Originally Posted by
ZHVelo
So I went from 25mm 4000's to 28mm 5000's (with lowering the pressure, too I have to add) and the ride was smoother, more comfortable and I had more grip. I am not an aggressive (or at least not overall aggressive/risky) rider, but in a couple of corners on my first ride I immediately noticed better grip in the corners.
I did the same thing, except I went tubeless with the 5000s.
BTW, the 4000 series all measured 2-3mm wider than stated, while the 5000 seem to be right on (depending on rim width, of course), so the 28mm 5000 is the same size as the 25mm 4000.
As for the original question.. it would be a shame to spend all the money on the bike, and all the time in the saddle, and then go cheap on the tires, which affect ride quality so much. I do like experimenting with tires, but I'm sticking to the popular high end models; Pro One, Fusion 5, GP5000, etc.
CeeDotA: Any reason you're sticking with 23mm tires? Narrow tires are slower and the ride quality is awful compared to wider tires. If you're just going with what's on the bike, then at least consider trying out some 25s. I think you'll be impressed.