25mm with guards or 28mm without?

[Bianchi Boy]

I have a Condor Fratello with SKS Longboard guards. 28mm tyres are just too close and cannot decide between using 25mm like I do all year or taking them off and using 28mm.
The guards are always useful in the rain.
What would you do?
BB

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[Ivo]

Considering the area you're cycling and the usual weather in Bretagne, I'd suggest to go with mudguards.

[Ajax Bay]

I'll be fitting tyres I can run with mudguards, so that I minimise spray from my front wheel and others can benefit from my rear (wheel) (K039 - 1830). I hope that enough others will do the same.

[Redlight]

25mm is fine for PBP.

[zigzag]

are 25mm tyres actually 25mm? mine are 27mm; i'll probably take a small rear mudguard with me just in case.

i was riding previous two pbp's on 23mm (24) tyres - they were fast and fine most of the time. iirc, the road before dreux was a little rough and that's the only rough stretch that i can remember.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I’d go 25s, given that choice. French road surfaces are generally noticeably better than British ones.

[T42]

My God, they must be really crap over there.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

There is a reason Moultons were invented in the UK and why gravel bikes are becoming popular all over. Road surfacing/ ride quality is being allowed to deteriorate in many parts of the world.

[vorsprung]

I had been planning to take a bike with full (SKS longboard) mudguards and 30mm tyres

That bike isn't in the mood so the backup bike has 28mm tyre.  I do have a front guard that works with it.  Sorry people following me there doesn't seem to be any way to make a rear guard work

I agree that PBP is doable with 25mm tyres, the roads are (on the whole) better than the UK.  ISTR some rough bits further west on more agricultural roads.  The ride quality with 28mm is just that bit better

As for "is 28mm really 28mm?",  the Michelin tyres show on the micrometer as 28.28mm.  Schwable ones are usually wider, Panaracer/Vittoria narrower.  I have LX17 rims which are 17mm internal - so a bit more than an Open Pro

[mzjo]

There is a reason Moultons were invented in the UK and why gravel bikes are becoming popular all over. Road surfacing/ ride quality is being allowed to deteriorate in many parts of the world.

And France is no exception!
Recent changes to funding, regional boundaries and road classification means that, while memories of four years ago might be not too inaccurate (just slightly deteriorated since), memories of eight years ago might be surprisingly inaccurate. The best chance of finding decent surfaces is to be on the same roads as the TdF or Paris-Nice (which is not an option on PBP).
That said I am not the one riding! My choice would more likely go for 32mm with guards if I was and had the legs to push it.

[SR Steve]

I’m using 23mm GP5000 tyres. My PBP bike (Specialized Roubaix) currently has Crud Roadracer Mk3 mudguards fitted, but if it’s forecast to be completely dry I could easily take them off before the ride as they only fit on with Velcro and a reusable cable tie.

[veloboy]

28mm GP5000s for me - they just fit 'comfortably' with enough clearance under the brake callipers, without mudguards. I find that the newer GP5000s come up a few millimetres smaller that the older GP4000SIIs.

[Ivo]

There is a reason Moultons were invented in the UK and why gravel bikes are becoming popular all over. Road surfacing/ ride quality is being allowed to deteriorate in many parts of the world.

And France is no exception!
Recent changes to funding, regional boundaries and road classification means that, while memories of four years ago might be not too inaccurate (just slightly deteriorated since), memories of eight years ago might be surprisingly inaccurate. The best chance of finding decent surfaces is to be on the same roads as the TdF or Paris-Nice (which is not an option on PBP).
That said I am not the one riding! My choice would more likely go for 32mm with guards if I was and had the legs to push it.

You've seen a PBP bike which is prepared in this way

[simonp]

There were some poor surfaces - I recall being a bit bone-shaken on one section of road on the first night. It was generally very good and nicer than what I've been used to in the uk recently.

I'm on a Domane SL, with Isoflex front and rear, Isocore (elastomer inserts and padded) bars, Enve SES ARD wheels (Asphalt/Gravel) with 28mm tubeless tyres (come up around 29.5mm on these rims) at 55psi. I think I'll be fairly comfortable, as these things go. More so than the previous three rides on VN Yukon with Open Pro wheels and 25mm tyres.

I'm planning no mudguards, just like last time.

[veloboy]

I'm planning no mudguards, just like last time.

That was my plan, just like the last edition!

[SR Steve]

I'm planning no mudguards, just like last time.

That was my plan, just like the last edition!

I had mudguards on last time but had dry roads throughout. Full value riders came in very wet though. It wouldn’t be much fun without mudguards if we have another edition like 2007.