Road bike tyres: tubeless or with inner tube

Which road bike tyre width should you choose?

The size 700x25C refers to a 25 mm tyre for a 622 mm rim, or 25-622 in ETRTO terms. Long the benchmark, the 23 mm tyre gave way to 25 mm and then to 28 mm: at equal pressure, a wider tyre flattens into a shorter contact patch, rolls with less resistance and filters vibrations better. 30 and 32 mm tyres suit endurance rides and rough roads. The limit comes from the bike: rim brake callipers rarely clear more than 28 mm, whereas a disc-brake frame often accepts more, according to its manufacturer's guidance.

Tubeless or inner tube on the road?

A tyre with an inner tube remains the simplest to fit and to repair at the roadside. A tubeless-ready tyre is fitted without a tube, with sealant that plugs small punctures without you having to stop; it can be run at a slightly lower pressure and removes the risk of pinch flats. It needs a compatible rim and sealant that has to be topped up. On a hookless rim, choose a tyre approved for this set-up and do not exceed 5 bar. Tubulars, sewn around their own inner tube and glued onto a specific rim, have their own category.

Racing, training or all-season: which compound and casing?

• Racing: a supple high-TPI casing, a soft compound and light protection, for efficiency and grip, with faster wear.
• Training: a thicker tread and a puncture protection belt, to rack up the miles without incident.
• All-season and winter: a compound that stays supple in the cold and grips in the wet, and reinforced protection against the debris that rain washes onto the road.

Some ranges offer the same model in different versions depending on use, such as the Continental Grand Prix 5000, available in a racing version and an All Season version.

What pressure for road bike tyres?

The pressure depends first on your weight and on the tyre width: the wider the tyre, the lower the pressure. Stay within the range printed on the sidewall and below the rim's limit. On wet or rough roads, a few tenths of a bar less improve grip and comfort. A tubeless tyre is generally run a little softer than a tyre with an inner tube of the same width. The calculators published by tyre and rim manufacturers give a starting point, to be fine-tuned ride after ride.

Gravel and cyclocross tyres

Wider, from about 35 to 50 mm, gravel tyres combine a fast-rolling centre with side knobs for tracks, such as the Vittoria Terreno, the Schwalbe G-One or the Panaracer Gravelking. In cyclocross racing, the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale limit the width to 33 mm. Check your frame's tyre clearance before moving to a wider size.

Wheels, tubulars, inner tubes and repair

A new tyre deserves a sound rim: our road bike wheels give the internal width of each model. Tubulars have their own page, as do road inner tubes. Sealant, plugs and tyre levers are grouped with our road repair accessories and pumps. If you ride off-road, see our MTB tyres, and for an older size or a city bike, our full range of bike tyres.

Which road bike tyre brands to choose?

Schwalbe reserves its One range for the road, including the One Raceguard with a puncture protection belt, and its G-One range for gravel, with its Addix compounds.

Vittoria spans its road tyres from the Zaffiro for training to the versatile Rubino and the Corsa Pro for racing, and also produces track tyres.

Goodyear, whose bicycle tyres are made under licence, offers the Eagle F1 for racing and the Vector, as well as Tubeless Complete versions, with an extra layer in the casing to hold air better.

Continental makes the Grand Prix 5000 in Germany, available in tubeless and All Season versions, as well as the Gatorskin, reinforced for training on abrasive roads.

Hutchinson designs its road tyres at its research centre in Châlette-sur-Loing, such as the Fusion 5, also available in an all-season version, and the Blackbird, offered up to 34 mm.

Pirelli, the Milan-based tyre maker, produces its P Zero Race near Milan with a 120 TPI casing and offers the Cinturato for training and gravel.

Where can you find road bike tyres on sale?

References from previous ranges move to our road wheels and tyres clearance; brand-new tyres are presented in new arrivals. Before the long rides start again, Black Friday and the seasonal sales are a good time to plan a new pair.

Frequently asked questions

25 or 28 mm tyre: which should you choose?

If your frame and rims accept it, a 28 mm tyre brings more comfort and grip without any notable loss of efficiency, at the right pressure. A 25 mm tyre keeps a slight weight advantage and is better suited to narrow rims. On a bike with rim brakes, first check the clearance under the brake calliper.

How do you repair a tubeless tyre at the roadside?

Sealant closes most small punctures on its own: spin the wheel with the hole at the bottom, then re-inflate. For a larger cut, a plug inserted with its tool seals the hole. As a last resort, remove the tubeless valve, take out any debris and fit an inner tube.

How long do road bike tyres last?

The rear tyre wears much faster than the front, and a racing tyre faster than a training tyre. Watch for a flattened profile, deep cuts and the wear indicators that some models carry. A tyre stored for a long time also ages: its compound hardens and loses grip.

Can you put an inner tube in a tubeless tyre?

Yes. A tubeless-ready tyre accepts an inner tube, which gets you home after a big cut. Remove the tubeless valve and clean the inside of the tyre, sealant and debris included, before fitting the tube.

What is the difference between a road tyre and a gravel tyre?

A gravel tyre is wider, from about 35 to 50 mm, has knobs at least on the shoulders and is run at a much lower pressure. It gains grip and comfort on tracks, but is slower on tarmac. Some 30 to 35 mm tyres with an almost slick tread bridge the gap between the two uses.