very heavy body weight (220lb - 235lb), I think the 25mm tires will treat my bike frame a little more kindly, since my bike frame has to absorb both my weight and the road vibrations.

And, finally, I've read several papers now that suggest that on the street, meaning, not on a smooth track but on an irregular surface, the 25mm tires with their slightly lower pressure actually have a lower rolling resistance when one takes surface irregularities into account.

Yeah, the roads in my town are about as far away from smooth as possible. The whole downtown area(which is relatively small but where i work/go to school) is all brick roads, many of which are in disrepair. I've been riding on 23s here for a long time and i think its time i actually got my head out of my ass and got some beefier tire.s

oh yeah! 120psi 23s and I weigh 130. Its awesome.

I love 20s and have them on most of my bikes. They cut through the snow very well and are fast all year round. The best part is that very few people like them so they are always in-stock and often on sale!

I ride a local trail on 25s. Originally, I had 23s and noticed the ride was a bit bumpier/I could feel things in the road. Not sure if this is a concern for you...

OK, seriously, tire size depends a lot on rider weight. I weigh under 140 lbs, so I can run my 22c tubulars at just over 100 psi to get a nice smooth ride without a lot of rolling resistance or the risk of flats. Someone who weighs over 200 lbs definitely needs a wider section tire, at least a 25c and maybe even a 28c in back. Clinchers have the added problem of pinch flats, even when inflated to high pressures if a heavy rider runs narrow tires. I used to run 20c clinchers on the front of my road bike, and was constantly getting pinch flats.

I prefer 25s over 23s over streets, even though I'm currently using 23s because the tires I'm using only come in that size.

always ride big in the back and small in the front. gives your bike a hot rod effect. haha.

that is just my opinion. I skip a lot on my rear.

Ride quality has a great deal to do with the quality of the tires and who makes them... I have been really surprised with the 700:23 Conti Ultrasport Kevlar as even at higher psi it rides better than the 700:25 Ultrasport.

The 630:20 Avocets on my race bike run 125 psi, are stupidly fast... and have an incredibly nice ride.

the quality of the tire makes so much more difference than the width it's not even worth thinking about. find a tire that fits that you like that also fits your budget, and if you want speed get a 23 and if you want comfort go as wide as you can in the tire that fits your needs.

Yes and NO!

Did you read that link I posted? Narrower who add like a very, very small amount of speed due to aerodynamics as well. Tire compound will add/hinder speed/RR as well.

I have some Schwalbe Super Moto 26 x 2.35 that are fast as hell for big tires. They roll as well as some 700x23c tires! Thats with 80/85psi

Pretty much.

I ride 25's in a place where the roads are absolutely terrible. But 25's are where I'm most happy in terms of rolling resistance. Just have to avoid pot holes.

23's, the only way to go

I like my Michelin 700 x 18C slicks: