I hadn't been paying much attention to road bike technology for the last 12 years or so, being largely happy with the bikes I have. Because I'm heavy, I have been riding 25s for the last 15 years, and because I learned most of I knew about bikes in the late 90s, I pumped them to the max. inflation. This year I start paying attention to road bike tech again, and suddenly my 25s are no longer a source of shame! AND they're overinflated! So, I'm trying different things.
I started out dropping the pressure in the tires on my CF Bianchi by about 10psi, from 110/120 f/r to 100/110. There's a section of my regular ride that was repaved last fall - sounds great, but the bike lane is so rumbly that I had found myself constantly looking for the smoothest strip, where everyone else rides, because of the constant annoying rattle if I don't. First ride with 25s at lower pressure, that was gone. I could still feel the difference between the worst and smoothest part of the shoulder, but it was so muted that I no longer felt compelled to ride in the smooth strip.
Next thing I tried was putting 28s on one of my steel bikes, pumped to 85/95, and rode the same route. This was even better! There are a number of patches of broken up asphalt on the route and instead of avoiding those, I rode right over them, barely noticing. This route is flat-rolling. Tomorrow I'm taking this combo on a longer ride with some climbing and fast, nontechnical descending. I'm curious how it feels compared to what I'm used to!
The acid test will be my Columbus MAX bike. I will have to see if I can squeeze 28s between the ginormous chainstays.....
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"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles