Discussion
Ran 23's and 25's on 4 seasons, couldn't tell any difference. Gatorskins (for the person who posted about 23 gators vs 25 4seasons) are known to be lacking in wet grip, not really down to being 23s.
Big thing the OP needs to check is that the frame will take 25's - there's an increase on rolling diameter, not just width.. if it's an older frame, there may well be clearance issues.
Big thing the OP needs to check is that the frame will take 25's - there's an increase on rolling diameter, not just width.. if it's an older frame, there may well be clearance issues.
donfisher said:
Does bike and rider size impact any of this?
I know that the wheels would be a constant but presumably a 65kg rider on a small bike riding 23s will probably have a similar ride to the 100+kg rider on a large or XL frame with 25s.
Interesting, I'm short & light and ride a small bike, maybe he hence why I prefer 23sI know that the wheels would be a constant but presumably a 65kg rider on a small bike riding 23s will probably have a similar ride to the 100+kg rider on a large or XL frame with 25s.
yellowjack said:
Pot Odds said:
Apologies - i'm sure it's been done to death.............
Following a tyre slicing puncture yesterday i'll be getting in some new Continental 4 Seasons. It's my own fault.....I thought to myself during the ride how it'd been ages since a puncture.
Just wondering what people have found who have tried both 23 and 25c. I've been running 23s which can be a bit of a bone shaker on rutted country lanes (100-110psi) and am erring towards replacing with 25s. I'm trying to do 2 x 20 milers a week after work and a longer ride at the weekend - I was on a 40 miler yesterday but am targeting my first 100 sportive this year and wondered if there is a significant comfort/speed difference with the 25's. Just trying to avoid dropping £45 on a pair of 25s only to find I change back to the 23s.
As an aside i'm always heartened by the good will of cyclists when passing a punctured fellow. I was asked by all bar one if I had everything i needed and the one who didn't had slowed and could see I was mid way through a tube swap. If anyone was cycling the path to the side of the cattle grid in Odiham thanks for the offers.
PotOdds
700 x 25c, or larger volume, every time.Following a tyre slicing puncture yesterday i'll be getting in some new Continental 4 Seasons. It's my own fault.....I thought to myself during the ride how it'd been ages since a puncture.
Just wondering what people have found who have tried both 23 and 25c. I've been running 23s which can be a bit of a bone shaker on rutted country lanes (100-110psi) and am erring towards replacing with 25s. I'm trying to do 2 x 20 milers a week after work and a longer ride at the weekend - I was on a 40 miler yesterday but am targeting my first 100 sportive this year and wondered if there is a significant comfort/speed difference with the 25's. Just trying to avoid dropping £45 on a pair of 25s only to find I change back to the 23s.
As an aside i'm always heartened by the good will of cyclists when passing a punctured fellow. I was asked by all bar one if I had everything i needed and the one who didn't had slowed and could see I was mid way through a tube swap. If anyone was cycling the path to the side of the cattle grid in Odiham thanks for the offers.
PotOdds
When I swapped to 25c 4Seasons on my 'good' road bike, they were so good that I didn't bother with 'summer' tyres that year. I'm currently running 23c Gatorskins on a 1997 steel framed bike, and to be honest, it's a ball-ache (almost literally). Too harsh, too narrow, and lacking grip for the 'cyclo-cross lite' riding I want to do with it. They were what I binned off the good bike to swap to the 25c 4Seasons, and were only fitted to this old bike to protect the rims while it stood for years on the garage floor. I tried to swap the 4Seasons over from my crashed bike, but the 'T-bone' nature of the accident that killed it means that the sidewalls have been torn where the bike was shunted sideways. Buying Continental 4Seasons in 700 x 25c flavour is a PITA at the moment, though...
sjg said:
Tried both. 25 all the way.
Seemingly lots of other people are too as GP4S in 25mm has been sold out everywhere when I've looked.
...and I've found the same, both online and at bricks'n'mortar local shops. If the 38c tyres from the wife's (dead) commute bike won't go on, or are past their prime, I'd get 28c 4Seasons in preference to the 23c. Modern road bikes might not have clearance for them, if frame/fork spacings are tight, but someone on another thread where this subject was discussed (sorry, can't remember who) told me that his 28c Conti 4Seasons tyres actually measured up closer to 26mm when fitted, so it might work for you.Seemingly lots of other people are too as GP4S in 25mm has been sold out everywhere when I've looked.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-grand-prix-4-s...
drivin_me_nuts said:
Wiggle have them back in now. They have been unavailable for some time in 25.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-grand-prix-4-s...
Cheers! http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-grand-prix-4-s...
upsidedownmark said:
Big thing the OP needs to check is that the frame will take 25's - there's an increase on rolling diameter, not just width.. if it's an older frame, there may well be clearance issues.
Indeed, I would like to give 25s a go on my commuter bike but there is so little clearance on it (Scott CR1), that I doubt they'd fit. They certainly wouldn't with mudguards - had to sand down my rear Roadracer guard just to get it to work with 23s! Will probably give em a go on the best bike when it's time to change though.
Had spotted that the 25's were in stock in Wiggle yesterday so ordered some at lunchtime.
Boneshaker comment probably reflects the poor state of the country lanes that I ride as much as the tyre. I just wondered whether the 25s would be a little more forgiving without compromising in other areas.
To answer one post - I've dropped from 14st7 to 12st13 since January and ride a 2013 Boardman Comp which suits both my budget and ability (plus had SRAM shifters which I prefer). A combination of Halfords sale price, British Cycling 10% and Halfords Vouchers at 10% off meant that it really couldnt be beaten at its price point. I normally run tyres at 110 rear and 100 front but only inflated to 100-105 rear tonight due to split in tyre (+ a few wraps of electrical tape to keep the grit out until the 25s arrive). Maybe I should have been dropping the pressure as the pounds dropped off.
Thanks all for the comments - really helpful.
I'll report back on how I find the 25's once i've run them for a while.
PotOdds
Boneshaker comment probably reflects the poor state of the country lanes that I ride as much as the tyre. I just wondered whether the 25s would be a little more forgiving without compromising in other areas.
To answer one post - I've dropped from 14st7 to 12st13 since January and ride a 2013 Boardman Comp which suits both my budget and ability (plus had SRAM shifters which I prefer). A combination of Halfords sale price, British Cycling 10% and Halfords Vouchers at 10% off meant that it really couldnt be beaten at its price point. I normally run tyres at 110 rear and 100 front but only inflated to 100-105 rear tonight due to split in tyre (+ a few wraps of electrical tape to keep the grit out until the 25s arrive). Maybe I should have been dropping the pressure as the pounds dropped off.
Thanks all for the comments - really helpful.
I'll report back on how I find the 25's once i've run them for a while.
PotOdds
The tyres and Haribo arrived today so I quickly slipped the 25 on the rear (105psi) but left the 23 on the front as it was getting late and I wanted to get an hour in on the bike.
1st impressions are good - seemed smoother with no noticable down sides. Will pop the other 25 on the front to match them up and report back after a longer ride at the weekend.
Dare I open the debate as to which way round the tread pattern goes on the 4 seasons - whichever way it is (if it matters) i've got the rear on the opposite way round from how I had it before !!
PotOdds
1st impressions are good - seemed smoother with no noticable down sides. Will pop the other 25 on the front to match them up and report back after a longer ride at the weekend.
Dare I open the debate as to which way round the tread pattern goes on the 4 seasons - whichever way it is (if it matters) i've got the rear on the opposite way round from how I had it before !!
PotOdds
Pot Odds said:
Dare I open the debate as to which way round the tread pattern goes on the 4 seasons - whichever way it is (if it matters) i've got the rear on the opposite way round from how I had it before !!
PotOdds
As far as I remember, there is a directional arrow somewhere on the sidewall. It is very small, though. I also seem to remember that the tread looks 'wrong' when fitted correctly, if that makes any sense.PotOdds
Reading anything off the sidewalls of Continental's tyres is a right royal PITA though. Most of the important stuff, like tyre size, inflation limits, etc seems to be moulded in, but is buried under the protective mesh, or in the case of the Tour Rides I'm putting on 'Frankenbike', hidden under the applied reflective strip. Have a REALLY close look around the sidewall. The directional arrow, I'm fairly certain, was only on one side on my last set of GP 4Seasons, but Conti may well have changed things since then.
There's a bit of a debate here... http://www.bikeforums.net/tandem-cycling/821740-co... ...and here... http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=16... ...but so many differing opinions. Some say yes, others are adamant that it's no, and someone claims that there were 'random' directional arrows on some tyres as a practical joke. One claims to have been told (by Continental via email) that it doesn't matter either way. Whatever the truth is, I doubt you'll be 'aquaplaning' on 25mm wide tyres at cycling speeds, and I doubt very much that the 'tread' (for all that it's worth) will affect tyre integrity or grip very much (if at all) at the speeds attainable by mortal, unassisted cyclists.
I'd check the tyres in my garage, but it's dark in there (light switch is knackered) and the bikes are stuck behind a stack of gardening guff at the moment.
Good luck, I switched from michelen pro race 23, to gp4000 25s and I hate them with a passion, never had more punctures in my life, horrible ride, horrible noise,no clearance (not really the tyres fault) just generally horrible. cant wait for them to wear out so I can get back to some 23s. they are on my Canyon CFSL pro
Tiddy1 said:
Good luck, I switched from michelen pro race 23, to gp4000 25s and I hate them with a passion, never had more punctures in my life, horrible ride, horrible noise,no clearance (not really the tyres fault) just generally horrible. cant wait for them to wear out so I can get back to some 23s. they are on my Canyon CFSL pro
That doesn't sound great. To be fair I've run GP4000's for years, so its only the size that is different.
Given the third world state of many of the lanes I have to cycle on, to avoid traffic on A and B roads, I use 28mm tyres at 90-95psi. Can't imagine wanting to use anything less TBH.
Often tyres differ in width from the rated size anyway - my 28s are actually around 25mm wide and the 35s on my winter bike are actually only 28 wide.
The profile depth is another factor and a narrower rim will reduce the apparent width of the tyre while also increasing the profile.
Often tyres differ in width from the rated size anyway - my 28s are actually around 25mm wide and the 35s on my winter bike are actually only 28 wide.
The profile depth is another factor and a narrower rim will reduce the apparent width of the tyre while also increasing the profile.
I ran 23mm Vittoria Rubino Pro at around 110-120psi which I thought were perfect, albeit a bit bumpy and hard sometimes.
I then got a new bike, thought it came with 23mm tyres, road it a lot and then realised it was actually on 25mm!
Never been back now - 25mm all the way at about 110
Cheers, Griff
I then got a new bike, thought it came with 23mm tyres, road it a lot and then realised it was actually on 25mm!
Never been back now - 25mm all the way at about 110
Cheers, Griff
25mm GP4000's on both bikes. Used to run 23mm and had loads of punctures ... plenty of flint on the roads where I ride. Switched to 25mm and run them at 80 - 90 psi and have had one puncture in about 18 months and 8000 ish miles.
Better comfort, less punctures, better grip and increase in resistance ... no brainer.
Better comfort, less punctures, better grip and increase in resistance ... no brainer.
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