Tire size and cornering

namg_engr

Hello,

I was wondering if any of you have opinions on how tire size affects cornering ability. Many tubular tires seem to be the 700x25C size rather than 23C size. Yet I see the majority of clinchers are 23C and very few 25C. My training generally is on 700x25C clinchers and I really notice a difference in cornering stability when switching over to 23C clinchers. From a technical standpoint, it seems to make sense 25C tires have more surface area (given the same PSI) compared to 23C which makes them seem more stable in the corners. I train on 25C clinchers because I think they are more durable and last longer than 23C. In addition, 25C tires make me feel more stable when cornering. Also, training on "heavy" 25C tires makes my light race wheels appear easier to spin - a psychological effect on race day.

A couple of questions:
1. Should I be able to corner on 23C tires just as well as on 25C tires (all other conditions being equal?
2. For competetive events, I plan to race on 23C clinchers. Does it make sense to train on 23C tires so I won't notice a stability difference on race day?

Thanks.