bikehoco

I have a low end road bike with 700x23 tires. The ride is somewhat uncomfortable; feel too much vibration and every bump on the road. Can I put on fatter-wider tire to make the ride more comfortable?

PepeM

If your frame has enough clearance, yes.

ridelikeaturtle

Yes. I just did this with an aluminium-framed Bianchi road bike, swapped out 23mm tyres for 25mm. Don't expect any groundbreaking difference, but it can make an improvement.

San Pedro

Get good tires when you do. The first time I had nice tires going from OEM tires I was surprised how much better they rode.

brianmcg123

What make and model of bike?

seedsbelize 

25s will make a noticeable difference. And slightly lower pressure.

HTupolev

Probably. Most road bikes can clear 25mm tires. Check how much space you have around your current tires on the bike's chainstays and brakes. A 25mm tire is theoretically 1mm bigger on each side, but to be on the safe side you should probably ensure you've got a few millimeters everywhere.

Remember that the size gives a plusher ride because the tires will be well-behaved at lower pressures. Set the pressure appropriately, and do not err high.
Also, 23->25 is a pretty small dimension difference. What might be more significant is how good the new tires are. High-quality racing tires are supple, they're flexy and can perform well at relatively low pressures.

bikehoco

I ride a trek 1.1

f4rrest

How much pressure are you pumping into your tires now, and how much do you weigh?

Too high pressure will beat you up for sure.

merlinextraligh

Short reach caliper brakes will work with 28mm tires. If your frame has the clearance, 28mm tires and dropping your tire pressure about 20 lbs would make a big difference.

How much do you weigh, and what pressure are you running now? It's possible that just dropping the pressure on the tires you're using now could make a big difference.

DomaneS5

I had Bontrager 23mm's originally on my Trek 1.1 and upgraded to Gatorskin 25's. There was a noticeable difference in ride quality and comfort for the better. The Gatorskins absorb more road noise than the stock tires did.

I'm 170lbs and run tire pressure between 90-100psi.

truflip

I'm 150lbs and ride 23c's. 80-85PSI on the front and 105-110 in the back. I also use specialized roubaix bar tape. that combo ive found to be the comfiest. I used to ride 95-100psi on the front tire and dropping it 10-15psi made all the difference and no downside from what i can tell.

bikehoco

Does lowering the tire pressure reduce your speed?

big chainring 

I am riding Schwalbe One 28mm tubulars. Totally transformed the ride of my bike. And I can ride them at low pressure 60-70psi if I really want a cushy ride. Very low rolling resistance at any inflation.

Maelochs

if you get silly with it, it might. Otherwise, slightly lower pressure can improve your speed, or rather, lower your rolling resistance, as the tire will slightly deform over bumps instead of rebounding and wasting energy.

popeye

I really surprised there is a worse riding tire than Gatorskins.

ph0rk

I don't know if they ever changed the frame, but it looks like 28s and some 30s will fit. If it were me, I'd put the biggest tire I could fit in there. I'd also air them down - I ride 32c tires at 50psi F/60psi R, and I don't pinch flat (I'm not exactly feather-light, at 165 lbs)

If you go to a shop they'll be able to help you out.

I'd also second the above point about good tires - supple, lightweight tires will ride more comfortably, and they are more pricy. Expect to pay $40-60 per tire for pretty good ones.

DomaneS5

Let the Gatorskin hate flow.

Masque

It's okay. They can take it. They've got a thick skin.

hsuehhwa

Just continue to ride and don't hurt yourself. In addition to installing wider tires, as your core strength and overall fitness improve, you'll be able to distribute your weight more evenly and as needed, and therefore, handle road bumps much better. The saddle is supposed to only support a portion of your overall weight.

canklecat

Ditto, my bike's 700x23 Vittoria Zaffiros, low end tires that aren't noted for low rolling resistance, although they're reasonably durable.

At 120 psi they're tolerable on smooth asphalt. Which is rare in my area. We mostly have chipseal. The jarring is tolerable only at 90-100 psi. It's not any slower, since it's difficult to get up much speed on chipseal anyway. Those tires might be slower on smooth asphalt at 90 psi, but we don't have enough of that to matter.