What is the maximum tire width?

[weisan]

This question has been asked with higher frequency these days whenever a bike or frame purchase is being considered.

Comments?

[Ken Robb]

It seems that a lot of riders are realizing that, as Grant Petersen has been saying for years, that there is almost no good reason for most of us to have bikes that limit us to skinny "race" tires and many good reasons for us to have bikes that accept fatter ones as well when they are better suited to an intended ride. I have several bikes that I have run 700x23 to 700x37 tires on and one that takes 700x54 tires. They work fine with skinny tires but I ride on 700x28 and up more often.

[oliver1850]

Maybe a reflection of the aging population. When I was 30 I was focused on road racing even though I didn't actually do that much of it. I figured 25s were the widest I'd want to run. Now I'm more interested in gravel riding and doing errands (carrying stuff) with the bike so wider tires have become normal. Even if I'm planning on riding pavement, 28s are a nice compromise for unexpected gravel. Mark and I did a ride north of STL last year that was supposed to be all paved, but we encountered several sections of really coarse rock on temporary repairs to spring flood damage. With 28s I was much more confident of getting over the rock sections without flatting than I would have been on 23s. Still lots of road frames out there that will only fit 23s or 25s, so the max size has become something I ask about.

[dave thompson]

Plus the popularity of the 'wide' 23/25mm wheel sets. At my tender young age I don't run any tire that measures less than 25mm.

[gavingould]

i'll be on 30mm Strada Bianca clinchers and 27mm Parigi Roubaix tubulars after most of the snow/slush is gone. rode 27mm Vittoria Pavé all last year on the road/gravel. i like tires that i can run for whatever and not have to swap too often.

[etu]

for off road stuff i think you can go wide >38,
for the paved road, 28-32mm seems to work the best for me.
tried 38 and 42 on the road, and they felt sluggish and slow, especially climbing out of the saddle.

[firerescuefin]

People are learning that bikes with more clearance give them more options...both on and off road. Many pro teams are running 25's for most of the season (not just the classics). The TDU winner this week is on 25s.

My Parlee will be the last bike I own that limits me to narrow tires. Just no reason for it.

[p nut]

Next road bike, I'd want clearance for 32 + fenders. I believe the Gunnar Sport accomplishes this.

[abalone]

Originally Posted by dave thompson

Plus the popularity of the 'wide' 23/25mm wheel sets. At my tender young age I don't run any tire that measures less than 25mm.

25s are the new 23s, or at least they will be very soon. Alot of tech editors think that the 25mm tire is going to supplant the 23mm tire as the most common standard racing tire, whether clincher or tubular.

Back in the 1990s, a 20mm tire was the most prevalent race tire. Then, 23s became the most prevalent tire. As tire casings have gone from thicker and heavier nylon to lighter and more supple casings, including high end casings using cotton, the trend for the rider has been to a slightly larger and more supple tire. All in the name of comfort.

At this year's Tour de France, there wasn't a single team on a 23mm tire, and these guys are already riding more comfortable tubulars instead of clinchers. Most teams were running either a 24 or 25mm tire. Even at Paris-Roubaix, and other Spring Classics on the cobbles, teams are even going to adapted Gravel and CX bikes to get wider tires. For the cobblestones, the top podium guys are on 30mm tires, where the elite used to ride 28mm for those events.

[mhespenheide]

I can't comment on racers. But having moved to Seattle, where the pavement is generally poor, and having come from Utah with miles and miles of dirt roads, wide tires are awesome.

I'm in a slow build-up of a CAAD10 that I'm hoping to get to 29-30mm tires. Then sometimes I think back to the great LeMond Poprad that I also have and -- aside from its weight -- wonder why I'm not riding that one instead. I toy with the idea of having a custom Ti frame build to echo the Poprad.

[robin3mj]

I live in a city with notoriously crappy roads, but for a 2-6 hour paved road ride, I cannot think of any time when I would want anything larger than a 28mm tire, though more likely 25mm. Dirt roads and gravel are nicely served by a CX bike.

If your bike needs to do everything, then I understand the need for massive clearance, but if you have the wherewithal for a true 'road' bike, you'd probably be happily served by something with tighter geometry.

I tried to upgrade from an IF Crown Jewel (steel) to a (titanium) Club Racer last year with similar contact-point geometry, and was less than pleased by the resultant changes in handling. Fortunately I was able to undo my efforts.

[KidWok]

I remember telling an in-law back in 2007 that he should consider getting 25's. He's closer to 300lbs and rolling on a Caad4. He wasn't willing to believe that he would enjoy cycling more if he switched. By then, I wasn't riding anything smaller than 25's. He finally came around a few years later and told me how the bigger tires helped him enjoy cycling again.

Seattle roads...no joke...gawd awful. I love how you get out of town a few miles or get across the sound and the roads feel way better. For long rides away from the city with faster folks, I'll ride 25's. Most of the riding I do these days is in the city and I'm on 32's @50-60 psi...I'm 200 lbs. I just built up a bike with Schwalbe Ultremo 28's on Archetype rims...so smooth. These days, I don't bother owning anything that can't squeeze in a 28.

Originally Posted by robin3mj

I tried to upgrade from an IF Crown Jewel (steel) to a (titanium) Club Racer last year with similar contact-point geometry, and was less than pleased by the resultant changes in handling. Fortunately I was able to undo my efforts.

Similar contact points would not have much to do with handling characteristics. I had a Co-Motion Nor'Wester that surprised me with its tight handling even with 32mm tires. Larger tires also add pneumatic trail. Some companies build their "enduro" road bikes to handle slower. You could probably get something custom built to take bigger tires and have tighter geometry.

Tai

[marciero]

Originally Posted by robin3mj

I tried to upgrade from an IF Crown Jewel (steel) to a (titanium) Club Racer last year with similar contact-point geometry, and was less than pleased by the resultant changes in handling. Fortunately I was able to undo my efforts.

These are all custom with regard to geometry, am pretty sure. If the bikes were the same in this respect I would think handling would be indistinguishable. Were you comparing the two bikes with the same tires?
Could it be that you a) prefer slightly the quicker handling of narrower tires or
b) prefer the ride quality (rather than the handling) of the steel tubing ?

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by robin3mj

I live in a city with notoriously crappy roads, but for a 2-6 hour paved road ride, I cannot think of any time when I would want anything larger than a 28mm tire, though more likely 25mm. Dirt roads and gravel are nicely served by a CX bike.

If your bike needs to do everything, then I understand the need for massive clearance, but if you have the wherewithal for a true 'road' bike, you'd probably be happily served by something with tighter geometry.

I tried to upgrade from an IF Crown Jewel (steel) to a (titanium) Club Racer last year with similar contact-point geometry, and was less than pleased by the resultant changes in handling. Fortunately I was able to undo my efforts.

Agree here. I think it's a choice of getting wider, wider, until you find one that 'feels' like crap where you ride. Then go back down a size.

I use 25c on my do everything Moots Vamoots, but I think if I could use 28, I 'may' try them but I have had 28s on this bike when it was a fixie, with a cross fork(no rear brake, cantis up front), rode them once and went back to 25s. 'May' have been the tire(Conti somethings) but I felt that they were 'sluggish'. I don't think bigger tires are automatically better. BTW-I ride dirt roads all the time w/o any issue or problem. 25c Vittoria pave clinchers inflated to about 90 psi or so.

[bluesea]

Was a bit disappointed when my particular C-40 MK II didn't have the clearance for (Conti 4000s) 25c in its Star fork (<2.5mm). Its not a deal breaker though, and still look forward to getting it on the road later this week.

After that happens I'll trial fit Compass Stampede pass 32c on the Specialized Roubaix. Sold my late model Vamoots because I see riding in the future mostly on full sized 28c to 33c.