tire size and cornering



namg_engr

New Member
Jul 18, 2005
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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.
 
Given the same air pressure and casing stiffness, both sizes will have the same contact area. The reason the larger tires feel more stable to you is that they are better able to conform to small imperfections on the road.