New wheels, new tires (difference between 700x25, 26, & 28?)

I've a heavy rider (240lbs). My current wheels (28 spokes on the rear) have
700x26c tires.

I've ordered a new wheelset due to spokes breaking on the rear (36 spokes on
the rear). I'm thinking of putting 700x25c or 700x28c tires on this
one...will I notice any significant differences? I'm buying the another
cassette for the new rear wheel that is exactly the same as the one on my
current wheel, just so I can ensure the bike rides basically the same with
either wheelset.

Roger Zoul wrote:

I've a heavy rider (240lbs). My current wheels (28 spokes on the rear) have
700x26c tires.

I've ordered a new wheelset due to spokes breaking on the rear (36 spokes on
the rear). I'm thinking of putting 700x25c or 700x28c tires on this
one...will I notice any significant differences?

Personally, I'd go with at least 28. If I had your weight, I'd probably
look at 32 mm, if it would clear the frame and brakes.

A narrow tire might give very slightly less rolling resistance on
perfectly smooth roads, but if the road has any significant roughness,
you'll probably be better off with a wider tire.

A wider tire (assuming you inflate it enough) also provides more
protection from pinch flats or "snake bite" flats.


--
--------------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

Frank Krygowski wrote:
:: Roger Zoul wrote:
::
::: I've a heavy rider (240lbs). My current wheels (28 spokes on the
::: rear) have 700x26c tires.
:::
::: I've ordered a new wheelset due to spokes breaking on the rear (36
::: spokes on the rear). I'm thinking of putting 700x25c or 700x28c
::: tires on this one...will I notice any significant differences?
::
:: Personally, I'd go with at least 28. If I had your weight, I'd
:: probably
:: look at 32 mm, if it would clear the frame and brakes.
::
:: A narrow tire might give very slightly less rolling resistance on
:: perfectly smooth roads, but if the road has any significant
:: roughness,
:: you'll probably be better off with a wider tire.
::
:: A wider tire (assuming you inflate it enough) also provides more
:: protection from pinch flats or "snake bite" flats.

Thanks, Frank. I've already ordered some 26s, but when I current ones wear
out I'll move to something a bit bigger, if I haven't lost more weight by
then.

In article ,
Frank Krygowski wrote:
Roger Zoul wrote:

I've a heavy rider (240lbs). My current wheels (28 spokes on the rear) have
700x26c tires.

I've ordered a new wheelset due to spokes breaking on the rear (36 spokes on
the rear). I'm thinking of putting 700x25c or 700x28c tires on this
one...will I notice any significant differences?

Personally, I'd go with at least 28. If I had your weight, I'd probably
look at 32 mm, if it would clear the frame and brakes.

A narrow tire might give very slightly less rolling resistance on
perfectly smooth roads, but if the road has any significant roughness,
you'll probably be better off with a wider tire.

That is not how I understand it. If you take two tires which are
constructed the same, inflated to the same pressure and placed under
the same load, the widest tire will be the one with the least rolling
resistance since it is the tire which will deform the least at the
contact patch. Racing tires are narrow for other reasons, like improved
aerodynamics and lower weight, qualities which are thought to be a good
tradeoff for the increased rolling resistance. The fact that wider
tires deform less at similar inflation pressures and loads also makes
them less prone to pinch flats, which means that they can carry the
same loads at lower pressures (making them more comfortable at the
expense of rolling resistance) or, similarly, carry heavier loads at
the same inflation pressure.

Dennis Ferguson

On 15 Jun 2004 18:36:48 GMT, (Dennis
Ferguson) wrote:
Racing tires are narrow for other reasons, like improved
aerodynamics and lower weight, qualities which are thought to be a good
tradeoff for the increased rolling resistance.

Also because narrower tires can be inflated to higher pressure --
maybe enough to lower the rolling resistance beyond the fatter
tire's maximum pressure. You'd have to test individual tires at the
pressures you'd actually use them, I guess.
--
Rick Onanian

"Roger Zoul" wrote in message
...
Frank Krygowski wrote:
:: Roger Zoul wrote:
::
::: I've a heavy rider (240lbs). My current wheels (28 spokes on the
::: rear) have 700x26c tires.
:::
::: I've ordered a new wheelset due to spokes breaking on the rear (36
::: spokes on the rear). I'm thinking of putting 700x25c or 700x28c
::: tires on this one...will I notice any significant differences?
::
:: Personally, I'd go with at least 28. If I had your weight, I'd
:: probably
:: look at 32 mm, if it would clear the frame and brakes.
::
:: A narrow tire might give very slightly less rolling resistance on
:: perfectly smooth roads, but if the road has any significant
:: roughness,
:: you'll probably be better off with a wider tire.
::
:: A wider tire (assuming you inflate it enough) also provides more
:: protection from pinch flats or "snake bite" flats.

Thanks, Frank. I've already ordered some 26s, but when I current ones
wear
out I'll move to something a bit bigger, if I haven't lost more weight by
then.

I am not sure, but when I replace my 25's, I will be looking at maximum
pressure. I like to ride a hard tire personally. 120+. I don't like to
get flats and I have had no problems with my 25's. I have had 20 and even
19's many years ago and they were a real pain in the butt. Flats all the
time.

I guess what I am saying is though, tire pressure is important as well,
IMHO.
Curt

On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 12:10:11 -0400, Roger Zoul wrote:

I've a heavy rider (240lbs). My current wheels (28 spokes on the rear) have
700x26c tires.

I've ordered a new wheelset due to spokes breaking on the rear (36 spokes on
the rear). I'm thinking of putting 700x25c or 700x28c tires on this
one...will I notice any significant differences?

Well, the width of tires is somewhat open to interpretation. One
manufacturer's 28 is another's 32, so it is hard to say whether or not you
will notice a difference.

That being said, certainly you will be better off with the 36-spoke
wheels. 24 is "no visible means of support" for someone in your range.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | What is objectionable, and what is dangerous about extremists is
_`\(,_ | not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant. --Robert
(_)/ (_) | F. Kennedy

On Tue, 15 Jun 2004 18:36:48 +0000, Dennis Ferguson wrote:

In article ,
Frank Krygowski wrote:
Roger Zoul wrote:

I've a heavy rider (240lbs). My current wheels (28 spokes on the rear) have
700x26c tires.

I've ordered a new wheelset due to spokes breaking on the rear (36 spokes on
the rear). I'm thinking of putting 700x25c or 700x28c tires on this
one...will I notice any significant differences?

Personally, I'd go with at least 28. If I had your weight, I'd probably
look at 32 mm, if it would clear the frame and brakes.

A narrow tire might give very slightly less rolling resistance on
perfectly smooth roads, but if the road has any significant roughness,
you'll probably be better off with a wider tire.

That is not how I understand it. If you take two tires which are
constructed the same, inflated to the same pressure and placed under
the same load, the widest tire will be the one with the least rolling
resistance since it is the tire which will deform the least at the
contact patch.

Yes, but. Thing is, a bigger tire does not need, and usually is not rated
for, as high a pressure as the skinnier tire. So, riding each tire at the
rated max pressure, the skinny one will have less rolling resistance.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Some people used to claim that, if enough monkeys sat in front of
_`\(,_ | enough typewriters and typed long enough, eventually one of them
(_)/ (_) | would reproduce the collected works of Shakespeare. The
internet has proven this not to be the case.

"curt" wrote in message
...

"Roger Zoul" wrote in message
...
Frank Krygowski wrote:
:: Roger Zoul wrote:
::
::: I've a heavy rider (240lbs). My current wheels (28 spokes on the
::: rear) have 700x26c tires.
:::
::: I've ordered a new wheelset due to spokes breaking on the rear (36
::: spokes on the rear). I'm thinking of putting 700x25c or 700x28c
::: tires on this one...will I notice any significant differences?
::
:: Personally, I'd go with at least 28. If I had your weight, I'd
:: probably
:: look at 32 mm, if it would clear the frame and brakes.
::
:: A narrow tire might give very slightly less rolling resistance on
:: perfectly smooth roads, but if the road has any significant
:: roughness,
:: you'll probably be better off with a wider tire.
::
:: A wider tire (assuming you inflate it enough) also provides more
:: protection from pinch flats or "snake bite" flats.

Thanks, Frank. I've already ordered some 26s, but when I current ones
wear
out I'll move to something a bit bigger, if I haven't lost more weight
by
then.

I am not sure, but when I replace my 25's, I will be looking at maximum
pressure. I like to ride a hard tire personally. 120+. I don't like to
get flats and I have had no problems with my 25's. I have had 20 and even
19's many years ago and they were a real pain in the butt. Flats all the
time.

I guess what I am saying is though, tire pressure is important as well,
IMHO.

I'm 230-250. I've ridden 25 to 37. The problem with the weight and high
pressure is that it puts a lot of strain on the wheels over bumps. Low
pressure gives flats, high pressure breaks wheels.

Wheels and components and builds come in different qualities. Just like 28c
tires could be very different, so could 36 spoke wheels. Some are very weak,
some, very strong.

Doug

Thanks, Frank. I've already ordered some 26s, but when I current ones wear
out I'll move to something a bit bigger, if I haven't lost more weight by
then.

I use 25's (that's the max that will fit my bike) and when I started I was 270
now 235) the only problems I had was when I did not keep them inflated to the
max psi. but my ride is a bit bumpy.

--
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