Does anyone go back to skinnier tires?

[Michael Morrissey]

Hi everyone,

I'm riding my Appaloosa with 29x2.0" tires (aka 700 by 50mm), and after doing the Five Boro Bike Tour, I was thinking about going to skinnier tires. But, I'm not sure about it. I enjoy the comfort and ability to hop curbs that comes with the current tire size. 

Has anyone here gone back to, let's say 700x35 tires on their bike instead of the big 2" tires? Let's assume I have one bike and I bike 15 miles everyday in the city.

Michael

[Mathias Steiner]

>> 15 miles everyday in the city.

It's more the in-the-city part... When there's glass in the mix, you want Schwalbe Marathons, and when you run those, you don't want to go big and low pressure because the rolling resistance gets ugly.

My preferred city riding tires, still decent on gravel, still OK on potholes etc., are the 700x35 C/37-622 size... you tell me if they're supposed to be35 or 37 mm wide, but they measure right at 35. They're glass proof and still pretty fast.

[Piaw Na]

I tried 700x32s for a while and didn't like what it did to my bike's handling so I switched back to 700x28. The problem with the 700x32 size is that Michelin doesn't make good tires in that size. Continental does, but I've had very bad luck with their sidewalls failing. Rene Herse tires are way too expensive. Michelin Power Cup 28mm tires are $33/pop from Europe and survive all the abuse I can throw on them.

On the tandem, I'm not so sensitive about handling (all trucks handle like crap, so why nit pick), so I'm now running 700x35. In that size there's pretty much no choice except Rene Herse so I grit my teeth and pay the price.

[Bill Lindsay]

I think you should absolutely give skinnier tires a try and see what you think.  If you hate it, switch back.  Like Piaw, I will liberally try whatever I feel like trying, and if I hate it I will gladly switch to the next thing.  I have lots of tires on hand and will switch out a bike any time I feel like switching it out.  Just guessing, I would expect 35s on an Appaloosa might feel a little weird, but maybe it would be OK.  My stock Roaduno wheels have 43s and my alternate wheels have 35s and that works fine.  The Appaloosa only has 2mm less BB drop than the Roaduno.  

My Romulus sings with 26-32mm tires, and I hated how it handled with 38s.  I probably only rode it like 500 feet with 38s and knew that I'd run skinny tires and fenders.  The point is: try it and see what you think. Trying stuff is a way to get more fun out of cycling.  

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

On Friday, May 9, 2025 at 8:09:41 AM UTC-7 Michael Morrissey wrote:

[Patrick Moore]

I haven’t “gone back” to skinnier tires on my favorite 1999 custom road fixed gear Rivendell, but I have chosen to use Rene Herse’s superlatively smooth and fast-rolling 559 X 27 mm (actual on my narrow rims; 32 mm labeled) Elk Passes  instead of the 42 cm (39 actual) Naches Passes because the bike just feels more nimble besides seeming to roll with less effort. By this last I mean that consistently over the same terrain in the same conditions in the same gear at the same cadences the 1999 seems easier to pedal with the EPs versus the NPs.

I think I’d certainly notice a difference at least on a good road bike between 2” tires and 35s, and if I had your question, I’d answer it by having 2 wheelsets, one for 50s and one for 35s, with appropriate gearing.

That said, I have no idea if an Appaloosa would handle nicely with 35s. I do recall how badly my road-ified (drop bars, road gearing, road tires) early ‘90s mountain bikes handled with 559 X 23 mm Specialized Turbos, otherwise very nice tires indeed despite their width that rolled very well and were suprisingly smooth on pavement. 

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[Ben Miller]

I recently went from 55 to 45 mm tyres on my Hunq, so I could run the new 2025 GK's in Cranberry. I'll be running those til Ultradynamico makes their Mars 700's in red!

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned yet, is that the copy for the Joe on the Riv site it says: "Ideal for tires between 1.5-inches and 2.2-inches" which is 38mm at the low end. Might want to shoot for something more like 700x40's to be on the safe side. And there are a lot of great tyres in that size!

[John at Rivendell]

No. 

[Nick A.]

I started out with 700x42 Soma Supple Vitesse tires on my Atlantis (probably closer to 40mm). It wasn't until trying a set of 700x50 Soma Cazaderos that I realized I didn't like the handling with the 42s. Seemed like the Atlantis "wanted" a bigger tire. I found a sweet spot in the Gravelking Slick 700x43 (45mm actual), probably my favorite tires to date for mostly paved riding.

[Steve]

My experience with a Platypus echos Nick's impression that his Atlantis "wanted" a bigger tire. I've run the 650b Platy with 38s, 42s, and now currently with a pair of WTB Byway 47s. 

With the 47s I feel like I've hit the sweet spot for the Platypus.  I'll add the suggestion that the "best" tire size for any given bike is likely influenced by where and how the bike is ridden. I've been using the Platy for mixed surface riding;  chunky gravel, non-technical trails and pavement - generally at a fairly relaxed pace.   (Incidentally, a 650b x 47 tire is about the same diameter as a 700c x 31mm)

Steve in AVL

[John Dewey]

Mr. Silca, aka Josh Poertner, was the Cervello team techie before he created those beautiful Silca track pumps. He’s a bright interesting fellow, quite knowledgeable. 

He says keep lowering pressure until you to get to the low-pressure limit for your tires and weight and when you get to that point you’ll have the potential to reach your maximum pace. 

I have a good riding pal who years ago raved about his 19mm tires. When we thought skinny was fastest. Ouch!!!

Now maybe that’s true for a wooden velodrome, but thank goodness no longer the recipe for our bombed-out roads. 

Jock

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[DavidP]

My RoadUno has ~41mm tires and fenders. It's fantastic for mostly paved riding that I used it for.

My "go fast" (non-Riv) road bike has 33mm tires and fenders. It's nice when I want a zippy, connected feeling (more road feedback).

I'd echo the sentiment that certain bikes do seem to have tire widths that suit them best.

-Dave

[Peter Bridge]

Because you have very specific circumstances, and one bike, I think the real question is, has anybody in my specific circumstances switched back? 

I live in the country and I ride road bikes for pleasure/sport. I went to 42, pulled back to 38 (only one of my bikes would clear those), and ended up with Grand Bois 30.

The specific bike and the riding position affect this decision. I like fatter tires on an upright bike, and skinnier tires on a drop bar bike. My Rivendell All-Rounder has 26x2.3.

~pb

On Friday, May 9, 2025 at 8:09:41 AM UTC-7 Michael Morrissey wrote:

[Will Boericke]

If I'm riding on pavement for more than 2 hours, at my weight I don't want more than 28mm tires.  Or at least this is what I tell myself to justify the number of bikes I have ...

Will

[Chris Halasz]

I think I'm with Will Boericke. I tried a number of bikes and tires the last few years, and during that same time my riding migrated to two to three hour group rides, everybody else on all carbon. 

Tried to tell myself how much I liked the larger tires, or that they were faster. but ... I've gone from a brief extreme of 700x55 Rene Herse whatever-they-were-called slicks, to my overwhelmingly preferred 28mm tires. Continental GP5000s, to be exact. I fly up hills. Long hills. Memories of my RB-1. 

Now I'm on the lookout for nice 58-62cm steel frame to match! 

What brought all this on? Last year's pesky sub-$200 bike challenge, and a NOS $140 Aluxx Giant Defy 5. Sweet clunker, but I'd love to be on Ritchey, or Black Mountain, or Waterford, Gunnar, Soma, Roadini? 

- Chris 

[Nick Payne]

I road-raced for over 30 years, but these days I don't have any bikes with tyres narrower than a nominal 32mm, and most of them are rather larger than that. I sometimes take my Appaloosa with 55m tyres (RH front, Marathon Almotion rear) out on bunch training rides where virtually everyone else is on C-F road bikes. I lose something on the hills, because the bike weighs 15Kg rather than the 8Kg under most other riders, but other than that, the handicap is very little. I do most of my riding on a Ti frame / steel fork machine with Hutchinson Confrérie des 650B tyres, which are a nominal 32mm but actually measure ~33mm.

Nick Payne

[Brent Eastman]

Tire sizes on my Sam Hillborne over the years.

2021 - 38 (with fenders)

2022 - 42

2023 - 47

2024 - 40 (with fenders)

2025 - 50

never found any reason to size down

[Earl Grey]

In a word, as of 3 weeks ago, yes. 

When I got my Sam in 2009 I ordered it with Jack Browns (33mm). For the last few years it’s been running on RH EL 44mm (~40mm actual), and occasionally 48mm. But I recently bought a Lynskey and put 35mm RH ELs on it, and an RB-1 with 30mm (actual) Grand Bois. I like both quite a bit, and now the Sam feels like riding a hammock. Not entirely unpleasant, but I agree with the disconnected comment. To be fair, it’s also got a Berthoud leather saddle with the cutout, which probably contributes to the hammock feeling. Need to try it with a firmer saddle for a fair comparison, but I see a point in having a bike with 28-35mm tires that is designed for them.

Here is the RB-1 with 30mm GB. Took it for a 42km ride yesterday and it was a real joy.

Gernot

[Jason Fuller]

I know people who don't like the feel of wider tires but I can't understand it. The narrowest tire I'm interested in running these days is 40mm and even then I don't think the trade off makes sense. If I were racing, or trying to hang with fitter riders than I on club rides, maybe.  I had been running the Sam as my drop bar bike with Babyshoe Pass or Pumpkin Ridge (both measuring around 40mm) but recently swapped the drop bars to my Bombadil on 48mm tires and the difference is significant in terms of how I can ride the bike (ie hopping curbs, hitting sections of rooty or rocky trail, or bad pavement) but negligible in terms of how fast I am going. The payoff is clear for me. Above 48mm I think there are quickly diminishing returns though, particularly because running any lower pressure (I run my 48mm around 28-30 psi) will result in poor feel on pavement anyway. 

Definitely agree with trying things out as the opportunities present themselves, but don't fall prey to this idea that you need narrow tires to be fast on pavement.  

[Dwain Weary]

I just took a ride on some 32's (Schwinn), a bit jarring for my undercarriage on poor roads.

I have 40mm contact urban's on my Homer which are perfect, but I think 35's are a great semi-skinny compromise.

On Friday, May 9, 2025 at 2:38:12 PM UTC-7 Ben Miller wrote:

[Patrick Moore]

I think that certain frames handle and “feel” better with narrower tires. As I described earlier, my 1999 Riv Road custom handles more nimbly and at least “feels” easier to pedal — to maintain a given cadence in a given gear in given conditions — with 175 gram 28 mm Elk Pass tires than with the also excellent 300 gram 42 mm Naches Pass ELs. The NPs “mute” the handling and “feel” hard to accelerate and even to maintain steady state speed — over and over again during the 25 years I’ve owned the Riv, it has just seemed more nimble and easier to push a given gear than with other bikes.

So many things come together to create such sensations, but the sensations have been consistent over the years.

[Patrick Moore]

… feel harder …

The NPs roll very nicely and the Riv and the Matthews clone both handle nicely when shod with them; it’s just that the Elk Passes go above and beyond, somehow, on both bikes.

On Mon, May 12, 2025 at 12:54 PM Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:

… The NPs “mute” the handling and “feel” hard to accelerate and even to maintain steady state speed — over and over again during the 25 years I’ve owned the Riv, it has just seemed more nimble and easier to push a given gear than with other bikes

[Will Boericke]

Skinny tires certainly bring home the difference between supple and non-supple, as well as the importance of setting tire pressure appropriately.  Larger tires are more forgiving on both fronts, IMO.

Will

[Bill Lindsay]

"my 1999 Riv Road custom handles more nimbly and at least “feels” easier to pedal — to maintain a given cadence in a given gear in given conditions — with 175 gram 28 mm Elk Pass tires than with the also excellent 300 gram 42 mm Naches Pass ELs. The NPs “mute” the handling and “feel” hard to accelerate and even to maintain steady state speed — over and over again during the 25 years"

I'm always impressed by Patrick Moore's efficiency.  Here he is giving us a 25 year ride report on Elk Pass tires and Natches Pass tires.  For the rest of us, a 25 year ride report would take....25 years to gather the impressions.  Not so for Patrick Moore.  He's got 25 years of riding in on the Elk Pass (introduced in 2015) and another 25 years on the Natches Pass (introduced in 2020).  Beat that!  The Corkscrew Climb semi-slick came out last year.  Somebody get busy and ride that tire for 25 years, and tell me how it does.  Ride it for 25 years, and do it quickly!

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Patrick Moore]

IME, having extensively ridden top-quality tires in widths from 22 mm (actual, on my rims) to 73 mm, it’s fat tires that are more sensitive as to handling and cushioning to small pressure differences.

Instances: my 27-28 mm Elk Pass (extralight tires at 175 grams) feel fine at pressure from 60 psi (the max I use) down to just above 40 psi, and on several occasions I’ve not noticed any difference in rolling efficiency or smoothness after a puncture until the pressure dropped down close to 20 psi — that is, when the sidewalls compressed in a corner and the bike slipped sideways.

OTOH, the difference in smoothness or cushioning between 25 psi and 18 psi on very light 50 mm tires, let alone ditto 60 mm tires, is very noticeable.

Long ago I rode 559 X 23 mm Specialized Turbos (labeled 26” X 1”) and those were very nice tires indeed despite their excessively narrow width. Even over-inflated to 110 psi the smoothed small irregularities far better than, say, Specialized 35 mm Fatboys overinflated to 80 psi — the Fatboys would skitter in corners over rough pavement. 571 and 559 Michelin Pro Race 23s at 80/90 psi also felt as smooth as 35 mm Kojaks at 50 psi over small amplitude bumps.

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[Patrick Moore]

Sure, Bill.

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[Jason Fuller]

That's an important point, that riding the tire size that the bike was designed around will generally yield best results. It affects a few geometry details, probably most notably trail, and perhaps the tubing selection has these tires in mind too?  

My preference for >40mm tires certainly stems in part from the lack of good road riding around me. If I had windy mountain roads with good pavement here I'd be building a Roadini on 30 - 32mm tires perhaps.  I also neglected to note that my tire preference is specific to 650B wheels; I find bigger than 38mm in 700c to be a bit too unwieldy for my handling preferences. 

[Armand Kizirian]

I'm so surprised to see so many preferring <40mm tires. Once companies like Rene Herse started making nicer tires in wider widths, I have zero desire to go back. Being able to glide through a sections of rough asphalt, or being able to say yes to any fire road, or even singletrack, that crosses your route is a joy. I can speak more but I'm afraid I'm just going to sound like Jan Heine here.

My road bike is a Salsa Vaya, which I had shod with 700x35mm tires once upon a time. Then in 2014 I thought I was so brilliant and innovative fitting a 27.5 wheelset and fitting a 50mm+ tire in there, before the whole gravel or 650b craze that took hold of the bike industry. I've since only ran 48mm tires on that bike, including centuries + randonneur rides. I would not give up the comfort for any semblance of additional speed or weight loss, unless the roads I was riding was truly flawless.

[J S]

I have not, I have found a sweet spot at 42's on my Saluki and although I have 48's for my Hillborne I also use 42's I believe more often. The Hillborne is still in the basement on my rollers as the weather here has been crazy and I am enjoying my Saluki as above.

[Ben Adrian]

I've been enjoying a variety of tire sizes. For a while, I was trying wide on everything. My gravel/all-road bike has two wheelsets, and both have 42-44 tires; one slick and one with tread. My commuter/front basket bike had 38s. High quality, wide tires just feel comfy as hell, even if they don't feel super "sporty."

Somewhere around there I found a good deal on Challenge 700x33 tires, so I put those on my commuter because it made fenders easier to mount. They have been great.

Also along the way I got a mid-reach, steel frame road bike, and I put 35s on it (even though they might be narrower than the 33s due to rim width). It's been excellent. 

I think it's all down to the change in trail that comes with tire size change. Bigger tires feel less nimble. Sometimes that awesome. On a 200k brevet, when I'm exhausted, I want my bike to have slow, stable steering. It's like it's helping me out when I'm exhausted. On my road bike that I take on shorter group rides, the nimble handling of the 33-35 tires give me a fun, sports-car-like feel.

So yeah, I went back a bit to give distinctive feels to each of my bicycles.

Cheers!

Ben 

[James Poulson]

All my bikes are shod with the widest tire I can fit. No way I would go back to skinner tires unless that is all that is available. 

Fatter tires give more comfort and more capability in both urban decay and rough gravel environments. 

700x44 Herse on the Legolas and Hillborne, 700x38 on the Bridgestone T700, 700x35 on the Paramount. 

If I'm slower than on skinny tires I'm too old to care or notice. :-)

Fatter is Finer in my world!

JP

[Bill Lindsay]

LOL, this is what's funny:  The OP is running 700x50s on an Appaloosa.  The OP is asking about going to skinnier than 50. 

James Poulson says "No!"  I'll never go skinny!  I use FAT 700x35 700x38 and 700x44!

By the OPs definition, all three of JPs bikes have skinny tires.  Do you think you are missing out on something that your Paramount doesn't take 44s?  Do you think you are missing out that your Legolas doesn't take 50s?  Sounds more likely to me that you'd endorse 35, 38, 44 as perfectly fine widths of tires, provided you know how to use them and what to expect from them.  

Bill Lindsay

"too much effin' perspective"

El Cerrito, CA

[James Poulson]

Bill

 I do wish my Paramount could fit that fat a tire. I suspect I am surely missing out on something. Maybe just missing out on a rare and valuable data point of fact. I really hate the potential of missing out on something, even if only for the data. 

I could be missing out that the Legolas doesn't take 50s. Now I am going to have trouble sleeping well tonite. 

The one I could potentially be missing out on hugely is 50s on the Bridgestone. Since with that fat a tire I could have a bonafide adventure bike on my hands instead of just a very comfy & well appointed road/rail trail tourer. :-(

Yes indeed 35,38 and 44 can be perfect if they increase your bike's capabilities, imho. Incidentally the 44s in reality are closer to actual 42s on Pacenti Brevet rims.

Bill are you trying to insinuate that I might need to buy a new bike capable of taking fatter tires?

JP

[Bill Lindsay]

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[Menos Joven]

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I joined this group almost a year ago but still Riv-less. My Serotta Legend Ti fits no wider than 700x23 upfront so no wide tires for me(1% problem) but it still rides fine even on dirt roads.

[Peter Bridge]

Les, just as a data point to keep in your pocket, I changed the fork on my Eriksen to a Whisky, which clears 30 with the same short-reach caliper.

~pb

[Menos Joven]

Thank you Peter. Will do!