Originally Posted by
Daniel S
Hi. I now have a bike that can fit wider tires than the 28s I've been on and see you have gone from 28mm to 38mm. Strictly for road surfaces are you just as fast on your 38s as you were on your 28s? I'm thinking I'll go to 32s, but if you don't lose any speed going from 32 to 38, why not get the comfort? I've read plenty of "scientific" input, but wondering what your real world input may be.....thanks. First post.
I run 28mm WAMs on my Venge and 37mm WAMs on my custom steel bike. Riding position is fairly similar. If i had to guess, I'd say I lose about 15W or so overall between the fatter tires and lack of aero. For endurance riding @ Z2, it's not something i am too bothered about.
On hill climbs, the steel bike feels sluggish. Whether this is due to the steel frame or the wheels, I cannot say. Next week, I should build up my Factor and i will give it a go on a carbon frame and with fat tires - that should provide me with more clarity.
As of now, I think 37mm is a bit too wide unless you are riding really rough roads. I plan to settle on 30mm WAM on my Factor for daily riding.