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Idaho Our Trips Planning Resources Surly Bikes Touring Bike Tires

Testing the Pack Rat and Road Plus Tires on an April Fool’s Errand

Back in December 2017, Surly announced the release of a new front-loading light touring bike – the Pack Rat.  I was excited about the possibilities from the moment I learned of this bike’s existence and Bike Touring News was one of the first shops to stock them.  In the intervening 4 months, Surly has released no fewer than three more new models – the “Allroad” Midnight Special, a redesign of the Pugsley expedition fatbike and the entry-level dirt touring Bridge Club.

What with all this newness in such a short period, I was a little afraid that the humble Pack Rat might be forgotten.  I had already had favorable impressions from brief rides around town, so I set out to test this bike’s capabilities on a weekend ride.  I wanted to know if the Pack Rat was capable of loaded touring over the mix of terrain we commonly encounter here in Idaho and if this was a platform I could recommend for two-wheeled exploration past the end of the pavement.

In order for this road test to be meaningful, I’m going to need you to hang with me in the Land of Make-Believe for just a little while.  Got your Imagination Cap on?  Good.

I’m going to make a statement that should be treated as fact for the duration of this post.  Ready?

The bike pictured below is a Pack Rat.  Got it?

My old war horse of a touring bike – affectionately known as the Rando-Gnar – is nearly identical to the Pack Rat in every way that matters.  Both bikes are designed around 650b wheels with clearance for 47mm “Road Plus” tires.  Both feature geometry optimized for a front load.  Steel frames, drop bars, cantilever brakes, plenty of braze-ons for racks and cages.  Heck, they’re even (almost) the same color.  Nearly every component on the Rando-Gnar would move right over onto a Pack Rat frame.

In order to transform a stock Pack Rat into the bike you see above, all you need to do is mount a set of WTB Byway tires, drop the gearing down a bit and attach whatever racks and bags you deem necessary.  Boom, pow!  You’re ready to pack your gear and hit the road.

For this exploration of the Pack Rat’s touring capabilities, I mapped out a route that would cover around 160 miles of paved and dirt roads that would vary widely in condition.  I knew of one stretch of unmaintained road that would likely be in very poor condition.  The roads that climbed into the foothills of the Boise and Payette National Forests were more of an unknown quantity as I had not ridden them before.  I had some idea of what to expect and had been assured by a Forest Service Ranger that the roads were free of snow – though I had my doubts.  Most of the remainder consisted of varying qualities of pavement and maintained dirt roads.

I set out from Boise on smooth pavement and re-adjusted to the ride of a loaded bike.  My haphazard packing strategy resulted in a heavier bike than I would have liked but I felt confident that I was well prepared for the unpredictable springtime weather and road conditions.  Rolling tubeless at 42psi, the Byways cruised down the pavement nearly as fast as a good racing tire.  I felt the weight of my load when the road turned uphill but the ride was speedy and efficient overall.

When the road turned to dirt in the rolling foothills north of Eagle, the Pack Rat pressed ahead with aplomb.  Traction was adequate for out-of-the-saddle riding over some of the steeper pitches, though I had to be conscious of my weight distribution to prevent the rear tire from slipping on looser ground.

From the saddle at the top of Sand Hollow Road, our route descended the unmaintained Johnson Creek Road to the Payette River.  This road bears deep, rutted scars from heavy truck use in wet conditions and is very eroded in spots.  We rolled in, enjoying the views while keeping to the high ground between the ruts.

The ruts were nearly three feet deep in spots but the clay was hard and firmly packed, making for predictable traction even at off-camber angles.

One section of the road has been completely taken over by the creek and presents about a quarter-mile of bumpy riding over loose, slippery river rocks.  I rode cautiously but never felt in danger of bottoming out my tires.

Johnson Creek Road drops into Shalerock Road, a wide and well-maintained dirt road that descends into the Montour Valley.  We basked in the dusky light on the descent to the Montour Campground for the first night’s camp.

After a hearty breakfast at the Triangle Cafe we struck out to the north the next morning, gradually gaining elevation on the paved Sweet/Ola highway.  The snowy mountaintops in the distance made me wonder about the elevation of the snow line.

The road turns to dirt a couple of miles past the little town of Ola.  Conditions were excellent – nicely packed clay with a scattering of loose pea to marble-sized gravel.  The Pack Rat carried speed well and cornered confidently.

I was forced to adapt my pedaling rhythm to the lumpy terrain and the Pack Rat responded well – forging forward to crest each roller as I rose out of the saddle.

The Byway tires provided a sufficiently large contact patch and plenty of cushioning to keep the bike composed on the quick descents.  Momentum is everything when pedaling a loaded bike, so it was nice to have the confidence to let the bike run on the short downhills and carry good speed into the next climb.

The road continued to wind its way north, following Squaw Creek toward its headwaters in the Payette National Forest.  We were getting close to 4,000 feet above sea level and entering the pine forest, so we began to encounter wet conditions and sections of slushy snow on the road.

The 47mm tires sank somewhat into the softened road surface, slowing their roll and forcing me to work harder for the same speed.  However, they certainly provided more traction and flotation than narrower tires would have.

The road began to climb more steeply and the snowy stretches became longer until they became practically uninterrupted.

While the snow was not very deep, the Byway’s diamond tread didn’t provide enough bite for steering or pedaling through the slippery slush.  Likewise, the 47mm width was not sufficient to say on top of the crust layer.  I could ride brief stretches when the road leveled out but climbing was not possible.

When I was able to ride, I was constantly attempting to correct my line and keep the bike from sliding out from under me.  A mountain bike with 2-3″ tires would have handled these conditions much better than the Pack Rat but would have also been sluggish on the pavement and smooth dirt roads.

We pressed on despite the snow-covered road.  Traction was sufficient for walking and I didn’t think the pass was all that distant.  In hindsight, I probably should have paid attention to the omens and turned back.

The snow continued to get deeper until it dragged at the bottom of my panniers.  The north-facing section of road just over the summit held drifts at least 3 feet deep.  I’m sure this road will be spectacular in a couple of months when all the snow is gone!  I don’t know how long it took to cover the 8 or 9 snowy miles but the time would definitely be measured in hours.

Clearly, these conditions were well outside the Pack Rat’s intended use.  Even a fatbike with 5″ tires would have been useless in snow that deep and wet.  I could have certainly saved myself some pain and suffering by turning back but I had made good time earlier in the day and knew I had sufficient daylight to get through.   I pushed, dragged, slipped and postholed over and down the pass, hoping that my planned campsite wouldn’t be under snow.

The campground still held some snow but there was plenty of dry ground.  I breathed a sigh of relief to have arrived and then set about drying my shoes and feet, eating food and doing my best to recover for tomorrow’s 90+ mile burn back to Boise.

I slept deeply and woke feeling surprisingly fresh after the previous day’s exertions.  I made breakfast, pulled on my frozen shoes and hit the road just as the sun began to peek over the eastern ridge.  The forest service road had yet to shake off the night’s chill.  Yesterday’s soft, wet mud and slippery slush had hardened into frozen dirt and roughly textured ice.  The Pack Rat excelled in these conditions, though I rode the icy sections cautiously and did walk a couple of slicker stretches.

Before long, the road reemerged from the trees and dried completely.  Conditions on the southbound leg started off similar to the northbound side. The cloud-filtered sun warmed the air and I enjoyed the (mostly) downhill grades and undulating terrain.  The Pack Rat hummed along, carrying speed through the troughs and over the top of the endless rollers.

When we hit the Washington County line road conditions changed drastically.  The road had recently been graded and was evenly surfaced with 1-2″ size gravel.  I’d estimate the gravel had been laid no more than a week prior.  There were decent tracks laid down by auto traffic through most stretches but the rock lay in piles several inches deep in some spots.  Line choice was key, but the Pack Rat handled these challenging conditions admirably.  I’ve often felt that slimmer tires perform well in these kinds of conditions as they are narrow enough to push the loose rocks aside and grip on the hardpack beneath where a wider tire would float and roll on the top layer.

After turning off the recently-graded stretch of road conditions improved.  There were some seriously steep climbs on this leg of the ride that I would have wished away but the Pack Rat never held me back.  My legs had begun to tire and struggled to supply the necessary power.

Approaching the town of Emmett, it began to look like the highway would be a better option than returning via yet more nasty rollers in the Eagle foothills.  My body was tired and shadows were getting long.  We spun our way down the paved highway shoulder into the valley, turned to the east and finished the final few miles back to Boise.  My pedal strokes were weak and I was happy to be on a bike that rolled efficiently and didn’t ask for much leg strength to maintain forward progress on the asphalt and chipseal.

Overall, I came away from this ride even more excited for the Pack Rat’s potential.  It may not be your go-anywhere touring bike.  There are plenty of roads, tracks and trails over seriously rugged terrain in Idaho where a little more bike (Ogre, Troll, ECR, Bridge Club, etc.) would be a better fit.  It also won’t carry a transcontinental load as well as the Long Haul or Disc Trucker.  However, if you want a bike to travel a mix of dirt and pavement with a light-to-medium load on the weekend, pull double-duty on the weekday commute and have a good time doing it, the Pack Rat is worth your attention.  If nothing else, it’ll get you out of town and into the fun stuff in a hurry!

Categories
Bike Touring Equipment Handlebar Bag Other Touring Bike Pedals Touring Bike Tires

New Partnerships, New Products!

While the Bike Hermit and Sky King are gallavanting around Mexico drinking beer and camping under the stars, there has been a lot going on around Bike Touring News HQ!   We’re constantly on the lookout for components and accessories to enhance your experience, help you ride more and have more fun doing it.  To that end, we’ve brought in some new products that you’re going to want to check out.

Saddles, Tires, Rims from WTB

We’re super excited to announce our partnership with Wilderness Trail Bikes!  WTB has been at the cutting edge of mountain bike equipment since 1982 and that depth of experience shows through in their products.  Most recently, they’ve done a great job creating components that are ideal for bikepacking and dirt touring.  Bike Touring News will be stocking a hand-picked range of their tires, saddles, rims and other gear for adventures that take you to the end of the pavement and beyond.

“What?  Bike Touring News is selling plastic saddles?”  I know, this is kind of a big deal as we have always been known for our devotion to leather saddles.  We’ll continue to stock top-quality leather saddles from Gilles Berthoud, Rivet, Brooks and others but there are certain applications where a high-quality plastic saddle just makes sense. WTB’s saddle designs have been refined over many years to provide a comfortable, supportive perch for all-day comfort on any bike.  Most of their saddles are also available in a range of widths, allowing you to choose a shape and level of padding that suits your riding style and a width that fits your anatomy.

We’re particularly excited about the WTB Koda – a saddle WTB describes as being “female focused, rather than women’s specific” and designed with input from a multitude of female riders including Idaho resident and legendary endurance rider, Rebecca Rusch.  Check out the video on the product page for Rebecca’s take on the saddle.  In addition to the Koda, we’re stocking the Volt, Rocket and Silverado.  We also have the complete Test Ride Kit, making it even easier to try a saddle before you buy.  Like all the saddles we sell, we back these with our 90-day Saddle Comfort Guarantee.

WTB’s focus on bikepacking, dirt touring and other more adventurous riding is especially evident in their tire lineup.  They have fully embraced the full 3-inch “plus-size” tire platform and offer a handful of tread and casing options for any plus bike, such as Surly’s Karate Monkey, Krampus or ECR.  The Trail Boss and Ranger are both solid, do-it-all tires for a broad range of conditions.  I (Ryan) rode a set of Trail Boss 27.5 x 3.0 tires on the Colorado Trail Race this past summer, in addition to all the preparatory rides before and plenty of miles since.  They’re showing some tread wear but have been completely trouble free.  Excellent tubeless setup and no flats, just smiles for miles!

In addition, WTB offers a range of highly versatile, genre-bending tires for your cyclocross, gravel or dirt touring bike.  In widths up to 45mm for 700c and 47mm in 650b, these casings will provide a smooth, comfortable ride and plenty of traction.  For example, the 700×45 Riddler is a perfect fit for your Cross-Check, Straggler or Trucker and will show you what those bikes are capable of in the dirt without sacrificing pace on the pavement.  Many of these tires are also available with a classic tan sidewall, as shown on the 650×47 Byway below.

New Chainrings, Cold-Weather Clothing and Beverage Accessories from Surly

Ready to ditch the front derailleur on your ECR, Ice Cream Truck or any other bike with a Surly Offset Double crankset?  Here ya go, sweet cheeks!  The 28t chainring bolts on the inner chainring position and features SRAM’s X-Sync narrow-wide tooth profiles for rock-solid chain retention.  This thing is machined from durable and oh-so-shiny stainless steel for long life and corrosion resistance.  The matching alloy chainring guard fits the four spider arms (skips the threaded hole in back of the crank arm) on your crankset.  It protects your chain and chainring from trauma and gives those lonely spider arms a purpose in life.

Surly has been quietly expanding their range of clothing recently.  Merino wool is the material of choice for much of the lineup, including the new wool beanies and neck gaiters.  The beanies are soft, snug and warm – perfect dome coverings on or off the bike – and come in basic black or a purple/gray stripe.  Get yours unadorned with only a small Surly label or with the “Omniterra” or “Split-Season” embroidered patch for extra style.

The neck gaiter is a multifunctional cold-weather essential and a perfect lightweight, packable layer to help fight the chill.  Surly’s are double-layered with finer, softer merino on the inside and thicker, coarser material on the outside to balance comfort, breathability and windproofing.  They’re quite nice, actually.  Choose black with a black/grey striped inside or the earthy yellow/brown combo.  Either one will make you warmer and more attractive than you were before.

Surly’s wool blend socks are a perennial favorite.  They’re made in the USA by DeFeet with a proprietary wool blend for warmth, stink resistance and durability with just the right amount of stretch.  We have a couple of new patterns in addition to the old standbys.  Stars, Stripes, Surly.  Grab a pair for you and a pair for someone you like.

For the traveling imbiber of beverages, we offer Surly’s Silicone Pint Glasses.  We still call it a “glass” even though it is made of food grade silicone. They’re virtually indestructible, thick enough to provide some insulation for cold or hot liquids and dishwasher safe.  Ride your bike and transport yourself.  If you can’t be bothered to pour your beverage in a glass, pick up a handy Insulating Sheath.  They’re a perfect fit for tall cans but work with short cans or bottles also.  They’re also quite useful as packing aids, providing lightweight, stretchy, rattle-free padding for anything you stuff inside.  Use them for your tools and spares, camera lenses, camp stove, pieces of fruit or even cans of beer!

Ostrich F-516 Handlebar Bag

This fine handlebar bag incorporates a feature we’ve wanted to see from Ostrich for some time: a rider facing lid opening!  This simple difference makes accessing the bag’s contents while on the bike or in motion much easier and safer.  The lid flap is secured by velcro tape for easy, one-handed opening and closing.  The clear, integrated map case is also secured by a small velcro flap to prevent contents from escaping.  There is a flat front pocket with a velcro flap closure that is perfect for phone, wallet, compact camera or other flattish items.  There is also a zippered pocket in the flap for small items like keys.  Overall, this is a clean, minimal handlebar bag perfect for long day rides on its own or for easy-access items on your fully-loaded touring rig.

Chromag Pedals

Flat pedals are a natural choice for bike travel over any terrain and the benefits are numerous.  I could fill an entire blog post extolling their virtues (come to think of it, maybe I will…) but let’s focus on these particular pedals.  Chromag’s Scarab and Contact pedals provide the best combination of comfort, tuneable traction, durability and serviceability we’ve found.  Both models have thin, wide, concave platforms with adjustable-height pins, multiple pin placement options and durable, ultra-smooth bearings.  The Scarab offers a few more pin placement options, more finely machined contours and a finely polished finish to justify the extra cost.  Either one is available in a variety of colors to complement any bike.

Wow, that’s a ton of cool stuff!  Get some for yourself, or someone else, or you and someone else!  What other products should Bike Touring News carry?  Sound off in the comments below and let us know what we’re missing!

Categories
The Touring Bicycle Wheel Touring Bike Components Touring Bike Tires

Wide Rims

A customer needed a new front wheel for the new Straggler fork on his Cross Check. He wanted a disc brake on front for single track riding and the Straggler fork is very close to the Cross Check fork geometry-wise. I built up the wheel using a Surly Ultra New hub and the DT Swiss E512 rim which at 30mm wide is a full 11mm wider than the DT Swiss R450 rim on the wheel he was replacing.

Two rims side by side
A significant width difference!

Why did I use such a wide rim? For a couple of reasons. The same tire, in this case a 700 x 35 Continental Cyclocross Speed, on a wider rim will have a wider contact patch than when mounted on a narrower rim and this means more traction. The tire will also have a cross section which will be a little more “square” and less balloon like. What this means, in theory, is that the tire will have less tendency to roll sideways when the wheel is angled into a turn and the handling should be more firm and confidence inspiring with no squirming. This idea is visually represented in the following two pictures:

 Wide rims provide optimal grip and allow a thinner carcass combined with increased traction and tracking ability. Photo: syntaceusa.com
Wide rims provide optimal grip and allow a thinner carcass combined with increased traction and tracking ability. Photo: syntaceusa.com
tire on narrow rim
Narrow rims provide little guidance for the tyre. The tyre “folds” and can even jump out of the rim.
Photo: syntaceusa.com

When it was done, we gained about 4mm in width to the inflated tire, a little over 1%. While that doesn’t sound like a significant increase it should stiffen up the sidewalls of this tire and contribute to better handling and cornering. The combination of a little bit of extra width in the tire and a deeper rim profile make the wheel and tire look quite a bit bigger then the original setup on this bike. Neither a Cross Check nor a Straggler now. Monster Crossler?

side by side tires
The tire on the top is on the 19mm rim and the one on the bottom is on a 30mm wide rim.
Categories
Bike Touring Equipment Bikepacking Touring Bike Tires

Summer Love – Maxxis Chronicle 29+

Indeed, Sky King has a new love. I happen to be quite spoiled and spend many happy hours on my ” Excellent Creative Riding” machine also known as the “Extremely Cool Ride” and for those of you who don’t know me, just call it my Surly ECR.

SUrly ECR "Extremely Cool Ride" now with Maxxis 29+
Surly ECR “Extremely Cool Ride” now with Maxxis 29+

We ventured out in August for a S24O to Crutcher Crossing. The road/trail/path is two track, dirt and rock. The first 7 miles pass through a Juniper forest. Juniper’s are invasive species in the Owyhee Mountains and this section is currently being logged. Given that, the road had impressive ruts, especially on hilly corners. We hadn’t traveled far and as I negotiated a rutted corner my tires slipped out and boom, on the ground I go. While I don’t consider myself the most technical descender – especially on a loaded bike – I should have negotiated the corner just fine. Back on the bike, half mile down the road and boom, slipped out again. After a few choice words I take a serious look at my tires – the original Surly Knard 29+3 27tpi. Yep, the side edge tread is pretty much worn to zilch – oops.

I’ve never had a big complaint with the Surly Knard tires. Some of my riding buddies have commented on the lack of a grippy edge but I never mind hopping off and walking some of the steep. The rest of the trip I certainly paid attention and took a less aggressive approach to the rest of the rutted corners.

Did I mention I was spoiled, oh yeah, I did. A few days after the trip the Bike Hermit surprised me with a set of Maxxis Chronicles.Maxxis29+ This is a relatively new 29+3 so I had some trepidation. Ha, silly girl. The tread is perfect for a wide variety of terrain. I have the 120 TPI casing and the tire is lighter than my Surly Knards. The roll on pavement is excellent. On our very technical ride to Pipeline crossing, in the Owyhee desert the tires, hands down, out performed the Knards. The side grip is great. I didn’t have any slips, any spin outs or questionable traction issues. The Excellent Cool Ride bounced and jostled along happily – almost as if the person riding had advance to “pro” status. Look out Bike Hermit!

Technically a road...
Technically a road…

(Logan, over at bikepacking.com has a detailed review of the Maxxis Chronicle)

Categories
Touring Bike Components Touring Bike Tires

Touring and Trekking Tire Trends

At the 2014 Interbike trade show, it seemed to us that 27.5″ (a 650b by any other name would ride as sweet), so called “29+” and fatbike tires are gaining traction with manufacturers and with consumers. As fans of the 29+ wheel/tire combo as on the Surly ECR we were excited about the number of upcoming offerings for tires and rims.
29+
Maxxis have 29 x 3″ tires coming out.

big bicycle tire
The Maxxis Chronicle 29 x 3″ tire

Stans NoTubes showed the Hugo 52 rim which is designed to work with tires such as the Surly Knard 29 x 3. (There will be 26″ and 27.5″ versions too) Generally, a non-tubeless-ready tire will not work well in a tubeless application even if the rim is made for tubeless. That is because the bead of a non-tubeless tire will not mate properly with the bead seat on a tubeless rim. But Stans designed the bead seat on this rim to work with non tubeless tires. They developed a sort of reverse box rim design so the profile from the outside is almost impossibly slim since the box section intrudes to the interior of the rim. In order to mount the tire, the rim needs to be basically inserted inside the tire cavity so that each tire bead is on the outside of the rim. Then each bead is worked over the rim from outside to inside.
rim cut
The Stans NoTubes Hugo 52 rim looks impossibly thin when a tire is mounted, but has the strength of a double wall section.

bicycle tire and wheel
Very thin looking section!

bicycle rims
29″ (700c), 27.5″ (650b) and 26″ (26″) Hugo 52 rims.
bicycle rim profile
Profile of the Hugo 52 rim with rim tape installed.

The Bike Hermit™ has been a curmudgeon when it comes to tubeless tires but with the lower pressures we have been running in the 29 x 3″ tires for desert touring he is pretty stoked about these tubeless rims because one of the main advantages of tubeless is the reduced chance of pinch flats when running low pressure tires (around 12 psi or so in the Knards).
FATBIKE TIRES
A couple monthe ago I asked my Schwalbe salesperson when he thought Schwalbe might make a fatbike tire. He said, basically- when they thought fatbikes had legs. Well, fatbikes got legs! Apparently:

big fat tire
A fatbike tire with the Schwalbe name! Behold- Jumbo Jim

Maxxis too.

fatbike tire
Maxxis Mammoth

Categories
Fenders Touring Bike Tires

Tire and Fender Considerations for Snow and Mud

The temperature is going to be well below freezing this New Year’s Eve day and several inches of snow have fallen in the last 48 hours. A combination of de-icer, sand spread by the highway district and traffic has left the busiest roads mostly bare and dry. But driveways and side streets are covered with (one after another, or all at the same time) patches of snow, ice, slush and gravel. I’m not riding the bike today.

Ice on the street
Would even studded tires help here?

This morning I looked in a supplier’s catalog at tires with 400 or so carbide steel studs in the tread. I’m tempted to buy a pair but I’m not sure if even that would keep me upright on the ice. And the use for such tires is limited…I don’t really want to be taking them off and putting them back on every time it snows. If I had a bike with disc brakes I could try the old zip-tie snow chain trick.

Photo: Dutch Bike Co.

Earlier this month, before the snow was sticking, we went on a day trip from Three Horse Winery north of Eagle, ID to Montour, ID where we ate lunch before riding back. Scott and Aileen scouted this route prior and they were going to show us the fabled passage between Eagle and Montour which we had been unable to discover on our overnight trip last year. This turned into sort of an epic slog through mud and water and emphasized the importance of the right bike for the job… those of us with fenders spent quite a bit of time digging packed mud from between the tires and fenders. We even ended up taking Sky King’s front fender off when her front wheel completely bound up and stopped turning. For those on bikes without fenders and using disc brakes the going was relatively easier.

Here is a map of the route for those who might want to repeat it.

Even with the mud everybody had a great time and there was more smiling taking place than cursing although there was some of both. That is partly a testament to the cohesiveness and the great attitude of our fledgling bike touring group wherein everybody is quick to help others and nobody complains. Plus, every rider is competent and able to take care of themselves on and off the bike.

A touring bike continues to open my eyes to the scenic and solitary places within an hour or two of where we live. Places I never visited in the previous two decades of living here and probably would not have experienced in another 20 years, but which are suddenly accessible on my country bike. Not to mention a new group of friends….a group of thinking, entertaining and interesting people who make this hermit happy to be a part of it.

Categories
Touring Bike Tires

More About the Best Touring Tire

Schwalbe Marathon Dureme
The Schwalbe Marathon Dureme

I enjoy reading the posts and looking at the pictures on the Pondero blog. The latest post happens to be a review of the Schwalbe Marathon Dureme tire. Check it out and look at some of his other articles while you’re at it. Good stuff.

I copied the following from the Road Bike Rider website. While not normally a great source of information for the touring bicycler I think the question and the reply at least provide a starting point for a reasoned decision about tire selection.

Are 25mm Tires Better than 23mm Tires?
Question:

I found out yesterday from my LBS owner that I’m apparently late to the party moving up to 25mm tire width. I’m told all the pros have switched. Is this why I’ve been able to buy 700X23 tires on-line so reasonably? – Seth S.

Coach Fred Matheny Replies:

Yes, there has definitely been a move toward wider road tires, and I suspect that’s why shops and websites are putting 23s on sale.

A number of studies, most notably by Jan Heine in Bicycle Quarterly (www.bicyclequarterly.com), have shown that wider tires roll faster on all but the smoothest pavement if the tires have supple casings.

Wider tires also tend to be more comfortable because of the increased air volume and because they don’t have to be inflated as much to avoid pinch flats. They corner on bumpy pavement better because they don’t bounce around on the rough asphalt like narrow tires tend to do if they are inflated hard.

The weight difference between the same tire in a 23 and a 25 — or even 28 — is minimal. The extra few grams are more than compensated for by increased comfort and performance.

The only drawback is that many race-oriented frames won’t accept anything larger than a 25, or in some cases a 23. Manufacturers are remedying this, in large part because pro racers in events like Paris-Roubaix that features rough pavement and cobblestones are going to wider rubber. A good example of a carbon race-oriented bike that can handle a 28 is the Specialized Roubaix.

I’m a convert. I’m running Michelin Pro Race 25s (which are more like 28s) and Conti 4Season Grand Prix 28s on all my bikes except my old Litespeed Vortex, which will only handle 25s. I made the switch some years ago due to the extremely rough pavement here in western Colorado. We have a variety of chip seal, potholes, convex patches and grass-filled cracks, but while narrow tires beat me up, 28s smooth things out considerably.

I haven’t noticed any difference in speed — maybe a slight increase — but the added comfort is what sold me. I used the Conti 28s on the Pacific Crest Tour this summer and even on the relatively smooth pavement of Washington and Oregon, they made a significant difference in efficiency over the two-week event.

And while we’re at it the Schwalbe tire company has a page about tire size and rolling resistance. It’s interesting to note that, at a given pressure, a wider tire has less rolling resistance than a skinny tire. Obviously a skinny tire can be inflated to a higher pressure but the trade off is a less comfortable ride.
a rolling resistanc graph

So don’t just assume that replacing the tires on your mountain bike or touring bike with some skinny, punishing race tires will make your commute better. Might want to consider the construction and tread pattern too. Maybe a little wider tire will still allow you to punk the other commuters on your route and yet not beat you up before you even get to work!