(Joe Samangitak) wrote in message . com...

www.sheldonbrown.com has an article on tire / rim sizes.
There are limits to how narrow or wide on can safely go on
a given rim. Also a pointer to the faq, since tire width
and tread have been discussed often (google groups lets you
read old articles posted here).



so I'd like to maximize tire efficiency for this type of driving.

Define efficiency ?

I like 700*28 or 700*32 tires with a puncture-resistant belt
and some tread. I don't always see obstacles in time to avoid them,
and dropping a 700*23 tire into a sewer grate ain't fun :-(


narrower widths coming off the rim, etc.?

See the table at sheldonbrown.


can, or should I assume the original 700 x 35 tire size was already

Probably fine in terms of comfort and resistance
to road hazards. Also, marked widths are not consistent,
so a PanaRacer 35 may be narrower than a Kenda 35. And
tire pressure matters - cheaper tires may have lower
maximum pressures.


- Lastly, I read expert testimonials that said slick tires are best

My limited experience has been that I get more punctures
as the tread vanishes (around 5000 km, I usually replace at
7000 km). So a glass shard which I ride over with impunity on
a new tire (tread) leaves me flat once the tread has worn away.

There's probably a trade-off. When I was using COntinental
Super SPort (slight tread, no puncture-resistant belt) I
was getting 5 or 6 flats / week. People smash bottles on the
bike paths. People sprinkle nails on the bike paths. And there's
always accident debris on the roads - the "bike lanes" are such
a convenient place to sweep broken glass and metal parts.

hth