20mm vs. 23mm tires
- Thread starter Road Buzz
- Start date
I just asked the same question at my local store. I was told that for the roads around my area, which tend to be rough pavement, the 20 mm would give a harsher ride. He recommended 20 mm or 19 mm for the reduced weight if I planned to do a lot of hill-climbing. Otherwise, he thought 23 mm would be more comfortable, as they can be inflated to lower pressure. However, he did say that after my 23 mm's wore out, it might be good to try 20 mm for a while to see how I like them, so I am thinking about trying 20 mm in the future.
nbfman
nbfman
Unless you're riding on really smooth pavement, the rolling resistance for a 20mm tire is going to end up being higher than for a 23. The smaller drag area can make up for it, but you really have to be flying. My personal experience has been that since 20mm tires have to be inflated to higher pressures, they bounce a bit more. This can make the bike feel really slippery going through corners. They also seem to puncture more easily since they don't conform to debris as well. If you're just doing recreational riding, you might even be better off going up to 25mm.
I was a 20mm devotee for at least 10 YEARS, and 'good' 23s are far better: they roll better, they absorb bumps much better (which makes you faster 
), they corner HEAPS better, and the comfort can't be compared, especially on the front. 20s would only be better on the smoothest of smooth roads.
Several times over the years, I mistakingly judged all 23s after trying cheap ones, so, that gave me a bad impression of them: they just felt slow and squishy. Then I tried some good ones (high-end Michelins, Vittorias and Vredestein), and it made a big difference. I now use Vredestein TriComps, which are a little more affordable than the other good brands, and they're rated to 145psi, which is handy if you're on the heavy side.
here's an older thread on this topic:
http://www.cyclingforums.com/t230098-.html
), they corner HEAPS better, and the comfort can't be compared, especially on the front. 20s would only be better on the smoothest of smooth roads.Several times over the years, I mistakingly judged all 23s after trying cheap ones, so, that gave me a bad impression of them: they just felt slow and squishy. Then I tried some good ones (high-end Michelins, Vittorias and Vredestein), and it made a big difference. I now use Vredestein TriComps, which are a little more affordable than the other good brands, and they're rated to 145psi, which is handy if you're on the heavy side.
here's an older thread on this topic:
http://www.cyclingforums.com/t230098-.html
for general and leisure riding I think 23s will suit better.
Its occassionally nice to go for a nice tyre in 20mm section for a special ride but you will, genrally, find the ride less forgiving. The profile is typically lower on a narrower tyre too and that makes shock absorption less.
There are some intermediates that you might want to consider too
Veloflex Black for instance are 22mm
Tufo C S3 Lite for instance are 21mm
Both are fine tyres
Its occassionally nice to go for a nice tyre in 20mm section for a special ride but you will, genrally, find the ride less forgiving. The profile is typically lower on a narrower tyre too and that makes shock absorption less.
There are some intermediates that you might want to consider too
Veloflex Black for instance are 22mm
Tufo C S3 Lite for instance are 21mm
Both are fine tyres
unless you are racing and need to save a couple grams form your wheels ride a 23. A good 23 will ride smoother, absorb more impact and road imperfections and handle better.
The also increase the risk of your rims getting gouged from hitting rocks off center.Road Buzz said:
20mm tyres are only of any use at all on the track or for time trials on a very smooth course. You need at least 23mm or 25mm. There are a lot of threads on this subject already posted . Do a search Regards Jay.
