28mm winter road bike tyres?

I have never been north of 25mm on my road bike, for years I have used Conti GP5000 tubed and they seem fantastic, I have about a puncture a year or when the tyres start to get old (now).  I was thinking of trying 28’s, and thoughts out there?

28s all the way.  GP5000 are good, I’ve got the AS version for winter.  Better wet grip, more puncture resistance, about 60g heavier and 4 watts slower if that stuff bothers you more than pumping up tyres ;)  If it does the standard versions are fine.

With tubes, have a look at the GP5000 standard, 28mm and TPU tubes.

Vittoria Corsa N.ext are worth a look too – I’m running them tubeless after getting fed up with the fight to fit GP5000s, but obvs ye olde tubed versions are available.

28mm in summer and 32mm in winter, more rubber on the road more grip.

I’ve been using Conti 4 seasons for commuting for about 5 years now. I used to swap them out for GP somethings in the summer but haven’t bothered since before covid and just pedal a bit harder.

Ha I did the opposite!  I used to use 4seasons and when the clocks went fwd I would go GP4/5k, now I just leave GP’s on, if they are not too old they last the same and I dont get any more punctures IMO

I always used gp4000s all year round in 25c. Changed bike that has more clearance so I went for 30c – which I don’t feel are much bigger than the 25c gp4000. Thinking I could have gone for 32c really. More comfy and I don’t feel the bike is any slower really.

Ended up with 28c to fit under guards here, cheap and cheerful lifeline commuters for now, and I’ve got some older Rubino in the spares box for when those wear out.

I did use GP4 seasons for a bit and yes I have used gatorskins (may still be a couple in the Garage somewhere) but I’m done with Continental tyres now, even if the GP5000 is the bestest thing ever generally their tyres are expensive and a bastard to fit.

Not sure I see the point in using the priciest best rolling tyres for winter, but I would go as wide as you can, and as easy to fit as possible (all IMO of course)…

I was thinking of trying 28’s, and thoughts out there?

What’s the biggest you can get under the guards?
Get that size.
My winter bike is on 28’s (i’ve not used it much recently though) and i’ll go bigger next time. As big as i can, probably only 30 ish though (rim brakes and guards)

Not sure which rims you are using, but I’ve never fitted nor removed a GP4000/5000 with anything other than my hands. All non tubeless. Widths from 21 to 25c. Rims manky Mavic 19 mm internal (Open Pro, CXP33), but also some carbon Giant rims and some clincher HED3s.

Will try some 28 or 30’s after the shocker club ride on Tuesday, having been spoilt on 25c over a week in Mallorca.

I’ve also ridden Gatorskins and gave them away. I’d rather ride nice rubber all year. 

The last dedicated winter/wet tyres I had were Conti Grand Prix GT and they were superb – very grippy and supple with a bit more protection (and cheaper) than the 4000s.

Would recommend them if yr using tubes.

I run 30/28 mm GP5000s on my winter bike and have done for the last few years. Work fine with latex tubes, get very few punctures (maybe one over the whole of winter).

I’m running Pirelli Cinturato Velo TLR on my winter bike.

My thinking was that I’m restricted to 26mm so if I wanted to run lower pressures for grip I should probably go tubeless. As I still have to run higher pressures (70-75psi) I was worried about punctures not sealing, but the Pirellis have a thicker tread on them than average so I figured less chance of punctures on the tread.

So far so good, they installed easily, roll nicely, don’t appear to lose any pressure (not that I’m bothered by topping up pressures) and feel reassuringly grippy.

Whatever wire bead Vittorias are on offer for my winter bike here. No point in spending $$$ IMO, and however cheap you go you can guarantee they won’t be as bad as Gatorskins.

Rubino pro tlr, 30mm on the disc bike and 28mm on the rim brake bike. Cheap, durable, reasonable grip and not too draggy. I use Corsa Next in the summer.

I use Panaracer Gravelkings – the puncture protection is brilliant and the grip is good in the wet.

Before retiring, I was using 32mm Gatorskins.

Very nice to ride on compared to the wooden 28mm version, probably as nice as the 28mm GP4000 I had as a summer tyre

All this talk of tractor tyres on road bikes is making me come out in Hives.

Can’t get much more than 25c on my classic road bikes – 28c way too tall. The CX bike isn’t much slower on 38c knobblies, but that has 28C spare tyres/wheels for road. Fat tyres on fat modern bikes looks OK though.

Pirelli Velo Cintauro 28’s for me.  Seem to be very stick yet smooth in the wet.  Comfy too. 

not changing = keep the same tyres on all year. 

Update… Fitted some GP5000’s in 30c to my Mavic CXP33 rims. Went for a 95k ride over the Chilterns. I won’t say it was night and day better over the 25c’s but comfort did seem better. At only £44 each plus a further £9 for a latex tube (Sigma Sports have tubed GP5000’s on offer and I have bought six in various widths from 23-30 over the past four weeks), running them at 5 bar, I’m pleased. I can’t comment on relative speed as the wheels are on a different bike. These have replaced the G-One Speeds, and the best part is no digits or levers were broken in their mounting. Will ride them all winter.

I’m pleased, but still adjusting too the look! These wheels are on a titanium cross gravel bike with huge clearance and mini-V brakes. I have not yet tested whether they will fit under the Defy Advanced SL Dura Ace dual pivot callipers, nor the Propel (although 28c do fit that frame. They won’t go under the PDW guards on my fixed wheel commuter though. They are my winter/training/non-carbon wheels. Best wheels are all 25c.

For reference, roads on my loop are worse than the very worst roads I rode in Mallorca two weeks ago in 25c’s with the same latex tubes and run at 6bar. Covered 800km with no issues whatsoever and fine comfort, 23c would also have been fine.

Is it just me that thinks that GP5000s are made of cheese? Put a set on in spring and have hade so many small holes that have spaffed everywhere, I’ve lost count. Riding the same roads and conditions that I usually ride, seem really vulnerable to small flints/grit. With that in mind, I struggle to recommend them. They’re also a total bastard to get on and off.

I usually run Vittoria Corsa’s (Cotton tubeless versions) on the carbon wheels and Corsa-controls on the winter wheels. Both feel better, more comfortable and much more durable (including the summer ones) with no real downsides. Incredible grip too, the tubeless equivalent of a cotton tyre and latex tube Also, if you’re running 25mm GP5000s, a 25mm Corsa will look/feel more like a 28mm.

In conclusion, I’d probably buy 25mm Corsa Controls and run them all year in your position

They’re also a total bastard to get on and off.

That’s your rims, I have them on two road bikes and can just use my thumbs.

Also find they last very well.

25mm GP5000s, a 25mm Corsa will look/feel more like a 28mm.

Well between the G-One Speeds and the GP5000’s I ran 25c Corsas. Had a puncture on my commute last week#. I found previously they delaminated and shed their tread from the carcass over time. I also have a grey sidewalled pair on the race bike, but that gets treated to nice circuits and no winter roads. Widthwise they look the same as the GP5000’s on my rims. Newer ones are better and more robust I believe, but the first batches were awful. My all-time favourite tyre was the old Corsa Evo CX and I still have two tubs on carbon wheels. I also liked the winter version, which I raced in miserable conditions.

#The Corsas are so loose on CXP33 rims, that it failed to seat properly when I replaced the tube, them promptly blew a slit and off the rim when I gently added CO2. Wasn’t a good outcome! The tubed not tubeless GP5000’s are a joy to mount on every rim I have (mainly Mavic but also some wider Giant carbon).

Well between the G-One Speeds and the GP5000’s I ran 25c Corsas. Had a puncture on my commute last week#. I found previously they delaminated and shed their tread from the carcass over time.

I had a set delaminate from the carcass, but they were about 6000km old by that point and had been left flat on the carbon wheels and a bit damp over winter, so I kind of felt that was fair enough. I wondered whether as the sealent degrades, whether it affects the glue as I never had that issue with the tubed versions and I’ve an old Open Pave on a spare wheels that’s still prefect and its >6 years old.
I’d forgotten about the G-one speeds, never ran a set but used 35mm G-ones for commuting and and gravel and they were great.
Interesting on the mounting, I’ve had issues with Gp4000s and tubeless GP5000s on Mavic Askiums, Shimano C24s, and now Scribe Carbon 50s and 365 Alus. The new ones, although tight, do seal easily.

My original Corsas were all tubed and I think it was just dampness that led to delamination of the tread. Didn’t have the same from the Corsa Speeds (what a fast tyre). Open Paves were such good tyres, with latex tubes. I used to wear them out over a winter season of racing. I have an Axium and several Ksyrium wheels in the garage. I’ll see how the tubed GP5000’s mount. Ultimately in winter, you really don’t want to be stood at the side of the road fighting to remove any tyre. That’s why the G-One Speeds have gone. Been there have the broken thumbs and hypothermia. And sealant stains :D