Should I put my wider tire in front or in back?

Question

My used bike came with a 700x28 tire in front and a 700x23 tire in back. Should I leave the wider tire in front, or should I switch the tires? What benefits or drawbacks are there one way or the other? Is there any particular reason why the previous owner might have chosen non-matching tires? Is there any reason I should go out of my way to buy a new tire to make them match?

The found a little bit of information about tire sizing, but I still don't feel like I know what to do.

zenbike · Accepted Answer

Generally on a road bike it is considered better to run tires of equal size.

There are a few newer tires which are designed to run different sizes front and rear, but they are usually within 2 mm of each other. (Like the Continental Attack/Force combination)

I would consider a jump from 28c to 23c somewhat large.

That said, run the larger on the rear. The higher air volume will make for a more comfortable ride, and the narrower front tire will steer quicker, which makes for more reactive handling, and has a better aero profile, (which may or may not matter to you).

The comfort part will matter though, and I'd say that's a trump card.

Daniel R Hicks · Answer

If you have to make a choice, put the wider tire on the back.  Generally there's more weight on the back, plus having the wider tire in front will make make steering more difficult.

(Most likely the previous owner had to replace one of the tires and just used what was available.)

Yusufk · Answer

A wider wheel = more traction

Traction is important for torque and braking. Torque is driven through back-wheel and braking on both, and braking too much in the front relative to the back can result in the rider flipping over the handle-bar.

Therefore, put the wheel where it matters most, i.e. the back.

Edited in agreement with comment.

Kris · Answer

Larger front tire for the win, its a trick messengers use. Increase braking power w/ out increasing as much weight as running both tires large.

Bikerjap · Answer

I am running a 32c up front and a 23c in the rear in my single speed road bike. I commute a lot on rough roads and it rides a lot smoother.

So far it works great for me. I also remember in the old days we would run a fat tire up front and a skinny tire in the rear on our BMX bikes.

All I can say is the best thing to do is borrow a different sized tire or find an old one and experiment and if it feels right for you and go out and buy what works

Should I put my wider tire in front or in back?

5 Answers

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question