Road tires typically come in width sizes of 23mm and 25mm, but going even higher gives you more traction, resistance to flats, and better shock absorption hence a comfortable ride. However, this presents a conundrum of whether a fatter tire will fit my roadie, so I endeavored to find out, can I put 28mm tires on my road bike?
28mm tires can fit most road bicycle frames because they have extra clearance. Generally, touring and cyclocross bikes are made to accommodate broader tires. On the flip side, you will be better off using 25mm or 23mm tires if you are a recreational cyclist.
You are likely using the narrower tires your road bike came in, but if you are considering replacing them, consider the 28mm. Find out why in this post.
Are 28mm Tires Good For Road Bike?
When you ask yourself, can I put 28mm tires on my bike? You ought to also question if doing so is a good move. This is besides ensuring you have extra clearance on your bike frame, rims, and fork, of course.
Road cyclists used to ride on 23mm tires, then switched to 25mm. However, that also changed to 28mm as more cyclists desired to ride comfortably and longer on different terrains, including off-roads.
Currently, 28mm tires fit into most modern road bicycle frames that have short-reach rim brakes.
Benefits Of Using 28mm Tires on Road Bike
Below are the reasons why 28mm tires are excellent for your road bike.
1. Comfort
You deserve to feel comfortable while out riding your bicycle, whether you are on your daily commute, relaxing ride, or out racing with your mates. Anything that makes you comfortable behind the saddle will undoubtedly be good, especially if you ride longer hours/ distance or a weekend warrior who’s is not used to brutal cycling.
Wider tires can run on lower air pressure without suffering punctures caused by rim pinches and provide an extended cushion. Therefore, you will feel comfortable riding your roadie on 28mm tires than 25mm or 23mm.
With 28mm tires, you get more rubber, a wider supple casing, and a substantial air volume. This translates to lowered vibrations to your hands via the handlebars, saddle soreness, and a remarkable increase in comfort.
2. Better Handling
Wider tires have a larger contact with the ground compared to thinner tires because of their more oversized casing. In addition, due to their reduced air pressure, the casing can easily deform when maneuvering a corner aggressively.
28mm tires can grip to road vibrations and irregularities more effectively, letting you make a sharp corner with minimal chances of dropping your bicycle.
With better handling, you can ride your roadie with confidence and have better overall control of your bicycle.
With the help of sealants, tubeless tires seal to the airtight rims, providing increased grip without raising the bike’s susceptibility to punctures. The sealant also heals any potential punctures and breaches.
Tubeless tires also save weight, making your road bicycle lighter and allowing you to ride faster.
3. Rolling Resistance
Most of us have always believed that wider tires generate more resistance, making the bike slower and compel the rider to use more energy to make it move. This is why most cyclists tend to go for narrower tires that hold higher PSI.
However, wider, bigger volume tires produce less resistance compared to their narrower counterparts with higher pressure. This means a 28mm tire has lower rolling resistance than a 25mm tire, and this is true even at a lower air pressure, which wider tires can support.
Due to lower rolling resistance, your ride can still go fast on 28mm tires.
4. Aerodynamics
When it comes to aerodynamics, things become slightly complicated. While narrow tires have a tinnier frontal area, it is better to consider the rim and tire rather than only the tire when examining aerodynamics.
Today, manufacturers generally produce wider wheel rims partly to cater to the increasing trend towards using wider tires in competitive road racing.
Wider rims help to reattach separated airflow to the bike’s rims and give large-diameter tires superior mechanical support.
If you fit a 25mm tire on most narrow rims, you will get an ice cream effect, meaning a massive bulge of the tire sitting on a skinny rim cone. The mismatch makes your bike less aerodynamic.
Consequently, wider rims are explicitly made for wider tires, making these components function together aerodynamically. For instance, the airflow separated by the broader tires reattach more efficiently to wider rims than narrow ones, reducing drag.
If not for any of the above reasons, upgrade to 28mm tires because they are fast and will fit into even more newer bicycles over the coming years as manufacturers broaden their disc brakes bike ranges.
When shopping for 28mm tires for your road bike, consider Continental Gatorskin Bike Tire (amazon link) with duraskin sidewall and puncture protection. It resists foreign bodies without interfering with the rolling resistance and comes in folding and wire bead versions in numerous tire sizes.
How Much Psi Do I Need For 700x28c?
In the past, you’d merely pump your bike tires to the maximum air pressure they could hold and hope for the best. However, using the recommended air pressure is essential because it influences your bike’s comfort and performance.
While manufacturers typically indicate the recommended pressure on the sidewall, no further guidance is provided.
Your tires pressure needs to be high enough to lower tire deformation-related energy losses and provide stable handling in corners. In contrast, it should also be low to provide proper shock absorption instead of bouncing over road imperfections and offer a comfortable ride.
Fundamentally, the optimal tire pressure is influenced by the tire size, weight distribution, and system weight (the cyclist makes up most of this weight). In addition, road conditions, temperature and weather, tire construction, and tire type (tubeless and tubular also contribute.
1. The Tire Size
Knowing your tire size is crucial when determining how much pressure your roadie requires. While most tires are labeled with specific sizes like 700x28c, a given tire’s true inflated size depends on the heel’s internal rim width and the tire design.
Most modern road bike tires have an internal rim width of about 19mm. Therefore, a broader internal width rim will likely raise the measured tire width when pumped to a given PSI and vice versa.
2. Road Conditions
High-pressure tires go faster on smooth roads but slow you down and raise the road vibrations on imperfect surfaces.
Switching to bigger tires like 28mm on rough roads allows you to fine-tune the tire pressure to achieve more comfort, control, and reduced rolling resistance.
3. Weight Distribution And System Weight
Your weight, luggage, and the bike’s weight count when determining the ideal tire pressure your road bike needs. For instance, heavier cyclists require higher tire pressure than lighter riders.
Additionally, your weight will not be distributed evenly on your roadie’s wheels, with the distribution varying for each rider, based on the bicycle and riding position. However, the rear wheel usually takes more weight; hence it should have more PSI than the front wheel.
4. Temperature and Weather
Reduce your bike’s air pressure by about 5 PSIs on each tire when riding in wet conditions to increase the tires’ contact area with the ground for better grip.
Consequently, don’t overinflate the tires when riding in heat because high temperatures can raise the tire pressure.
5. Tire Construction
The construction methods and materials employed by a manufacturer also influence the optimum pressure.
Summer or racing road bicycle tires tend to be fitted with casings that utilize more cotton threads or thinner nylon and a thin rubber tread layer. This allows them to easily deform under pressure, translating to faster and smoother rides.
On the other hand, winter road bicycle tires usually have more durable, stiffer casings with minimal, thicker nylon threads. Lower the tire pressure when cycling in winter for better grip and comfort.
6. Tire Type
Tubeless bike tires let you safely use lower pressures without running a flat tire because they lack inner tubes. Tubeless tires can work better for a roadie with larger tires because they will improve your grip.
The recommended tire pressure varies with the manufacturer. Below is what Pirelli recommends for its 28mm TLR tubeless road tires based on the rider’s weight.
| 700x28c Tire On A 19mm Rim | |
| Rider Weight | Recommended Pressure |
| ≤ 110lb (≤ 50kg) | 65 pis / 4.5bar |
| 112-126lb (51-57kg) | 70psi / 4.8bar |
| 128-143lb (58-65kg) | 75psi / 5.2bar |
| 145-161lb (66-73kg) | 80psi / 5.5ba |
| 163-179lb (74-81kg) | 85psi / 5.9bar |
| 181-194lb (82-88kg) | 90psi / 6.2bar |
| ≤ 196lb (≥ 89kg) | 95psi / 6.6bar |
| ≤ 212lb (≥ 96kg) | 100psi / 6.9bar |
FAQs
1. Do Pro Cyclists Use 28mm Tires?
Wider tires have become popular among professional riders, with most using 25mm tires while others go even higher to 28mm. This is a significant change from 21mm or narrower, that many racers used in the past.
2. Are 25mm Or 28mm Tyres Better?
28mm tires are better if you ride on smooth paved roads because they will be faster. However, 28mm tires are more comfortable, stable when cornering, lower rolling resistance, and offer better handling.
3. Are 28mm Tires Good?
28mm tires are good because they are comfortable because they can function on lower pressure, aerodynamic, generate less resistance, helping you ride faster, and offer better handling.
Conclusion
So, can I put 28mm on my road bike? 28mm tires evidently work well for road bikes, and they may even be a better option than their narrower counterparts.
You can fit 28mm tires into your road bike, dropping the tire pressure, which then makes you ride comfortably, faster, and have better control of your bicycle. However, remember this is only possible if your bike has wide enough rims to accommodate the tires.
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