sloar 

I just received my new Continental 5000’s and mistakenly ordered 23’s instead of 25’s. They are for an older set of Zipp 808’s. Is it worth the trouble to replace them with 25’s or should I just be happy with the 23’s.

datlas 

Weight?

jpescatore

I think there was an article last year that 75% of the Tour de France riders had moved from 23mm to 25mm, so if you planning on riding that hard and fast there is probably a noticieable difference.

The advantage is lower rolling resistance, increased comfort. But, if you ride at more mortal speeds it may not be noticeable to you and you could just use the 23s until they wear.

I run 32 mm GP 5000s on my Domane road bike - group and solo hilly rides, not racing. I've moved up to wider tires over the years for the above reasons but I've I ordered 28mms by mistake I'd probably just use them until they wore out.

sloar 

180

chaadster

The differences can be noticeable, the gains tiny. I wouldn’t worry about losing performance; 23s will keep you on front of the A group if that’s where you ride…or midpack C if that’s where you ride. In other words, a couple millimeters of tire isn’t doing anything magical, so it’s probably not worth the hassle of return and wait.

Chandne

I'd say replace them with the 25s, and I'll explain why. With the GP4000s, the 23s measure almost 25 and the 25s measured almost 28, on all my bikes. The 5000s have been "rightsized" (according to the rep I met) so they will be very close to 23 and 25 stated widths. So the 23 is quite narrow and the 25s will be more comfy and possibly quicker in some situations. That's my take.

deacon mark

I have used them both and the 25 are maybe bit easier for comfort it is not a huge difference. They do measure out proper as 23 and 25 but if the difference means that much to you then you are a different rider than myself. Just stay on better roads and you won't know the difference till these wear out.

datlas 

I would use the 23’s but much depends on road quality. If roads are good you are fine. If lots of rough chipseal would return.

eduskator

It depends where you ride and how much comfortable you want to be IMO. I ride 28mm @ 70psi on my race bike and wouldn't go back to even 25mm.

Racing Dan

A 23mm is no more or no less comfortable than a 28mm, at the same pressure, but you may experience pinch flats if you ride low pressure on an uneven surface.

sloar 

It’s funny because I raced for years on 23’s with no problems. But since switching to wider tires 23’s have me concerned a little on damaging my carbon wheels, they just so dang skinny. Looks like rubber bands stretched around my wheels.

spelger

Me thinks you are worrying about nothing. You have used them for years so should be familiar enough with them.

I ride 23s and have absolutely no issues with them.

Bevo Bill

+1 Long live the 23's, my trend-bucking friends.

DaveSSS 

Use the larger size, or even 28mm, if your frame will take that size. I went from 23 to 25 on my rim brakes bikes, but now riding disc brake bikes with 28mm tubeless and pressures in the sixties. What a huge improvement in ride.

Iride01 

I can't say that I could tell much difference between 23's and 25 mm tires. Though I don't have to be the fastest one out there. Nor do I gripe about bumps.

However, my roads are pretty smooth asphalt for the most part. Just some annoying bumps every now and then that will be annoying on most any size bicycle tire.

canklecat

My road bikes are all older models and won't accept tires wider than 700x25. I ride 700x25 Conti GP Classic skinwalls on one, and 700x23 Soma Supple Vitesse SL skinwalls on another. Hardly a nickel's worth of difference between 'em in ride quality. Both are remarkably good on our increasingly coarse chipseal and neglected infrastructure.

The quality of the tire and latex tubes matter more than the slight difference between 700x23 and x25, at least on my bikes.

Silca latex tubes may be a tight squeeze with some 700x23 tires, but Vittoria makes narrower latex tubes that will fit nicely. I think Vittoria makes the Silca branded tubes anyway. Try 'em. Really improves the ride with skinny tires. And the better the tire, the more improvement I feel.

SoSmellyAir

My new 25 mm GP5K measures just over 7/8" wide after installation on my 17mm internal width Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheel. I am hoping it stretches out with a few more rides. I cannot imagine using a 23 mm version.

Chandne

I wasn't sure if the GP5K would fit in my older BMC (the 25 4000s do) so when the rep told me about the sizing becoming more accurate to stated width, I stocked up on the 4000s. I'll try the 28 5000 at some point to see it it fits the rear.

argulator

FWIW, just mounted some 28 5000's on Mavic Aksium rims -believe they're 18 internal width. They both measure 26.25 mms aired up to 80 PSI.

SoSmellyAir

Nah, Mavic Aksium is also 17 mm internal width.

I had the same experience with the 25 mm version! They were visibly narrower than the 25 mm Grand Sport Race they replaced, which is why I measured them.