New Forks or Narrower Tyre

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 Euge 22 Jun 2020

Good morning all...

I got 700 x 28 tyres to put on my road bike for touring.

However, there is not much clearance on the front forks and I would be concerned about going long distance in case I got a buckle etc.

What would be the best thing to do, get new forks or keep a 23/25 on the front?

Cheers

Euge

cb294 22 Jun 2020
In reply to Euge:

Can't really help with the decision without seeing the bike, but just to add another option: Depending on whether the clearance problems are on the sides or top, a wheel with narrower or wider rim, respectively, may also help gain a few mm.

CB

 Dave B 22 Jun 2020
In reply to Euge:

What do you mean by not much? 

 Siward 22 Jun 2020
In reply to Euge:

I tried that with my road bike and ended up keeping a 25 on the front, 28 at the rear. It works well.

The frame actually has clearance but the Campy brakes severely limit it to a couple of mm at the rear and none at the front. Changing to Shimano would cure that but Shimano on a Campy bike? I think not

cb294 22 Jun 2020
In reply to Siward:

Shimano road gear is the spawn of Satan*! Whoever thought of shifting with the entire, wobbly brake lever and thought, hey, that lookslike a great idea?

Give me Campa for the road or Sram for off road any day!

CB

*at least since the development of integrated brake and shifting levers. The old, 1980s 105 group was indestrcutible and the "arabesque" Dura Ace levers from that time  actually rather stylish!

1
 Siward 22 Jun 2020
In reply to cb294:

'Tis true. More than once riding Shimano I've inadvertently braked whilst trying to change gear, very disconcerting

1
 ianstevens 22 Jun 2020
In reply to Siward:

Sounds like you chaps need some Di2 in your life  

 nniff 22 Jun 2020
In reply to ianstevens:

> Sounds like you chaps need some Di2 in your life  

Or some contemporary Dura-ace and adjust the reach properly - one finger changing and braking, no problem. 

Mind you, I've got one bike with 23mm and one with 25mm tyres.  The 23s drop out fine - but the 25s - it is a bit of a battle getting the tyre past the pads.  I don't think 28 would work at all.

OP Euge 23 Jun 2020
In reply to All:

Thanks all...

I've decided to go with a 25 at the front for now and then look at getting some new carbon forks later.

This seems to be a common solution.

Cheers

Euge

 ianstevens 23 Jun 2020
In reply to Euge:

Before you buy forks, as above - check the brakes - I think this would be the limit rather than the fork itself!

OP Euge 23 Jun 2020
In reply to ianstevens:

> Before you buy forks, as above - check the brakes - I think this would be the limit rather than the fork itself!

Brakes are fine, no issues there...

Cheers

 TobyA 23 Jun 2020
In reply to Euge:

I went for 25s to replace 23s on my road bike 6 years ago. They seemed oddly fat then. Now I do most of my riding on a gravelbike with 38 mm tires, and have a mountain bike with a 3 inch front tire, they look amusingly narrow! I bought Schwalbe Durano Plus and have been very happy with them. Don't think I've punctured since getting them. I bought them on the basis I had used Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires for years previous to that on my hybrid and later CX commuters and never punctured. 

You can buy 25 mm Marathon Plus https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/schwalbe-marathon-plus-road-tyre-smart-... which would probably be good for touring - riding smooth gravel I don't imagine would bother them in the slightest. But the 25 mm Duranos are on sale at CRC currently too. https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/schwalbe-durano-plus-twinskin-folding-t...

OP Euge 24 Jun 2020
In reply to TobyA:

Cheers... 

Great recommendations.

Thanks

Euge

 ianstevens 24 Jun 2020
In reply to Euge:

Fair enough - I believe you, was just finding it difficult to visualise!

 Dan Arkle 24 Jun 2020
In reply to Euge:

I had a similar dilemma, and in the end decided to squeeze 30mm tires in and keep a spoke key on me.

I'm pretty happy with it, as I put comfort first for long days out. However I am aware I could end up having a very bad day at some point! 

OP Euge 24 Jun 2020
In reply to Dan Arkle:

> I had a similar dilemma, and in the end decided to squeeze 30mm tires in and keep a spoke key on me.

I'm rubbish at adjusting spokes, always make it worse.

Euge

 Basemetal 24 Jun 2020
In reply to nniff:

> - but the 25s - it is a bit of a battle getting the tyre past the pads.  I don't think 28 would work at all.

Just undo a pad if the cable QR doesn't give you enough room?

 nniff 24 Jun 2020
In reply to Basemetal:

> Just undo a pad if the cable QR doesn't give you enough room?

Sure - but at the side of the road that's a PITA, and there is a Law that says that 'Small screws removed at the roadside will be dropped and lost'.  Some call it Murphy's Law.  There is of course, O'Reilly's Observation on Murphy's Law which is, "Murphy was an optimist."

OP Euge 24 Jun 2020
In reply to nniff:

> Mind you, I've got one bike with 23mm and one with 25mm tyres.  The 23s drop out fine - but the 25s - it is a bit of a battle getting the tyre past the pads.  I don't think 28 would work at all.

Normally the tyre is flat when removing so not too much of an issue getting past the pads

Euge

 nniff 24 Jun 2020
In reply to Euge:

> Normally the tyre is flat when removing so not too much of an issue getting past the pads

Indeed - but I'm told that it's good practice to fix a puncture and make it fat again. I suppose one could inflate it once it's fitted, but I spy scope for f****wittery, badly aligned CO2 inflators, partially-inflated wonky tyres and frozen fingers.  Probably the way to do it though.  Or those new-fangled disc brakes (which is bike industry code for 'a new bike')

OP Euge 08 Jul 2020
In reply to TobyA:

> You can buy 25 mm Marathon Plus https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/schwalbe-marathon-plus-road-tyre-smart-... which would probably be good for touring - riding smooth gravel I don't imagine would bother them in the slightest. 

Just ordered, thank you.

Cheers

Eugene

 TobyA 08 Jul 2020
In reply to Euge:

> Just ordered, thank you.

Hope you like them because they appear to be made of a clever mix of diamond and unobtanium and never, ever wear out. Expect to need to replace them a little bit before the expanding sun envelopes the earth.

 malk 08 Jul 2020
In reply to TobyA:

that's why i went for the lighter/cheaper green guard with lower rolling resistance


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