35mm Tyres to 28mm Tyres - Pros and Cons?

lodgey_3

Hey,

I am currently running 35mm tyres on my bike and have mainly been riding roads with occasional bumpy cycle path, i am a larger rider so i dont know if the 28mm will firstly support me and secondly how much comfort i would lose.

Im currently thinking of going from 35mm to 28mm tyres so that i can keep a high speed. The 35mm tyres i have are Panaracer Gravelking slicks which are on Hunt 4 season superdura wheels which says it can take a 28mm tyre. I was thinking of going for some 28mm Vittoria Corsa G2.0 tyres as a replacement

Would 28mm tyres mean that i would have the potential to ride faster?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Mad_Malx

You will feel like you are going faster but the difference, if any, will be tiny and your arris will take a pummeling on the bumpy cycle path.

seanoconn

I started on super skinny tyres and am currently riding with 30mm front and 32 rear with no loss of speed, just added comfort. Unless you’re riding entirely on super slick, perfect tarmac roads, you don’t need a tyre under 30mm, particularly as you are a larger rider. Find yourself some road specific tyres, 30mm or above and you should notice they roll better than gravel tyres.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Front tyre matters more as regards aero drag, it's the leading edge, your rear tyre will be mostly shielded by the seat tube. For least aero drag, use a tyre width that creates a smooth transition from the wheel rim to the tyre sidewall.

Personally, I've been using a wider rear 32mm GP5000 for comfort and a 23/25mm GP5000 (Hunt wheel has oldskool 17mm inner rim width) on the front for a few years, typically ~85/95PSI respectively when total weight of me/bike/water/kit/food/mobile etc. was ~95Kg last year... Might need to revise those pressures this year, as I've piled on the pounds over winter.

singleton

I used to run 32mm gravelling slicks on my winter bike, and switched them for some 28mm Michelin road tyres and the 28s were no faster.
I don't suppose an extra 3mm going to 35mm makes much difference wither.

lodgey_3

Awesome, thank you all for the info, i think i'll stick with the wider tyres but look at getting some road specific ones rather than gravel tyres. Thanks again.

froze

You didn't say how large you are, so no one can answer if a 28 will work for you. You can go online and find pressure calculators, if you use one you can tell if a 28 will work or not if you have to inflate the tire past is max recommended PSI.

Those Gravel King tires are fantastic tires for the price, if you want a road-specific tire they do make a smooth version called Slick Plus+ Folding Gravel Tire with sizes from 26 to 38, and they come in black or brown sidewall.

super_davo

Bicyclerollingresistance.com says 35mm Gravel Kings tak 16.6 watts and 25mm Corsas take 12.2 watts at 18mph, so a fair bit faster. Probably more to do with the tyre than the width.

But GP5000TRs blow them out of the water at 8.5watts, and you can get them in 32s, which would mean hardly any loss in comfort due to width. And you will definitely notice a loss of > 15 watts rolling resistance across both tyres.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

As above, just getting a set of "premium" road-specific tyres such as Vittoria Corsa / Schwalbe Pro One / Continental GP5000 etc. can make a world of difference.

In my spares box, I've got a pair of 28mm Continental GP 4 Seasons from a few years back, when I didn't have a turbo trainer option for winter riding. They offer a bit more grip and puncture protection than the old GP4000S II, which is no issue for winter riding, but they felt so sluggish in the summer (just like another 28mm set in my spares box, Vittoria Isotech graphene things I cannot recall the catchy name of).

andrew_s-2

Comfort makes quite a difference to speed.
You body being rattled about can absorb quite a lot of energy, which comes from either your speed or pushing harder. Think how quickly you lose speed if you freewheel onto cobbles.

It's not something that shows on tyre testing by Bicyclerollingresistance.com, as they load the tyre with either a spring or a lump of metal, neither of which absorb much, being much springier than your flesh.

super_davo

Agree comfort is important but the difference in comfort between a 35mm gravel tyre and a 32mm road tyre on the road will be naff all.

Even 28s can give a plush ride at the right PSI (I run mine at 55).

seanoconn

Anyway, why would you need a gravel tyre for riding road and cycle paths?