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Gear Guides

ROAD BIKE TYRES BUYING GUIDE

Here’s how to find the best road bike tyres to boost your ride.

The right tyres make a huge difference to your comfort, safety and performance. In this guide, we tell you everything you need to know about road bike tyres.

Want to enhance your ride for less? Or maybe your old tyres are just worn out?

Compared to most bike upgrades, tyres give incredible bang for buck. If you choose the right ones. And we’re here to tell you how.

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THE LATEST ROAD BIKE TYRES AT WIGGLE

Road tyre construction

What’s the difference between the many road tyres available? The answer is in the construction. Here are the key features you’ll ned to look for.

Bead

All clincher and tubeless tyres have one. It’s the hard edge that holds the tyre on the rim.

Got hookless rims? You'll need to stick to tyres with a tubeless-specific bead. More on that later.

If you’re using standard clinchers, there’s two options. A wire bead is heavier but keeps the cost down.

A Kevlar bead is lighter and makes the tyre foldable. But it’s more expensive.

Casing

This is the main body of the tyre. It’s a cloth fabric that’s wrapped around the bead.

Most tyres have nylon casing. At the higher end you might find cotton or silk.

Look for the TPI which tells you the concentration of threads per inch.

Looking to increase your speed? A higher TPI means lower rolling resistance. Plus it’s more supple for a more comfortable ride.

However, tyres with a higher TPI can also be more puncture prone.

For winter miles or poor surfaces, a lower TPI is ideal. It means more weight, but also better puncture protection.

Sidewall

You’ll find this layer of rubber between the tread and the bead.

The thickness and type of rubber depend on the intended tyre use.

Sub-tread

This mid-layer helps to fend off punctures. Each brand has a different compound. For example, Continental Vectran™ Breaker or Schwalbe SmartGuard.

A sub-tread adds weight and rolling resistance. But a puncture avoided is time saved.

Tread

This is the outermost part of the tyre. It’s in contact with the road so it’s also the thickest part.

Are you lucky enough to have miles of smooth asphalt? Or are your rides beset by inclement weather and potholes?

You’ll need the right tread to match conditions.

A totally smooth tyre might roll faster on a perfect surface like a velodrome. Outdoors, tread patterns help with grip, traction or dispelling rain. Some are even designed for aero performance.

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How do I choose a road bike tyre?

Not all road tyres are created alike. Different widths, tread patterns, materials and designs are suited to different conditions and rides.

Do you want a hard-wearing tyre for winter training? Need puncture protection on inner-city streets strewn with broken glass? Or something fast and light for the weekend club ride?

Whatever kind of riding you do, here’s what you should be asking.

What size tyres for a road bike?

Bike tyres have two measurements. Unless your bike is very small, the first is almost always 700c.

The 700 is the stated diameter in millimetres. This will fit most standard road wheels.

The ‘C’ is the width code. It dates to an old French classification. Nothing for you to worry about.

The second number is the most important one. It tells you the width of the tyre, in millimetres, at its widest point.

For example, 700c x 25mm means the widest part is 25mm.

Back in the day, if you wanted to go fast, you’d buy 18mm.

Today’s racers go wide for speed, grip and comfort. It’s not uncommon to see the pros on tyres as wide as 28mm.

If you’re looking to go wide, make sure your frame has the right ‘tyre clearance.' Many road bikes can still only go up to 25mm.

Your wheels also dictate the size range of tyres you can choose from.

If the rim is too narrow, the sides aren’t supported and stick out. You’ll be less aero and feel less stable.

Inflated, your tyre should be flush with the rim. This gives the tyre the best support and minimises the risk of pinch flats.

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STOCK UP ON INNER TUBES AT WIGGLE

Are 25mm or 28mm tyres faster?

Wider doesn’t always mean faster. Tyres should work with your wheels to deliver the best performance.

To get the most from wider tyres you need wider rims. The sidewalls should sit upright instead of bulging. Imagine the tyre as a U-shape if you cut it open.

The higher volume is more structurally stable. That means you can run lower pressures with less risk of pinch flats.

And, contrary to conventional wisdom, wider tyres at lower pressure can be faster.

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How does tyre width affect rolling resistance?

Rolling resistance is friction as your tyre rolls along the road. The roughness of the surface, tyre tread and tyre deformation under pressure all play a part.

A high-pressure, skinny tyre has the lowest rolling resistance on a perfectly smooth surface. Perfect if you’re only riding in velodromes.

But real roads are bumpy. And the tyre deforms on every bump. That means more resistance.

A wider tyre has a shorter, wider contact patch with the ground. On a skinny tyre, the contact patch is long and skinny.

What does that mean for rolling resistance? On a skinny tyre, there’s a larger contact patch on the tyre surface. So, the rolling resistance ends up higher.

Plus, the higher tyre pressure means you feel the bumps more. Less fun and more fatigue for you.

The only down-side is that wider tyres add weight. But only a few grams. And most of us can live with that.

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What is better, clincher or tubular?

Clinchers are the most used road tyres. They’re widely available and easy to fit at home.

However, many racers still swear by tubular. They cost more and the fitting process is more involved. But their devotees claim they’re lighter and faster.

WHAT IS A CLINCHER ROAD TYRE?

Clincher tyres have a horse-shoe shaped profile. There’s a ‘bead’ that ‘clinchers’ to the rim when the tyre is inflated.

There are two types of clincher tyre – folding and rigid. A folding tyre is the lightest of the two. It has a bead made from Kevlar strands.

Perfect if you carry a spare on your travels. But more expensive than a rigid tyre.

Rigid tyres have a wire bead. That means they’re heavier and can’t be folded. But it also keeps the cost down.

Until recently, most clinchers needed to be used with an inner tube. Tubeless clinchers are now increasingly common. Read on to find out why.

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THE LATEST BICYCLE PUMPS AT WIGGLE

What are tubular road tyres?

Weekend racer? Chances are you’ll know all about tubulars, aka tubs.

A tubular is literally a tube, sewn around an inner tube. Whilst you just pop a clincher on, a tubular is glued or taped to the rim.

Got a puncture? Unlike clinchers, the tyre isn’t going to pop off so you can keep on riding.

Don’t fancy riding on a flat? Just remove the tyre, unpick the stitching, patch the tube, sew it back up and glue it back on.

OK, that sounds like hard work. Which is why pro teams would rather bin the flat tyre. For us non-pros, it’s a case of carry a spare or get a lift home.

So why use tubs? Afficionados claim they’re lighter and faster. You can run a wider range of pressures with almost no chance of pinch flats. Great for cyclocross.

Their light weight also makes them popular on the velodrome.

For most of us roadies, today’s tubeless clinchers are becoming more common. You get many of the benefits of tubulars without the faff.

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Are tubeless tyres better?

Not a fan of changing an inner tube at the roadside? Tubeless tyres are clinchers that form an air- tight seal with the rim. So, no need for a tube.

To fit them, you need tubeless-ready rims. The rims are lined with an airtight tape to deal joints and spoke holes.

They’re filled with a latex-based sealant liquid. That means, if you puncture, the liquid seals the hole. In fact, you might not even notice minor punctures.

With no inner-tube, there’s nothing to cause a pinch-flat. Plus, you’re saving weight.

You can run tubeless at a lower pressure. That means less bouncing and less friction. Plus, more grip.

Less bounce means more comfort, which means you’ll ride happy for longer.

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How to choose the right tyre pressure for road tyres

Your tyre will have a recommended psi range shown on the side wall. Stray out of this range at your peril.

Too low and you risk the tyre popping off the rim. Too high and you’ll risk an explosion. Or at the very least you’ll be shaken up by excessive road chatter.

Within that range, there’s several factors you’ll need to consider. What’s the combined weight of you and the bike? What is the weather? What are the roads like?

It’s worth taking the time to dial it in. The right psi is vital in getting the best from your tyres.

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Cycle guides

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO TYRE PRESSURE

Want to know how to get the right tyre pressure?

How often should you replace road bike tyres

How many kilometres should you expect from your tyres? It depends on the construction and the riding conditions.

So how do you know when to replace them? The best way is to look for signs of wear.

Many tyres have a wear indicator. It’s a small circular depression in the tread. Is the tyre surface flush with the depression? Time for a new pair.

Don’t worry if you can’t see it. An increase in punctures is another way to tell. Albeit slightly more annoying.

As your tyre wears down, it gets thinner. That makes it easier for sharp objects to get through.

You might also notice the profile becomes squared off.

Not used your bike in a while? Over time, tyres can start to crack and even rot. Make sure you check the side walls for damage before you ride.

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