Registered: May 2003
Location: Napa, CA
Posts: 134

I weigh 185# and I'm using a 700x28 on the back of my GRR. At times I've used a 700x25. For hills and more aggressive riding I was wondering if I could I go to a 700X23? Is there a correlation between a person's body weight and tire size?
It would make sense to say these are the limits for each size.
Howard

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Howard Gilbert

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Registered: Nov 2003
Location: Detroit suburbs
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quote:

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Originally posted by Speed Racer
I weigh 185# and I'm using a 700x28 on the back of my GRR. At times I've used a 700x25. For hills and more aggressive riding I was wondering if I could I go to a 700X23? Is there a correlation between a person's body weight and tire size?
It would make sense to say these are the limits for each size.
Howard

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Saco, Maine
Posts: 196

Howard, I also weigh 185 more or less (depending on seasonal ingestion) and have been running a 23 at 140 PSI, on my Ti-Rush. So far so good

Ed Stolkner

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Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Omaha, Ne
Posts: 86

I have been running a 700x23 on my Foldrush with no problems. I weight from 220-230 depending on the time of year and motivation for the last 6 or 7 years. A run 110 lbs air pressure with a Continental GP 3000 right now

Mike

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Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Mesa, AZ
Posts: 161

I run a Conti 770x23 @100#. Was running @ 110, but decided to try a lower pressure. Don't know if I notice a difference. Weight currently down to 207 or so from 215.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Speed Racer
Is there a correlation between a person's body weight and tire size?

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Registered: Oct 2003
Location: Virginia
Posts: 230

Its an Old Wives tale that a heavy rider has to use bigger tires. Have over 200,000 miles on 700 x 23 tires and have weighed between 214-250 lbs.

The smaller tires do not ride as well but they accelerate better and climb better. If you enjoy performance the smaller tire is the way to go. Particulary like the Michellin Krylion tires, they are #2 in the Michellin stable behind the awesome ProRace tire but have puncture resistance and much better milage at about 20g extra weight.

rand

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Registered: May 2003
Location: Napa, CA
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Rand,
I don't think I heard it from an old wife. In fact I don't think anyone told me that the heavier the rider the bigger the tire size. I just assumed it to be the case without any evidence to support it. I'll try a 700x23 and will check out the Michelin.
Thanks for the information.
Howard

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Howard Gilbert

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Registered: Apr 2006
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Lighter = Less Flats?

I was intrigued to hear Rand say that heavier folks don't have to use bigger tires. I only weigh 130 and have always assumed that my light weight is a good part of the reason where I rarely get flats. Is that not correct?

Also, for a little guy like myself, could I get away with a smaller tire because of my weight?

Thanks

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Pinch flats are the by product of heavy weight and light tires. Normally, tires just don't blow out from heavy weight. They flat because of hitting a bump to hard and causing the pinch flat. If you are under approx 230lbs, you can run a 23, but beware that if you hit that bump the tire compresses and pinches the tube. Bigger tires help bigger people avoid that.

However and this is a big however, this is a good place for me to take the time and say something about tire choice. The reason we don't use solid rubber tires is because they are not only slow, but incredibly dead feeling....and when I mean dead feeling I mean no fun! Flat proof tires have no life to them!
Adding slim and tire liners are performance robbers. Of course there are lots of people who ride under what would be harsh conditions for tires and you must do what you have to do to not get flats regularly. But aside from those people contrast that to a light tire and they feel lively. Some tires sing I call it. Not only do they accelerate and climb better like Rand said, but they take less energy to keep at speed. I tell people that the easiest way to change the feel of your bike is to get lighter tires. Make sure you keep at least the rear tire at max pressure and avoid the big bumps and you'll be fine for the most part.

In the world of regulare bike racing the wrong tire would cost you the race. On a velodrome, just a one ounce difference in weight would be enough to ride a slightly bigger gear. What I'm trying to say is that tire choice is critical and has a big influence on your bike. Tires are also for the most part fairly cheap, you can keep a pair for sport rides and then put on a heavier duty pair for when you need to carry weight or other reasons.

Freddy

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Registered: Nov 2003
Location: Detroit suburbs
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quote:

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Originally posted by Fast Freddy
Pinch flats are the by product of heavy weight and light tires. Normally, tires just don't blow out from heavy weight. They flat because of hitting a bump to hard and causing the pinch flat. If you are under approx 230lbs, you can run a 23, but beware that if you hit that bump the tire compresses and pinches the tube. Bigger tires help bigger people avoid that.

However and this is a big however, this is a good place for me to take the time and say something about tire choice. The reason we don't use solid rubber tires is because they are not only slow, but incredibly dead feeling....and when I mean dead feeling I mean no fun! Flat proof tires have no life to them!
Adding slim and tire liners are performance robbers. Of course there are lots of people who ride under what would be harsh conditions for tires and you must do what you have to do to not get flats regularly. But aside from those people contrast that to a light tire and they feel lively. Some tires sing I call it. Not only do they accelerate and climb better like Rand said, but they take less energy to keep at speed. I tell people that the easiest way to change the feel of your bike is to get lighter tires. Make sure you keep at least the rear tire at max pressure and avoid the big bumps and you'll be fine for the most part.

In the world of regulare bike racing the wrong tire would cost you the race. On a velodrome, just a one ounce difference in weight would be enough to ride a slightly bigger gear. What I'm trying to say is that tire choice is critical and has a big influence on your bike. Tires are also for the most part fairly cheap, you can keep a pair for sport rides and then put on a heavier duty pair for when you need to carry weight or other reasons.

Freddy

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"The right tire" , is a performance piont indeed. Not only can they help the bike handle better, and go faster, but they also increase reliability. If you put dime-store tires and tubes on the bike, expect dimestore results. Quality design tires will hold up longer and handle better too. Keep in mind the road surfaces you deal with the most frequently as well. If you have a lot of rough surface roads with frequent potholes, washboard surfaces, gravel, or general FOD from passersby, a bulletproof reinforced wide tire might be a better choice. A slightly wider tire at high pressure can still give a decent ride, but it wont feel as lively or 'twitchy" to steering response. I have run as little as a 25c on the back, but because of the surfaces I ride on, they didnt last long (yep, they were cheap tires too!) What I did notice was the effortless feel the bike had despite a slightly harsher ride. I'm re-discovering this feeling after a long stretch on a 37c Continental CityGrip going to a 28c Kenda KWest. I'm thinking if I go any skinnier than 28c, then I will gladly pay top dollar to maximize the results. Ok, I rambled a bit there, but I think a quality tire will be more capable of holding pressures needed to avoid pinch flats.

Last edited by Robert J. Wells on 06-05-2007 at 02:17 PM

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quote:

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Originally posted by djstory
I only weigh 130 and have always assumed that my light weight is a good part of the reason where I rarely get flats. Is that not correct?

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Registered: May 2003
Location: Napa, CA
Posts: 134

How much of a factor are thinner tubes in terms of road feel and performance along with those skinnier tires?
Howard

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Howard Gilbert

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Registered: Jan 2004
Location: Boise, ID
Posts: 612

I'm a 215 lb rider and ride nothing but 700x23. I have occasionally used a wider tire (I think maybe 25 is as wide as I've gone).
I never get pinch flats, but I pump up my tires before every ride, and always ride at 100 psi or above.
I concur with Rand: the Michellin ProRace series of tires are excellent. The Continental Grand Prix is also a good tire.
I also recommend replacing tires frequently. I never try to get extended mileage out of my tires. A blowout or tire failure on a 50 mph descent will make one reconsider the value of trying to get an exrtra 3 months use out of a worn tire.
My own view is that tires may be the most overlooked bike component when folks are trying to figure out ways to get a little better performance out of their bike.
Tim

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