maletero

I just ordered a new CAAD12 (105 w/ rim brakes), which should be arriving next week. I'd like to put 28mm tires on it. The guys at the shop say it'll be fine, but in my internet searching, I've seen some reports that 28s will rub on the back chainstays. I've seen pictures/videos of 28s that fit when the bike isn't moving, but there's not a lot of clearance.

Anyone out there using 28s on a CAAD 12? If so, what tires? (I usually prefer flat protection over suppleness.)

mstateglfr 

Being limited to 25mm tires isnt the end of the world, but its also not exactly ideal as there is just no justifiable reason for a new enthusiast road bike to not handle 28mm at that point. I have 2 road bikes that cant take 28mm tires, but both frames are from the late 80s when the narrow trend started.
On both, I use 25mm Continental GP4000 sII tires as they measure 27mm on both wheelsets. One has only a few mm of clearance from the seat tube, but the lack of clearance has never caused an issue.

Suggestion- select a tire you like, take it to the shop you bought the bike from, and ask them to test it on the caad12 frame.
tire widths are simply too varied to know for sure without testing the specific tire. Some run wider than expected, some run narrower, some are taller than expected, etc etc.

noodle soup

+1

Don't forget that most tires stretch(about 1-2mm) after a few hundred miles.

Elvo

Conti GP 4000 II S 28's measure 32mm on my bike

colnago62

I think that with the current design of rim brakes on race frames, there just isn’t enough room to reliably say that 28’s will work on any frame. I had a similar discussion with Trek when I bought my Madone 9. They said that they couldn’t guarantee all 28 mm tires would fit, just that they were able to get their 28 mm tires to fit.

Dean V

On the Madone it isn't even the brakes that are an issue. I tried 28mm GP4000 on mine and they cleared everything fine except the back of the seat tube. If Trek had of paid attention to this when doing the mould it would of made tyres that size a possibility.

rumrunn6

+1 for depends on the tire ...

audiomagnate

I read in a different forum (maybe I should have asked here) that 25's would fit on my Cannondale Six 5 so I bought a pair and mounted them up. I wasn't even close so I'm stuck with 23's on my "new" bike. I would suggest going down to your LBS and asking them if you could try out some wheels with 28's on your bike and if they fit buy the same tires from them.

BiciMan

I requested 28s when I bought my Domane years ago. If the guys in the shop said they would be fine, they should be ready to modify if they prove to be wrong, even just on your judgment. Congrats, BTW: Always loved black CAADS.

biker128pedal

I have an old Madone 5.0. 23 mm conti 4000 and 5000 fir but measure about 27 mm on 19 mm wide rims. 25 mm fits the front just barely. It rubs the rear. 28 mm wide with the same 19 mm Bontrager rims.

Bluechip

Don't forget that rim width affects the final tire width too. On my wide carbon rims a GP4000 in 25mm measures out to 29mm while on my wifes narrow carbon rims they only measure 25mm. It will also have an impact on the overall diameter of the tire too which can cause rubbing of the seat post or brakes.

audiomagnate

Will wider rims give you a smaller overall diameter? That would bake sense as there's only so much rubber to go around. The problem on my bike is overall diameter so maybe I could run 25s with a wider rim.

bruce19

I have a 2018 CAAD 12 w/105. I'm running Mavic Ksyrium Elite USTs that are 25s. I just looked at the chain stays and I attempted to measure. It looks to me like 28 would work fine. FWIW I changed from Ksyrium Elite clinchers with Vittoria 25 clinchers and the difference is dramatic. The USTs are lighter, smoother, faster and spin up easier. If you had told me this before I tried them I would have laughed at you. But, it's true.