What size are ideal winter tyres?

crimsondynamo

I'm a bit of a fair weather, 700x23c road cyclist, but am toying with the idea of a winter bike. Starting with a blank canvass, what clearances should I be looking for (with proper mudguards) for max winter comfort and efficiency?

thel33ter

28c-ish seems to be a common choice, I run 23's all year round, mainly cause I can't get anything bigger in my frame easily.

Canny Jock

Personally, 25c for winter and commuting.

FransJacques

Depending on a) how heavy you are, b) how bad the roads you ride are, and c) how mcuh cushioning you want, the answer usually is as large as you can go but still run mud guards. No sense having big rubber and a skunk stripe up your back.

Conti Gatorskin 28s are a great place to start. Go 25c on the front to liven up the handling a bit if the 28s are too sleepy or feel too pnderous.

singlespeedexplosif

23s all year round here.

solsurf

23 for me all year round unless there is snow and then its mountain bike with studded tyres this year

Lillywhite

23mm all year round for me.

chrishd883

+1 for 23's !


Although currently running 25's on my winter bike. But this is purely because they came with a set of wheels and rather than waste them...!??!

derosa

Canny Jock wrote:

Personally, 25c for winter and commuting.

Ditto, although 23c in the summer.

paul64

On display, the Specialized All Condition look confidence-inspiring but don't know anyone with first hand experience of them, only speculation that they are not compliant and will have an uncomfortable ride. Anyone tried these?

Jimbo.

24mm, which just so happens to be what the Vittoria Open Pavé comes in. Perfect!

jimwin

crimsondynamo wrote:

I'm a bit of a fair weather, 700x23c road cyclist, but am toying with the idea of a winter bike. Starting with a blank canvass, what clearances should I be looking for (with proper mudguards) for max winter comfort and efficiency?

Either 23 or 25 will be ok. Clearance for 28c tyres with mudguards will affect your frame choice.

Re tyres, I've found Racelite Hardcase tyres great for winter use.

markos1963

25mm on the front and 28mm on the back for me, comfortable and still fast enough for me to get told off for pushing the club ride along too quickly

twotyred

25mm all year round for me. I don't see a need for anything bigger or smaller at any time of year unless you're going off road. Do the roads suddenly get rougher in winter? Buy a good folding tyre and the weight difference between 25mm and 23mm is negligible but the increased comfort of 25mm isn't.

MichaelW

In winter you are riding more in the dark and potholes get filled with water. 28mm will absorb the occasional bang better than thinner tyres.
A road frame with long-drop caliper brakes will give you the clearance you need. Not a whole lot of choice BUT so what. Kinesis TK is a solid performer.

If you need a snow bike, then you are looking at >32mm touring/ cyclo-cross rubber or MTB size. Studded tyres such as Marathon Winter are 35mm and need a lot of mudguard clearance.

maddog 2

28mm here

I run winter wheels though, which are wider and burlier so suit the 28s.

Phate

Just bought a Cube X-race Comp and had thought I'd need to swap out the cross tyres for slicks but having had it out in the rain today I think I'll just leave them for the winter, surpisingly quick and grippy!

Bike came with Schwalbe Racing Ralph/Rocket RON Kevlar Performance 35's!

Garry H

Phate wrote:

Just bought a Cube X-race Comp and had thought I'd need to swap out the cross tyres for slicks but having had it out in the rain today I think I'll just leave them for the winter, surpisingly quick and grippy!

Bike came with Schwalbe Racing Ralph/Rocket RON Kevlar Performance 35's!

They'll wear down in no time on tarmac.

APIII

23mm normally, but I've been known to use the Vittoria pave's which are 24mm. I can't see the need to change the width just because it's a bit colder outside.

ADIHEAD

25mm Vittoria Rubino Pro Tech's for me - which are more like 28's I would say. Don't know where some of you live but the roads my way stay covered in wet cow muck for months over the winter When you ride through this you not only slide on thinner, less grippy rubber (23mm Gatorskins are deadly), but also inside this lies all sorts of sharp nasties! Thorns are washed into the road, wet flints stick to tyres easier etc. Race tyres are a waste of time on these sorts of roads. Very wet summer roads can be almost as bad though.

However, if you ride on mainly on main roads then this is less of a problem! I punctured Open Pave's very regularly, but again, this only happened on wet back roads. Rubino Tech's lasted me all last winter, the only puncture was where the tyre was swapped to another wheel and the idiot mechanic (me) must have pinched the tube which blew the side wall to bits :roll:

Grip wise though the 25mm Rubino's are the biz, even though cow muck

Wamas

23 summer,
25 winter and for the commute.

danlikesbikes

23's all of last year but have to admit I never went out in anything really bad weather wise. This year that has changed with the purchase of a proper winter bike, running 25's and seem OK.

Like others have said does depend on where you ride and what your local conditions are like, round by me the roads go from OK to minor potholes. Just need to apply a bit of common sense and if your a member of a local club find out what others ride. Most of the guys/girls in my local club ride 25's (hence my choice) and you cant beat an experienced persons knowledge!

bompington

You need these

gregg.pedder

Mine are 23s on both the winter hack and the summer stead. Personally I cant tell the difference between 23s and 25s (my old bike had 25s, got written off in an Accident), so whatever takes your fancy really.

My advice is to take it steady in adverse weather conditions whatever tyres you've got on.

AND

Ride more worry less.

GP

wildmoustache

twotyred wrote:

25mm all year round for me. I don't see a need for anything bigger or smaller at any time of year unless you're going off road. Do the roads suddenly get rougher in winter? Buy a good folding tyre and the weight difference between 25mm and 23mm is negligible but the increased comfort of 25mm isn't.

In winter:

- there is more rain
- damp takes longer to evaporate
- roads are on average wetter
- meaning they are more likely to have crap washed into them
- there are often a fair number of leaves on those wetter roads
- there are more likely to be potholes on these roads than in summer/autumn

All of which suggests a larger air pocket and contact patch is a good idea.

I'm ok on 23s but better on 24s or 25s.

tenor

25's all year round - they roll better on real -world UK roads and less likely to pinch flat - a little more comfy also.