Tyre Advice

Simon E wrote:

Chris wrote:

the 35mm wide tyres you have are 25% wider than 28mm ones, so 25% bigger contact surface and rolling resistance and 25% more weight.
Narrower usually means higher pressure as well, reducing contact/resistance even more

I believe that is incorrect. See my comments re. rolling resistance.

Also, running high pressures can be counterproductive, particularly on rough surfaces. The tyre skips instead of the carcass deforming, so does not absorb the shocks so they are transmitted to the rider. Most people are better off running lower pressures.

lol, fair enough Simon, I did wonder if you'd come back on that.
I did preface my comment with "to put it very simply", so it was just to get the general idea across.
I've seen those Schwalbe rolling resistance stats you linked to before, and they are very interesting and give a more informed approach to the issue, but are also entirely theoretical as they rely on the different width tyres having the same construction and profile and crucially being inflated to the same pressure, which doesn't happen in practice.
The basic point is the switch from 35mm to 28mm will necessarily involve a higher pressure, narrower tyre with a slicker tread than this guy is currently using and will certainly reduce rolling resistance for all those reasons, which was the question that was being asked in the first place.
You're right to say that narrower doesn't necessarily mean less resistance, and of course comfort and shock absorbtion are a factor, but in practice changing to a narrower tyre also changes more than just the width, which is why you yourself recommend the switch to 28mm, as do I, and everyone else that commented, so I think we agreed on that anyway.
Hurrah!

+1 for the conti 4000s

tyres can make a huge difference! I have both a bog standard specialized allez and a top of the range tarmac and both came with terrible tyres, the ones on the tarmac (now specialized has completely reworked its tyres) must have been worth 2-3km/h at full whack, and on the allez I changed to conti 4000s and superlight conti tubes and added at least 5km/h to top speed

on mountain bikes the same, racing ralphs' are amazing, the slicks that come on the boris bikes are awful!

However, I would not say they made a difference on the endurance, I did a 2500m ascent 106km 6/7 hour ride on the bog standard allez yres in spanish winter sun and all was OK, it just meant that i got tired very quickly trying to keep up with other riders, but just plugged away as an endurance ride and the difference was not that noticeable, if at all!

would definitely go with the others on the contis, however I would polorise and either go for conti 4000s if you are just road (never managed to puncture them) or if you want a bit more off road and you can fit them the specialized renegade 29" are amazingly fast rolling and surprisingly grippy, as are the hybrid racing ralphs (but the wear quickly)

28mm conti gatorskin hardshells get me to work and back

I second the Gatorskins, great tyre. Have the 700x28s on one of my hybrids, they are great and have run them for donkey's at 90psi front and 100psi rear. Very long lasting and reasonably comfy at those pressures loaded up with my rucksack etc etc. They have good rolling properties and I've never had grip issues

Go for it - you will wonder where all your extra power and distance has come from,,,, and overnight

Regards

Trikeman.

Yes, definitely agree, changing tyres can make a huge difference.
To put it very simply, the 35mm wide tyres you have are 25% wider than 28mm ones, so 25% bigger contact surface and rolling resistance and 25% more weight.
Narrower usually means higher pressure as well, reducing contact/resistance even more, and a less pronounced tread will add to that.
As dave_atkinson says in his post above, the lighter weight of folding tyres makes a difference, and an added advantage is that because they aren't as stiff they are also much easier to fit and remove, making a mid-ride puncture repair far less stressful.
Why not keep training on your 35mm tyres for now so you work hard and build fitness, then switch to some 28mm ones shortly before your 60 mile event to make it go easier on the day?
As for saving for a proper road bike, yes, do that too, but don't rush it. A decent road bike will make a lot of difference compared to your fat tyred hybrid, so if you're still loving riding after the sportive then you'll no doubt be itching to try something more nippy, and by then you should have a better idea of what will suit your needs.

If you really want a road bike then save up for one. It'll be worth it

In the meantime a decent pair of tyres can make a significant difference to both comfort and speed. Generally speaking, the narrower the tyre the firmer (harsher) the ride. Also, although it seems counterintuitive, wider tyres have better rolling resistance.

I would suggest 28mm road tyres - Schwalbe Durano, Continental Gatorskins or Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase (or Conti GP 4 Seasons if you don't mind spending a bit more).

Run them at about 80-90 psi (heavier riders should run higher pressures). These tyres weight a bit more than lightweight racing ones but it's a fair trade-off for good puncture resistance. I don't know much about the Randonneurs. Have a chat with the shop staff and see what they recommend too.

I use gatorskins on two of my three bikes and swear by them. In my experience they are no more puncture prone than most. BUT you do need to keep them properly inflated at around 100psi which observation has shown a good number of people don't. I have them on my commuter which does 50-125 rural miles a week in all weathers and the full on tourer which gets taken down fire roads and bridleways as well as fully loaded touring. Once they have reached what the tyre considers its' fully worn point the P fairy does become more obvious. I usually get a years commuting plus a winter on the turbo out of a Gatorskin. Oh for the free time to have a guesstimate on the tourer.

https://twitter.com/#!/beztweets/status/171706597213601792

If your training on the road then anything thats knobbly is going to slow you down a bit.

If your rims can take 28's then i'd get some on there and you'll notice the difference, What i would suggest it getting some decent ones that are going to last you, but if you can pick up second hand ones cheap enough go down that route.

I'm a continental man, so on that score there are a few

Ultra Sport - What i use for running about on £15-18 each
Gatorskin - can get them in 28's for around £20 each
Gator Hardshell - more for commuting £30 each

Changing tyres will make a substantial difference. Personal recommendation would be Vittoria Randonneurs in the 28 width.

I use them on my commuter road bike, and they offer a great combination of cushioning and robustness without being too heavy or with massive rolling resistance.

As one of the guys in Condor Cycles said "There's not much science in them, but when it comes to bang for your buck they pretty much the best tyre you can buy." They were knocking them out at £16 each.

Having ridden a few thousand miles on them, I would agree with him wholeheartedly.

Another option would be Continental Gatorskins in a 28, but in my experience they are more puncture-prone than the Vittorias.

Quote:

I wondered how much effect would it have to go to a narrower, slicker and higher pressure tire?

loads. really.

if your hybrid has a standard 700c wheelset then a 25mm or 28mm tyre should be fine. A 23mm should be okay too, but that might be a bit *too* racy. go for a folding tyre if you can; they're much lighter and that'll make a lot of difference.

http://road.cc/review-archive?tid=10729 for a bunch of reviews on road.cc. many of the tyres in that archive are 23mm but quite a few of them are available as a 25mm too.