Our local country lanes are pretty rough/bumpy/potholed, and feel a bit battered after a ride. Also, I find my bike (an old Airborne) quite skittish (my inability as much as the bikes fault!) esp on wet rides. Would changing the skinny tyres to some fatter ones help … and any recos of what to look at as I’m road ignorant!

Alternatively, riding a CX on country lanes (relaxed road rides rather than racing) – are they hard work Vs a road bike?

Ta

As a bigger lad I’ve always ridden slightly larger section tyres. 25mm when others were using 23mm. As most of the pros are going to 25s now (mainly for aerodynamics) I went for some 27mm Vittoria EVO Paves this winter. They are a great (if expensive) ride with a gentle file pattern that suits the rough lanes but rolls beautifully. In the summer I’ll stick to the Michelin 25mm Pro 4s as they seem to come up a bit larger anyway.

The 320tpi is a real factor in making the Paves work that much better. Never going back to Gatorskins.

http://www.chickencycles.co.uk/index.php?cat=12&sub=12&ord=0

I ‘m a big fan of paselas or duranos in 28c.

I doubt you’d tell the difference between road and cx on the same tyres …

good stuff – thanks

Our lanes are shocking – gravel and potholes galore. I use 25c durano plus but recently took the mtb instead. Only about 5-10m slower over 20miles and a lot more secure.

I commute with a 28mm gp4season on the rear and a 32mm top touring on the front. Rolls fine and can handle the odd bridleway if I’m in the mood.

Lots round here use 28 in their training bikes. As above tyre will make as much difference as anything else.

Lots of good 28 tyres too. Gp4000s are often mentioned although I haven’t used them.

Depending on clearance you may be able to go fatter still. I use my cx as a winter bike and while I find the 35mm file tread slower than the 23mm it certainly is more comfortable.

Give the Panaracer Gravel Kings a try when they arrive next month. I think they’ll be a 26c version. Looks like a poor mans Pavé, which will only give you four months riding tops before becoming the dearest turbo tyres you ever bought.
25’s on an Airborne (Ti?) shouldn’t be skittish at all.

Schwalbe 25c will be fat enough for even the worst roads. Have ridden Durano Plus and Marathon Plus on roads that have trashed (my) wheels on 23c racing tyres without any problems. Durano Plus are available folding. You may struggle with clearance for 28c and Schwalbe, unlike many other brands appear to come up quite wide.

There’s a lot of assumption that 28s will fit in your frame, they might well not. I run 25s round here on my road bike, but I often ride back lanes on a cross bike with fast-ish 700x34s fitted – semi-slicks basically – particularly at night when I don’t really want to plough through a big pot-hole at 20mph.

During the day, the 25s – GP400S fwiw – are fine if you take reasonable care with your lines, even on pretty grim roads, but at night I like to have a bit of extra cush. My ‘cross bike’ is a heavy, steel thing, maybe 25lb or so and a fair bit slower on hilly stuff, but hey, it’s a ride not a race, right?

I use 25s for my commute when I’m planning on using the forest cycle “roads” as they’re about 30 year old cement paths that are broken up and it’s fine. However that’s on a Cannondale Synapse which is a little more comfort oriented. I’ve tried the same paths on the Chinese carbon fitted with 23s which is pretty stiff and it’s not at all fun.

I reckon a whole new bike is in order. Can you get a koga beach racer and let me know how you get on…

(mainly for aerodynamics)

It’s for rolling resistance, if it was for aero they’d still all be on 20c

Last summer I went for some 25mm Vittoria Rubino Pros for a big ride over a lot of rubbish roads. This was on a cross bike (alu, light and fast enough), so clearance wasn’t an issue, but I didn’t want to go too fat. They’ve been great, enough cushion and volume, but fast rolling and grippy too. If I’d been feeling flush I’d have probably gone for the Paves as noted above, but the Rubinos haven’t given me anything to complain about.

conti 4 seasons 28 were on special offer the other week on probikekit

I always find it amazing how much difference 2mm of road tyre makes. (big, slow and on 25mm conti gator skins for durability and comfort).

umop3pisdn – Member

It’s for rolling resistance, if it was for aero they’d still all be on 20c

Not so it seems

http://inrng.com/2013/04/reinventing-the-wheel-25mm/