Tire Width Question

mark444 said:

I am a heavy rider, 225lbs, and looking to upgrade my tires. Right now I have 25c tires. For years I had 21c and 23c tires without issue but was in the 180lb range weightwise.

Should I stay with 25c tires, where the selection is more limited, or will going to 23c tires be ok as long as I have them at maximum pressure.

The riding in upstate NY can be bumpy.

For the time being, stay with the 700x25 tires ...

Heck, because of your road conditions, if your frame has the clearance to accept them, you may want to consider 700x28 tires.

mark444 said:

I am a heavy rider, 225lbs, and looking to upgrade my tires. Right now I have 25c tires. For years I had 21c and 23c tires without issue but was in the 180lb range weightwise.

Should I stay with 25c tires, where the selection is more limited, or will going to 23c tires be ok as long as I have them at maximum pressure.

The riding in upstate NY can be bumpy.

Thanks very much for your advice.

Mark
🙂

If I were you, I'd see if a 28 will fit in your frame. I'm a lot smaller than you, but rode 28s for years simply because they were a little more comfortable, and any speed difference (IF any) is insignificant for a recreational rider, maybe even a racer depending on level. There is a good arguement that larger, lower pressure tires might even roll better on rough-ish roads, so you'd be getting more comfort, better size for your weight and faster.

Right now, my current frame really can't accomodate a 28 so I'm running 25s.

23s would be ok -- it just comes down to a comfort issue