I have the opportunity to obtain new tires for my All-City Mr. Pink I can choose from sizes 700x23, 700x25, 700x28. I don't commute on this bike, it is only used on rides like the Tuesday Team Decaf, PMT rides and weekend centuries. Should I avoid the 700x23? I really don't understand the difference in the sizes. Is there an advantage/disadvantage of one size over the other.
marvelousm3
2013-06-01 08:52:50
In theory, a thinner tire will have less rolling resistance while a wider tire will provide more shock absorption. But these three sizes are so close to each other that I doubt that the average rider could tell the difference. I normally run 25’s on my bike because I don’t have the clearance to run 28’s - but I have had 23’s on it the past and I couldn’t detect any reduction in rolling resistance or speed. What I do notice are tires that have different rubber compounds (hard/soft) & heaver or lighter tires.
I think one advantage to using the 28’s is that you could run them at a lower PSI if you want a cushy ride, or just pump them up a little to get a little more speed.
marko82
2013-06-01 09:20:08
25s are nice. I run those on my road bikes.
stefb
2013-06-01 09:38:13
I like 28's a lot, mostly because of what Marko said. But then again I am a slow fatass.
edmonds59
2013-06-01 10:39:44
As always, Sheldon has the answer.
http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html
The second number (23,25,28) basically refers to the volume of the tire (how big it is). I'd go with at least the 25. A bit more comfort and pinch flat resistance. The 28 would be nice around here too (crappy roads) but you might find it a tad slower rolling (eg require more energy for a certain speed) than you prefer. (There are a lot of other variables that go into that as well but size is one)
Skip the 23. Get the 25, at least.
mayhew
2013-06-01 11:37:37
+1 on the 25s, that's what I run on my road bike. My second road bike is learning to be a commuter, and I run 28s. I've never found any significant difference in running 23s.
ajbooth
2013-06-01 11:38:03
Another vote for 25s... unless you are riding on freshly paved roads, I fail to see a benefit in anything thinner.
28s go on my commuter/tourer (although I'd run 35s if I was actually doing a loaded tour with 50+ lbs of gear). You need 28s for rides on crushed limestone imho... so if you want to take the Mr. Pink on the GAP then they might be useful. Otherwise, 25s.
headloss
2013-06-01 12:52:37
Forgot to mention that a good quality, well constructed 28 tire is going to be faster, ride better, and be more comfortable, better all around than a mediocre 25 or even 23. Differences in quality are much more perceptible than size.
edmonds59
2013-06-01 13:13:06
So you're saying that size doesn't matter then...
stefb
2013-06-01 14:40:28
Get the 28s. I went from 23s to 28s and do not regret it one bit. Also if you want a really smooth ride, the mr pink will happily take 32s
cburch
2013-06-01 14:48:01
