Wider tyres naturally offer more comfort — and in recent years, sizes of 28mm and 30mm have become the new standard for road bikes.

However, tyre width needs to work in harmony with rim width. When a wide tyre is fitted to a narrow rim, it forms a more balloon-like shape as it is being squeezed at the edge. This also means it needs higher pressure for the tyre to hold its shape, resulting in a firmer, less comfortable ride.

A wider rim, on the other hand, creates a squarer tyre profile. This shape allows you to run a lower pressure for improved comfort, grip and control, without sacrificing performance.

From a speed perspective, a balloon-shaped tyre also has more surface contact with the road, which increases rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag.

The general rule of thumb for the sweet spot of performance, comfort, and handling:

17mm internal rim width works best with 23–25mm tyres

19mm internal rim width is ideal for 28–30mm tyres

21mm internal rim width is ideal for 30–34mm tyres

23mm internal rim width is ideal for 34mm+ tyres

Upgrade Your Tyres

Stock tyres on off-the-shelf bikes are often underwhelming, as manufacturers cut costs in this area. Cheaper tyres typically use harder, less grippy rubber or simpler constructions with lower puncture resistance. Upgrading to high-quality tyres can dramatically improve your bike’s speed, comfort and handling, and help you save up to 250g.

Get more puncture protection

Cheaper tyres will usually deploy cost-saving measures such as using harder, less grippy rubber with inferior puncture resistance. In cooler months where there is more debris around, upgrading to a tyre with additional sidewall protection will mean you'll spend less time at the side of the road fixing punctures.

Higher TPI = better performance

TPI stands for Threads Per Inch and is a measure of how many threads of fabric are woven into the casing of a bicycle tyre per inch. Tyres are made of layers of woven fabric, usually nylon, Kevlar, or polyester, called the casing. A high TPI is 160–320 and it creates a more supple and flexible casing, which equates to a smoother ride, better grip and lower rolling resistance.

Lighter

We're back to the science of inertia. The lower the inertia, the easier it is to accelerate. Tyres with a higher TPI are usually 250–300g depending on the width and whether they have additional puncture resistant features. Entry level road tyres are typically 380–400g+ and may have a steel bead to help maintain shape.​

Inner tubes are available in lots of different materials. The most popular are TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) inner tubes and standard butyl tubes. Most bicycles are fitted with butyl rubber inner tubes which weigh around 110–130g (depending on width).

Weight
TPU are significantly lighter than standard butyl tubes — often 30–50% lighter — and reduce your rotational weight, making acceleration and climbing feel easier. TPU is more flexible and supple, allowing the tyre to conform better to road irregularities and reduce rolling resistance, too.

What about punctures?
Early versions of TPU tubes were thinner and inherently likely to puncture more than a thick rubber tube. However, advancement in the formulation of TPU tubes has made them equal with most butyl tubes.

Bonus feature: TPU tubes hold air very well, sometimes even better than butyl, so you don’t lose pressure quickly, unlike latex tubes.