Strada

The narrower, the faster? Just a few years ago, this was an unwritten law for road bikes. The theory provided good reasons for this:

• Less rotating mass
• Less rolling resistance
• Less air resistance

However, this theory assumes perfect road conditions. With slightly uneven roads already, you will notice the better damping properties and the benefits of a shorter contact patch of wider tyres. That’s why tyre widths of 18-20 mm are hardly used any more. Even the majority of professional cyclists ride on 23-25 mm wide road bike tyres.

The right tyre pressure for a road bike tyre depends on various factors, such as the weight of the rider, the width of the tyre and the type of ground you are riding on. As a rough rule of thumb, however, you can use an air pressure of between 7 and 9 bar (90-130 psi) for road bikes, and even lower for tyres with a width of 25 mm or more. Values above this are only needed for very narrow tyres, heavy riders and in track cycling. Even on rough tarmac, it is advisable to lower the tyre pressure, as less vibrations compensate for the greater rolling resistance. Always observe the maximum air pressure specifications of the tyre and rim manufacturer and use the lower value as a guide.

Tubeless or not? A question of faith for many road cyclists. However, tubeless tyres sealed with liquid latex also have some undeniable advantages on road bikes. The most important of these are:

• Higher puncture resistance
• Lower weight
• Less rolling resistance

Thanks to the reduced susceptibility to punctures, the tyre can also be ridden with less air pressure to create more comfort. However, tubeless road bike tyres do have some disadvantages compared to classic systems:

• More difficult assembly
• Higher maintenance
• Lower pressure resistance

For occasional riders, the effort is therefore rarely worthwhile. Frequent riders with recurrent flat tyres should definitely consider a test. Good to know: You can always switch back from a tubeless to an inner tube setup.

It is not possible to give a general figure for the mileage of road bike tyres, as it depends on numerous factors. Here are some examples:

• Rubber compound
• Tyre structure
• Riding style
• Ground conditions
• Braking behaviour
• Tyre pressure
• Temperature/weather
• Rider’s weight

However, you can expect a good road bike tyre to run for over 2000 km even under difficult conditions, and the practical values are often significantly higher. While manufacturers talk of up to 5000 or 7000 km, experience shows that over 10,000 km is not uncommon. You will always have to change the rear tyre earlier due to the higher load.

For road bike tyres, the tread – if present – only plays a minor role. That's why you can always ride down the centre tread very much. At a certain point, however, you will notice a loss of grip when cornering and in wet conditions. To give you a better indication of when you should change your road bike tyre, some manufacturers integrate wear indicators in the form of small holes. If these are no longer visible, it is time to change the tyres.