Why You Need New Tires, NOT A New Bike!

We're willing to bet that many of us ride with bike tires that are too narrow and too hard! You may be pleasantly surprised that the information in this video may help you choose the right option for you when it comes to speed, comfort, and puncture protection on your next ride!

0:00 Welcome
0:19 Tyre choices
0:55 What are we suggesting?
1:31 What is the correct tyre pressure for cycling?
2:32 Optimising tyre choice
3:51 The right tyre width?
5:19 Tyre types for cycling
6:40 Does tyre choice really matter?

Useful Links:

Watch more on GCN Tech...

🎵 Music - licensed by Epidemic Sound 🎵
agat - bomull
Bay Criminal - Dew Of Light
Carpet Shedding - Dylan Sitts
Don't Mind Bacchus - Johan Glossner
El Guapo - Jobii
Smarter - Lukas Got Lucky

#gcntech #gcn #cycling #roadcycling #roadbike #bike #bikes #bikelife #biketech

📸 Photos - © Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Sprint Cycling Agency

Brought to you by the world’s biggest cycling channel, the Global Cycling Network (GCN), GCN Tech is the only channel you need for all things bike tech – past, present and future.

Simply put, we’re obsessed with tech: we seek out and showcase the best in bikes, components, tech, accessories, upgrades and more from races and events, tech shows and product launches across the globe to bring you the best in road bike technology.

We’ve also got great maintenance videos to help you get the most from your bike; pro-bike tours from all the biggest races; special features and the weekly GCN Tech Show. We also take a deeper look into the future of cycling, apps, smart tech and virtual riding.

Join us on the channel and the GCN App to submit your content, vote on the latest tech and keep abreast of exciting new trends.

Thanks to our sponsors:

Watch our sister channels:

[Patch]

Been back on my bike for about a year after a lay off of about 8 years. climbed onto my 23s at 100psi as I’d always done. After watching this I dropped my 28s to 70 and 75. Did 64km yesterday and I’m a convert. So is my backside! My average speed stayed the same too.

[superhell]

Rim brake user here. my bike won't fit 28 mm, 25-26 is max. Previously I pumped my tires indiscriminantly to whatever felt "right", 6-7 bar. On the rougher asphalt it was terrible as my bike is super rigid. I noticed that only after the air escaped a little, bike started to feel great. I do have a 21 mm internal width rims and with either Pirelli PZero (road) or Conti gp5000s I try to run approximately the tire pressure calculated on Silca website for worn pavement. I don't like the mess with sealant so TPU inner tubes and almost no punctures.

[stevemclean]

I was running 28mm a few years ago but, after a huge crash, lost confidence while descending. To gain that confidence back I went wider, then wider, then wider still! I've just ordered some GP5000 AS 35mm wide and am really looking forward to even more grip, comfort, and less wrist and shoulder fatigue on long rides 👍

[mitchpaliga]

32 mm tires on my Giant Contend AR1. I thought at first I was riding on tractor tires, thanks for the validation!

[awhite]

25mm tyres (widest that will fit under my mudguards) at about 90psi, but i ride daily and don’t pump up every day (as it would be a hassle) by the time I add more air it’s usually about 80. Also rather than having a super stiff carbon frame, my steel frame absorbs much of the road bumps. Happy with the same setup I’ve had for 12 years now

[johngannon]

Loved this. My bike came fitted with 25mm so I stayed with them. Now I’m moving to 28mm and the calculator says I can run these roughly 12psi lower and looking forward to the new feel

[MicheleGardini]

I used to ride on 23 mm on my 2008 Synapse (a great absorbing frame), but coming from mtb I knew the benefits from wide tires so I use now 23 in winter for short rides, 25 in spring/autumn for medium distance and 28 in summer for 100 to 250 km rides (upt to 4000+ climb) with some light gravel too. Weighting 64 kgs I can pump 60 psi on 28 mm with better comfort and better control going down.

[goodeggnogg]

Bicycle rolling resistence did an extensive test with all sizes of GP5000's and found that when preasures were adjusted for equal case tension (ride comfort) there was no differene in RR... so it could be argued that wider tires are slower due to extra weight and aero drag.

[swifty]

Old rim bike Trek and max width is 25mm - however lower pressures are great for comfort but with the state of the roads has resulted in more pinch punctures. Gone slightly higher now to avoid this at the cost of some comfort

[matt_acton-varian]

When my wheels and tyres wore out on my winter bike (rim brake) I went from 17mm internal rim width with 23mm tyres (inner tubes - 95psi) to 21mm internal rim width and 25mm tyres (tubeless (70-75psi) - the biggest I can fit in my frame with mudguards - and the difference was unbelievable. Both speed and comfort were hugely improved.

[neilrobinson]

A lot depends on the quality of road surfaces you ride on. I quite happily ride in Switzerland with 23mm tyres at 100 psi on my old rim braked road bike, it's perfectly comfortable. However, for my upcoming trip to Belgium, I'll be taking my gravel bike with wide tyres specifically for the cobbles

[donball]

Switched to 28mm and lowered pressures to 60F 63R. Spot on comfort (55F and 60R proved a little too soft; tyres squirmed a bit on surfaces and bends)

[SorinVBogdan]

Can vouch for this. Riding 30c Vittoria corsa tubeless at 60psi (90kg rider) on 23mm inner width rims. The bike feels fantastic

[sherab]

You've convinced me about this long ago. But there is a caveat to the story. I have a relatively cheap gravel bike, Kross Esker 2.0 MS from 2023. It came with narrow alu rims that are not tubeless-ready (19 mm wide according to specs, though I don't know if this is outer or inner width). I generally knew that tubeless tyres could be ridden with tubes, hence I came up with the idea - I'll buy TPU tubes and good quality tyres to upgrade my machine. Good idea, right? Well...not really. I bought Challenge Getawat 40 mm foldable tyres. Trying to put them on my rims was a nightmare. Struggling long enough I probably would be able to put them on, but them alone - there was no way, to try to put the tubes in there. I can be an example that wanting too much from a budget bike (or rather budget wheels) does not pay off. If some of you, lads, want to upgrade the tyres, make sure you have also proper wheels for the job (or go for lesser quality but easier-to-install tyres).

[ColinKlupiec]

I'm sold. Been riding 28mm for years (largest my bike will fit). But, recently added a gravel bike with 45mm wide tyres. Comfort, and a feeling of being more securely planted on the road (and gravel) is immediately improved. Will likely get a set of 32mm road tyres for the gravel bike as well, for when there's more tarmac than gravel.

[hyttennis]

Used to have 23mm Conti Gatorskins for many years, but now loving my 28mm's, and at 65kg I really be lowering the pressures down from 80 PSI

[HSmasteryoda]

Still rocking 23mm Continental Gatorskin tires on my 2004 Trek Equinox 9 tri bike at 110 psi. Seemed to work great at my Olympic distance triathlon last week

[cd_dubbs]

I switched from an old style narrow box rim with 23mm tires at 130psi to a modern aluminum rim with 28mm higher end tires at 84psi It was amazing how much more comfortable and how much faster my bike was instantly. I’d like to try and fit 30s but with rim brakes the clearance isn’t quite there. As a heavier rider (100kg) the extra width and lower pressure made a huge difference on my aluminum frame that I was ready to move on from purely based on comfort.

[joystation]

When you try running lower pressures for the first time, your bike will handle differently and there will be times when you will think you've got a slow puncture but persevere and you get used to the new set up. You also have to get use to seeing your tyres bulging out slightly more. You do have to be more vigilante in avoiding pot holes, especially if you've got aluminium rims. One benefit of lower pressures that no one mentions is that after getting a puncture, if you're using a mini pump to reinflate your tyre, it doesn't take as long to pump it up as it would've done. Including water bottle, tool bottle, lights and Garmin, my bike weighs in at 9.4 kg, I weigh 68 kg plus my kit and I run my 28mm Pirelli P Zero Race TLR's at 56F 58R psi.

[alexgold]

Bought a cross bike in 2017 and went from 25mm tyres on the I old carbon race bike to 28mm, jumped to tubeless and 32 then 35mm. Now ride a gravel bike on 35s for the road, pressure in the 50s when aiming for comfort and 60, maybe 65 for fast rides. Having also been a chain waxer since 2018, I can say I'm about 5 years ahead of gcn so if anyone wants the inside scoop on 2029 trends, drop me a line 😂