{"id":203966,"date":"2025-10-14T10:00:43","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T10:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=203966"},"modified":"2025-10-14T10:00:43","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T10:00:43","slug":"so-you-havent-bought-a-bike-in-10-years-wider-tyres-and-tubeless","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2025\/10\/14\/so-you-havent-bought-a-bike-in-10-years-wider-tyres-and-tubeless\/","title":{"rendered":"So You Haven\u2019t Bought a Bike in 10 Years \u2013 Wider Tyres and Tubeless"},"content":{"rendered":"

If your road bike is from around 2015, chances are it came with 23 mm tyres. That was the standard back then. Comfort wasn\u2019t really part of the conversation. A decade later, road bikes look chunkier, and the first thing you\u2019ll probably notice are the tyres. They\u2019re wider, softer, and somehow also faster. How is that possible, and how big of a deal is it, really?<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s continue this series, where I\u2019ll do my best to convince you that your old bike has officially been left behind, with a look at tyres \u2013 the simplest upgrade that completely changes how a modern road bike feels.<\/p>\n

When narrow was the norm<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Back in 2015, 23 mm tyres were the default on most mid-range road bikes. They were pumped to 100 psi or more because back then, harder meant faster. The 25 mm versions were considered comfort tyres, something for endurance road bikes. Tubeless setups existed but were rare and fiddly, and hardly anyone outside the more experimental corners of the industry used them. I certainly didn\u2019t even know they existed.<\/p>\n

On the mountain bike side, it was a different story. Tyre widths were already wider, but not by much compared to today. A 2,1\u201d tyre was the standard for cross-country, and a 2,3\u201d looked big. The real revolution for MTBs was tubeless. By 2015, tubeless was popular in MTB magazines but still far from widespread among riders.<\/p>\n

For me, wider tyres were the first upgrade I really wanted to make, but couldn\u2019t. And to be honest, the inability to fit tyres wider than 25 mm into the frame of my 2015 Giant TCR was one of the key factors in the decision to finally buy a new bike.<\/p>\n

\n
\"so-you-havent-bought-a-bike-in-10-years-electronic-shifting\"\/<\/a><\/div>
\n Explore & Travel<\/a>\n <\/div>\n
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So You Haven\u2019t Bought a Bike in 10 Years \u2013 Electronic Shifting<\/span><\/h3>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/article>\n<\/div>\n

From harsh to plush<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In 2025, 28 mm tyres are the new normal, and it\u2019s common to see 30 mm or even 32 mm on endurance bikes in setups for cobbles or rougher roads. Many modern road frames are built with clearance for 35 mm or even more. This basically lets you turn your road bike into a gravel-capable machine with a simple tyre swap. I love that level of versatility.<\/p>\n

The difference in comfort with wider tyres is dramatic. Being able to run 50 psi instead of 100 makes a huge difference. Lower pressures smooth out road buzz, reduce fatigue, and make long rides feel easier on the body. What\u2019s surprising is that they also don\u2019t make you slower. In fact, many of today\u2019s wider tyres roll just as fast, or even faster, than their skinny predecessors.<\/p>\n

Why wider is faster now<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s not just a trend to go wider \u2013 data is backing it up. Over the past decade, rolling-resistance tests have shown that wider tyres can be just as efficient when inflated correctly. The contact patch is shorter and wider, meaning less deformation and energy loss.<\/p>\n

Add to that a better grip, especially on rough or wet surfaces, and it\u2019s easy to see why even the pro peloton has made the switch. Ten years ago, Tour de France riders were on 23s. Today, most race on 28 mm tyres, even on mountain stages, because the comfort and traction gains far outweigh the minimal aerodynamic penalty.<\/p>\n

For everyday riders like me, it\u2019s a win-win. More speed on rough roads, less fatigue, and fewer flats. For a side-by-side comparison, check out this test.<\/a><\/p>\n

The mountain bike world went first<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Just like on the road, mountain bike tyres have grown wider over the past decade. What used to be a 2,1\u201d cross-country tyre is now more likely to be 2,35\u201d, and trail bikes often run 2,5\u201d or even 2,6\u201d widths. The extra volume adds comfort and control, but the real revolution was the mass adoption of tubeless setups.<\/p>\n

Today, most new mountain bikes come tubeless-ready, and for good reason. Running lower pressures without worrying about pinch flats transforms the ride: more traction, more comfort, and much more confidence when the trail gets loose.<\/p>\n

Compared to a 2015 setup, the difference is night and day. Modern tyres track better through roots and rocks, grip harder in corners, and let you ride faster with more control. All thanks to a combination of tubeless systems,<\/a> wider rims, improved compounds, and smarter tread designs.<\/p>\n

Inner tubes aren\u2019t dead yet<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A lot of road cyclists have switched to tubeless as well, though the advantages are less significant than on mountain bikes. Unless you ride something like ten thousand kilometres per year, chances are you would be better off with TPU inner tubes. Yes, inner tubes also haven\u2019t escaped technological progress.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re incredibly light, often around 40\u201350 g each, and offer rolling resistance close to that of a good tubeless setup. You install them just like regular butyl tubes, so there\u2019s no sealant, no mess, and no compressor needed. They also hold pressure better over time.<\/p>\n

The downside? They\u2019re pricier than standard tubes, and some models can be a bit delicate to install. But they\u2019ve become a favourite for riders who want the performance edge without the fuss of tubeless maintenance.<\/p>\n

So, is it worth it?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Absolutely. If you\u2019re coming from a 2015 bike, switching to wider tyres, whether tubeless or TPU, will feel like night and day. The improvement in comfort alone is worth it, and the bonus is that you won\u2019t be giving up any speed.<\/p>\n

For me, this was one of those changes that truly transformed how I ride my road bike. When I first hit a stretch of cobbles on my 32 mm tyres, I was amazed at how I glided over, instead of bouncing across like I used to. I don\u2019t have such a direct comparison with my trail bike, but I\u2019ve ridden some of the harshest terrain this year without a single flat, and that alone is hard to imagine when I think back to riding mountain bikes as a kid.<\/p>\n

I bet you\u2019ve caught the bug now, and that new bike idea is starting to take shape. But don\u2019t worry, by the time we\u2019re done with this series, that new-bike idea will be fully formed. We\u2019re only halfway there.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If your road bike is from around 2015, chances are it came with 23 mm tyres. That was the standard […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":99,"featured_media":203969,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8162],"tags":[3076,6663,1423,8723,8722],"global-categories":[3366],"class_list":["post-203966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-explore-and-travel","tag-bicycle-tyres","tag-buying-a-new-bike","tag-tubeless-tyres","tag-tyre-width","tag-wide-tyres","global-categories-cycling"],"yoast_head":"\nSo You Haven\u2019t Bought a Bike in 10 Years \u2013 Wider Tyres and Tubeless - \u0160koda We Love Cycling<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If your road bike is from around 2015, chances are it came with 23 mm tyres. That was the standard back then. 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