Maybe a dumb question (or two)

[sandra]

This past weekend we loaded up our bikes and did the 'Ride for Wishes' a part of the Make a Wish Foundation. It was great fun and now we are searching the internet for more rides in the southeast to ride in. We rode over an bridge that I wondered if we could really make it over! :D It was great.

I've decided that I'd like to change out my tires to a narrower tire. One person told me it could be done but when I talked to the guy at the bike shop, he said I couldn't go any smaller. He said something about me going to a higher pressure tire. <- Why would I want to do that? What would be the advantages?

So, how do you know if you can change your tires (to a smaller one) without changing your wheels?

[tulip]

It has to do with the width of your rims. What type of bike are you riding now? Is it a mountain bike? A hybrid with thicker/wider tires? Please look at the sidewall of your tires and post the tire size. It will probably be 26" x something. Maybe it will say 700c x something, but given your description, it's probably 26.

The 26" is the diameter of the tire. The "something" is the width.

Higher pressure tires have less rolling resistance, meaning you don't have to work as hard to go the same speed and distance. Higher pressure tires are typically narrower, which mean that there is less friction, which also means you don't have to work as hard to go the same distance. It often means you can go faster, too, but that depends upon your physical condition and cycling skills, too.

[sandra]

Thanks!

I rode my Jamis Aurora in the ride. The tires on it are 700 X 32.

I also have a Trek 7.3FX and the tires on it are also 700 X32.

[Blueberry]

Thanks!

I rode my Jamis Aurora in the ride. The tires on it are 700 X 32.

I also have a Trek 7.3FX and the tires on it are also 700 X32.

What rims are on your Jamis? If it's the Alex Ace-19 - it looks like you can put 25's on it.) Higher pressure tires = less area contacting the ground = maybe faster (Basically, what Tulip said:)). 28's would actually be a big difference for you - that's what I ride on my Bike Friday and my Surly Cross Check (and I've done distance with both). I actually am riding 32's on my Lynskey, but may change to something narrower for >50 miles.

[sandra]

Yes, I have the Alex Ace-19 rims. I'd love to have either 25s or 28s.

Can anyone recommend a higher pressure tire?

[tulip]

Jamis Auroras are nice bikes. You'll need tires and tubes. Tires are personal preference and what fits in your budget. I like Serfas Seca tires. The foldable version is about $60 each. The non-foldable version is about $25-$30 each.

I also like Hutchinson tires. I had one bad experience with Michelin Race Pro tires (sidewall split while riding), but that was just one bad tire; alot of people like those tires.

I'm sure alot of folks will chime in with their preferences.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Yes, I have the Alex Ace-19 rims. I'd love to have either 25s or 28s.

Can anyone recommend a higher pressure tire?

Any tire that is thinner will be pumped up to higher pressure. Fat tires get pumped to lower pressure. It's a matter of physics, not tire brand.
Every tire will have it's maximum pressure recommendation printed right on it.
If you get a narrower tire like a 25 or 28, it will automatically be a 'higher pressure' tire than the ones you have now.

[sandra]

I talked to another guy at another bike shop. He didn't think that going from a 32 to a 28 would make enough difference to be worth it. He didn't think I'd notice that much difference, even if the tire was a higher pressure tire.

He also said that with the smaller tire I would be more likely to have flats riding on the road (as opposed to the rails-to-trails bike path)

I was interested in Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase tires and no one had them locally. Of course I could order online but I'm wondering if I should just forget it.

[pll]

He also said that with the smaller tire I would be more likely to have flats riding on the road (as opposed to the rails-to-trails bike path)


Tsk, tsk, bad bike shop guy. I have 23s (cheap stock tires, Continental Sport 1000) and I have used them for 7 years (2600 miles on my current odometer). I have yet to have a flat. I am religious about ensuring they are properly inflated prior to every ride, and I have taken these tires through roads and sometimes gravel trails.

[sarahspins]

He also said that with the smaller tire I would be more likely to have flats riding on the road (as opposed to the rails-to-trails bike path)

This is true.. but ONLY if you fail to maintain correct tire pressure (meaning checking/filling before every ride - invest in a good floor pump if you haven't already). If you fail to do so, road tires are more prone to "pinch flats" than most hybrid and MTB tires are simply because there is less distance between the road and the rim... but a properly inflated tire really isn't at a huge risk.. not enough to be paranoid over, so long as you're checking pressure.

I've yet to have a flat while riding on any bike... I do ride with supplies if I were to have one, it just hasn't happened. I don't really expect it to happen... I would just hate to be stranded if it did.

[sandra]

I always check the tires and inflate before every ride.

Do you think that I would notice a difference in going from the 32s to the 28s? Or would you agree that it is not enough to notice? I'm not sure I want to go to the 25s (although I'm not sure why!)

[marni]

I talked to another guy at another bike shop. He didn't think that going from a 32 to a 28 would make enough difference to be worth it. He didn't think I'd notice that much difference, even if the tire was a higher pressure tire.

He also said that with the smaller tire I would be more likely to have flats riding on the road (as opposed to the rails-to-trails bike path)

I was interested in Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase tires and no one had them locally. Of course I could order online but I'm wondering if I should just forget it.

I have been riding on Bontrager Race Lite Harcase tires on my trek pilot 5.2 and swear by them. I have done three cross country rides and only ever had one flat and that was riding locally.

That being said, I check my tires thoroughly at the end of each ride and inflate them to the suggested pressure (120 pounds) every time I ride. I ride in traffic and on major highways more often than not, so the shoulders are always full of junk. I try hard not to ride over stuff, but that is also why I check my tires at the end of each ride, as well as mid ride on the longer jaunts or if I have ridden through some junky area, especially where there are trucks and exploded radial tires and the tiny wires that they shed.

Just another happy bontrager race lite user.

As for the bike guy, blow a raspberry at him next time you pass, he should be seeing how safe it is to make possible what it is you are trying to do rather than patting you on the head and telling you you don't want to have to worry your pretty little head about nasty old flats on the road. If you learn how to change a tire, where's the problem.

marni

[Blueberry]

I always check the tires and inflate before every ride.

Do you think that I would notice a difference in going from the 32s to the 28s? Or would you agree that it is not enough to notice? I'm not sure I want to go to the 25s (although I'm not sure why!)

Yes. I do. To me, there's a big difference. I like the Specialized All Condition Sport. Cheap, and have worked great for me in a 28 and 32.

[smittykitty]

Switched from Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase 32s to the 25s on my Trek FX 7.5. Really glad. Picked up a couple miles per hr. Felt a little narrower for the first couple of minutes, then never thought about it again after that. Do feel the chip seal with higher pressure. Have to keep reminding husband that I don't really need 100+ pds of pressure for my weight. Happy Biking

[pll]

Since tire pressure is being discussed, allow me to point to a neat chart I found years ago (posted here (http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showpost.php?p=240714&postcount=11)) when I was trying to minimize the impact of road buzz on my hands.

Rather than as "ideal" inflation, I've used this chart as the minimum tire pressure I can get away with given my weight and the bike's. In tend to go close the maximum PSI for my rear wheel (120 psi is what my tires can take), but I go closer to the lower inflation suggested by the chart in my front wheel.

[Melalvai]

I have yet to have a flat. I am religious about ensuring they are properly inflated prior to every ride, and I have taken these tires through roads and sometimes gravel trails.
Isn't it true that a fix-a-flat kit actually prevents flats? ;)

[sandra]

OK, you all have convinced me. I think I'm going to do it. Now I can't decide whether to go with the 28s or just go ahead with the 25s!!! :D

[pll]

Go with the 25s. You'll notice more of a difference and you still have bikes with thicker tires. When I first started biking, my 23s looked very skinny to. I've grown to like them.

[sandra]

I can't seem to find the Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase in 700 X 25 (or 700 X 28). Do they not make them in that size?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Sandra, I went from a 32 to a 28, and it made a very big difference. Then I went from the 28 to 25's and liked them even more. ....BUT I use Kevlar belted (anti-flat) tires ALWAYS, because I ride on a lot of sharp gravel/rocky dirt country roads.
Dont worry about the brand name so much- look for a mid or higher quality Kevlar belted 700x25 (Panaracer makes some reasonably priced ones)- it will save you from all flats except maybe bad glass and nails. Gravel will be no problem for Kevlar. Pumping up pressure higher than recommended maximum is a no-no and offers no benefits. I always pump to between 5 and 10 pounds UNDER the max stated on the tire. This offers a comfy ride on rough surfaces and will not result in any pinch flats either.

I almost never get flats and you wouldn't BELIEVE the nasty surfaces I can ride over with my belted 25's.

[sandra]

Great! The only reason I was sticking with the Bontrager Hardcase is because I've had them and been happy with them but this is just the kind of information I was looking for...someone with personal experience.

Many thanks Lisa!

[withm]

I just got over 3800 miles on my Bontrager hard case tires but for some reason they are no longer available. My first set failed at abouot 800 miles - with the tires delaminating. The LBS replaced them for free. This must have been a better batch. I think I can count on 1 hand the number of flats I had in 2800 miles. I always inflated them to 120psi for every ride if more than a day had passed since last inflation. So naturally I wanted the same tires only to find that no one has them anymore, and not available on the Trek website either. I figure that new models must be coming out but really I don't have a clue.

I then set out to get the Specialized Armadillo tires which are essentially the same thing - but again, none of the Specialized dealers had them, nor did the Specialized website have any stock in 25. Sigh.

So now I have just purchased Continental Gatorskin hard case tires and am looking forward to seeing how they hold up. Again they have kevlar and are supposed to be pretty flat resistant.

BTW, I have the Bont. hard case on my other bike in 28s. 1500 miles and still have not - well I don't want to jinx anything, but I have yet to remove a tire from this bike.... :)

I know there are many websites and proponents of not inflating your tires to the max, and following that advice I used to only inflate to 90-100psi, but I got a LOT of flat tires. Once I started filling to 120 the flat tires just stopped coming. Why mess with a good thing?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

So now I have just purchased Continental Gatorskin hard case tires and am looking forward to seeing how they hold up. Again they have kevlar and are supposed to be pretty flat resistant.

My husband uses the Continental gatorskins and they are holding up well.

i now use the Continental 4 Seasons- they are pretty expensive but i do love them.
I've gone through a couple sets of Panaracer Kevlar tires and they were good too, and much cheaper.


I know there are many websites and proponents of not inflating your tires to the max, and following that advice I used to only inflate to 90-100psi, but I got a LOT of flat tires. Once I started filling to 120 the flat tires just stopped coming. Why mess with a good thing?

We all have different experiences. Husband and I have great results from not over-inflating. We ride some very sharp rocky farm roads.
Sandra- remember that each tire has its own recommended maximum inflation psi stamped right on it. Fatter tires use lower psi, thinner tires use higher inflation psi. Pumping a 38 tire up to 120 psi might blow it right off the rim. :eek:

[sandra]

These are my rims.

http://www.alexrims.com/product_detail.asp?btn=3&cat=4&id=97

*edited* errrrr, nevermind. The numbers are running together in my head! I'm not looking at 23s. It was 25s I was interested in so that should be perfect.

[pll]

Let me post this chart again, which I have found useful:

[sandra]

Thanks pll. I just printed that out.

[JennK13]

I hear the Conti Gatorskins are great - my LBS guy recommended them. I went from 700 x 30 on my cross bike to 700 x 23 and it made a HUGE difference (just ask my DH when I dropped him!!!).

[pll]

Thanks pll. I just printed that out.

I think the trick is to remember considering the bike's weight + rider weight. I use that chart to give me a minimum inflation. e.g, the combined weight of me and my bike are under 170 lbs, with 700cx23 tires, I could get away with less than 90psi according to that chart. I pump my front tire to about 90 psi (cushier on my hands) and the rear just above 110 psi (to be on the safe side). I've never had a flat on my tires.

[sandra]

I hear the Conti Gatorskins are great - my LBS guy recommended them. I went from 700 x 30 on my cross bike to 700 x 23 and it made a HUGE difference (just ask my DH when I dropped him!!!).

This is exactly what I'm aiming for. My DH's bike weighs less than mine, his tires are thinner, plus he weighs less than I do and he's stronger than I am. It is killing me keeping up with him so I want to try to make up a little bit of the difference hopefully by changing tires.

If that doesn't help, I'll be in the market for a new bike. :D

[withm]

That chart is dated 1989!

Don't you think that in the last 21 years there have been some improvements to tire technology that might render these suggestions just a little bit dated, and suspect?

While I'll grant that the lower pressures on that chart might provide a cushier ride, if the maximum inflation marked on the tire is 120psi I am finding it hard to accept that the tire inflated to that pressure is in any way overinflated.

I'd also bet that you might go a little faster with a little more air in the tire.

[pll]

Perhaps it might be dated, but I lack better guidance (got anything more recent?). Less pressure on the tire buys you a slightly more forgiving ride, which is important to some people including myself (with an old aluminum bike). Going slower because I put slightly less pressure in the front tire? Very marginal effect, at best. Nobody here has stated that if you inflate tires to their maximum, they would be overinflated.

[pll]

Searching I just found the following blog entry with similar calculations about optimal tire pressure:

Bike Tinker: Optimal Tire Pressure for Bicycles (http://www.biketinker.com/2010/bike-resources/optimal-tire-pressure-for-bicycles/)

Using the spreadsheet provided there, for a 170 lbs bike + rider weight and 23s, the rear tire would require 104 PSI and the front 67 PSI. Here's one of the charts in that blog -- in this one you need to check the wheel load against the PSI (they assume about 60% of the rider's weight + bike weight is carried by the rear wheel):

http://www.biketinker.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/BQ_berto_inflationgraph_2.jpg

Again, I would take this as guidance only, since tires, roads and even riding styles can be different.

[sandra]

Got new tires today. :) We don't really have a great bike shop here. I bought my bike in New Orleans which is 2 hours away. Hubby and I had decided to take my bike to New Orleans, get the tires and get one of my free tune-ups and just enjoy the day.

My son is in Afghanistan and my DIL asked yesterday if I could drive her for a procedure today (she was going to be under general anesthetic). Hubby took my bike to New Orleans for me while I was doing that.

He ended up getting me Hardcase Continental Gatorskins but he ended up getting 28s. He said he looked at the 25s and didn't think that I would like them because there's not much difference in the 25s and the 23s. I had 23s on my first road bike and had a few wrecks. He thought the 28s were a better trade off to still keep the stability. He said if I didn't like them we could take them off and he'd put them on his bike.

I tested them out late this afternoon on a short ride and there's a noticeable difference. I think these will be just fine. He's a keeper for doing this for me.