I always like looking up the extremes for a certain industry. With this list I’m going to cover another extreme, namely, what are the narrowest road bike tires you can fit onto your bike.
Before I continue, let’s spend a few words on what narrow is, and why you would want to ride tires falling into this category. 23mm was the standard for years in the pro peleton. Now it’s 25mm. That’s because the benefits of 25mm tires outweigh those of 23mm. So I would argue that tires below the current standard of 25mm can be deemed narrow. It’s as simple as that.
23mm or possibly lower is more common when it comes to time trials. In fact tire manufacturers offer very narrow options for tires specifically designated for this cycling discipline. But besides a very narrow width, time trial tires also are extremely lightweight because of the casing, which offer little to no puncture protection, besides what probably is the single casing ply itself. And a narrow tire could be fitted up front for aero benefits, either real or perceptual.
The standard of moving away from really narrow tires is reflected in my overview, where the far majority of tires up to 23mm, are indeed 23mm. And I’ve experienced first-hand that sub-23mm tires became out-of-stock and we’re simply not replaced because of the lack of demand.
So with that little bit of background info out of the way, let’s head over to the overview of the narrowest road bike tires. You can find a table overview at the end of the article.
Continental Competition
The Continental Competition is a very different tire than the Grand Prix TT. More of an allround race tire, only the extremely narrow 19 mm get’s below the 200 grams at 195. Should you move up to either 22 or 25 mm the weight increases as well to 230 and 245 respectively, which is still very respectable for an all-round road bike tire.
With a TPI of 180 it does pack far more rubber making this tire far more durable. Furthermore it does have the same vectran breaker and just the tiniest of tread to maximize rolling resistance.
The Continental Competition is a tubular tire, which means that these tires may very well be lighter than the Grand Prix TT which needs tubes.
- Light, allround race-oriented tire, durable
- None
Continental Gatorskin
Very similar to the Hardshell version the Continental Gatorskin is an incredible road bike tire with an exceptional level of puncture protection.
It offers a more supple 3-ply 180 TPI carcass with the same PolyX Breaker, a tightly woven polyester fabric sitting underneath the center tread, preventing foreign objects from reaching the air chamber.
It also has the Duraskin bead-to-bead protection, reinforcing its sidewalls and giving the tire its distinctive burgundy appearance, and adding an extra protective layer made from an incredibly strong polyamide fabric.
This tire is the pinnacle of perfection, offering the seemingly unattainable blend of maximum puncture-protection without sacrificing to much in the weight department, all in a road bike tire with a slick tread pattern. An absolute no-brainer for people who appreciate hard-wearing, fast-rolling tires.
- Maximum puncture protection, distinctive looks, and a slick tread pattern makes this one of the best road bike tires for mile-crunchers.
- You trade in ride feel for puncture protection
Continental Grand Prix 4-Season
The Continental Grand Prix 4-Season utilizes an extra bead-to-bead layer Continental calls Duraskin, reserved for their most durable tires.
Each road tire in the Continental lineup uses a puncture resistant breaker for the center tread. The Grand Prix 4-Season uses two, effectively doubling its puncture resistance when compared with the other tires. It makes for a road bike tire with a ridiculous level of puncture resistance, and is something I haven’t seen in any other road bike tire I’ve researched.
And last but not least, the Continental Grand Prix 4-Season uses 3 layers of 110 TPI for both durability and longevity, without sacrificing too much in terms of weight, grip and ride feel. Which makes this tire one of the if not the most fit-and-forget tires you can find.
The only thing keeping this tire from a 5-star rating is that it’s not available in a tubeless version. It comes in sizes 23, 25, 28 and 32 mm.
- The best, and lightest, all-weather tire money can buy, with bead-to-bead protection and dual breakers.
- Only clincher available
Continental Grand Prix 5000
The Continental Grand Prix 5000 is a clincher tire and dubbed as the best allrounder in the field.
And on paper at least the numbers are very impressive. A 330 TPI tire (very supple) at a claimed weight of 200 grams for a 23 mm width version. It has the exact same Vectran breaker as the other ones on this list, so as far as puncture protection is concerned, this tire performs equally impressively.
And this tire comes in a tan wall version or transparent as Continental calls it. But if you want the lightest version of this tire, you’ll have to stick to black.
- Best all-round road bike tire on the market, supple, light, good puncture protection, tan wall option available
- None
Continental Podium TT
Another Time Trial entry, the Continental Podium TT sits at 195 grams for a 19 mm width version.
It’s extremely similar to the Continental Competition. Same weight, both are tubulars, same TPI of 180, same vectran breaker. Only the tread pattern looks slightly different, almost turning the tire into a slick, which might be the reason Continental puts this tire into the time trial section.
- Extremely light, meant for racing and TT
- Race tire
Continental Sprinter Gatorskin
If you’re looking for puncture protection that comes in a tubular package, the Continental Sprinter Gatorskin is your best bet.
It offers the same DuraSkin layer wrapped all around the tire as does the Continental Grand Prix 4-Season. Where it differs is both the breaker and the compound.
The Sprinter Gatorskin has a 3-layered 180 TPI all-weather casing and the SafetySystem breaker is made from kevlar reinforced nylon.
The tire is available in a black 22 or 25 mm width.
- The most puncture resistant tubular tire on the market
- It's a somewhat stiff tubular tire meant for off-season riding
Michelin Dynamic Classic
I’ve seen vintage road bike resellers dress their entire lineup with Michelin Dynamic Classic tires. The reason for this is that it’s a perfect match for any vintage road bike at probably the lowest cost for a tan wall road bike tire.
In the quality department this tire will not be top of its class, but it does come in an affordable package. And with prices ever going up that’s always a good thing.
- Cheap, great for retro builds
- Not the most durable
Michelin Power Time Trial
The Michelin Power Time Trial is, as the name suggests, another time trial entry to this list. It sacrifices durability and puncture resistance for pure speed.
The two sizes of 23 and 25 mm tip the scales at 180 and 190 grams respectively, so considering their widths, this is truly one of the lightest tires on the planet.
You’d expect from a time trial tire that it performs well in the rolling resistance department, and the Michelin Power Time Trial does indeed. Together with the Continental Grand Prix 5000, the tire has one of the lowest ones.
- Blisteringly fast-rolling tire
- Meant for race day
Panaracer Agilest
The Panaracer Agilest is the newest addition to the Japanese tire manufacturer’s road bike tire lineup.
The standard clincher variant is one of the lightest tires available, with the “wide” 28mm version sitting at just 210 grams per tire.
They’ve achieved this weight with the new and much lighter ZSG Agile compound, which is a combination of a single 120 TPI ply with a puncture resistant breaker.
Coming in a variety of color combinations, including a gorgeous amber one, and being a long-time fan of Panaracer, I can do very little but instantly count this road bike tire among my favorites.
- Light as a feather, with multiple colors. Another hit with Japanese build quality.
- None
Panaracer Agilest Light
What do you get when you take one of the lightest road bike tires available, and decide you want to make it even lighter? You get the Panaracer Agilest Light.
I know of only one tire which is lighter than the 160 grams 23mm version (or 170 grams 25mm). That tire specifically states it’s meant for either the track or a time trial.
This one does not. And, on the other hand, still offers the same 120 TPI casing, and breaker as the clincher version. It only comes with less rubber, but obviously something had to go to get into the weight class this tire sits in, which is quite frankly, anorexic. And I don’t mean that in a derogatory way.
Sure, it might be less durable, but who cares? This tire is a weight weenies’ dream come true.
- Light, lighter, Panaracer Agilest light.
- None
Panaracer Race C Evo 4
The true racing offering from Panaracer in a tan-wall jacket. The Panaracer Race C Evo 4 is quite a mouthfull, for one of their lightest road bike tire offerings. The 26 mm width is just 220 grams.
The Race C Evo 4 is meant for speed. Besides the weight, the tire has a tread pattern light enough to provide just a bit more grip than a true slick would have. It’s faster, grippier, and more durable than previous iterations of the tire.
Panaracers look good on any retro build, and this tire is the must-have choice for people looking for speed.
- Fast, grippy, durable, one of the best tires for retro road bike builds
- None
Panaracer Race D Evo 4
The Panaracer Race D Evo 4 is the 4-season option from the Japanese brand’s race lineup.
The tires feature a 3D casing (Double Dip Duru Cover). That’s a fancy name to tell you that they offer dual breakers, the ProTite Belt sitting underneath the center tread, and a bead-to-bead one which reinforces the entire casing including the sidewalls.
That’s impressive, and certainly helps to prevent punctures and snake bites even more, making this a very solid contender and a high-quality all season option.
- Dual breakers, and reinforced sidewalls make a fantastic 4-season road bike tire
- None
Schwalbe Durano Plus
The Schwalbe Durano Plus is a road bike tire that utilizes the SmartGuard belt.
The thought behind this puncture resistant layer is rather simple, but has stood the test of time, making it a popular choice in the fight against flats.. What you do is you make the belt, sitting underneath the center tread, so thick that you could virtually run over anything without getting a flat.
Its system is utilized in their Marathon lineup as well and has found its way into this road tire. It sits at the top of their puncture proof technologies. With an extra 5 mm of material stuffed in the tire, you can basically push a thumbtack into it and still hold air.
That material does add weight, so it’s easily a 100 grams heavier than a lighter competitor. It’s also not the most supple tire, so this tire definitely caters to those who are really sick and tired of finding themselves at the side of the road with their bike upside down. And obviously, it’s a solid training tire.
On the other hand, I don’t think any other tire beats this one in terms of being puncture proof.
- Very durable, extremely puncture resistant, and affordable road bike tire
- Low rolling resistance, heavy
Schwalbe Lugano II
The Schwalbe Lugano is a sort of budget fit-and-forget tire. Coming in many sizes it’s a no-fancy road tire that’s easy on your wallet.
It’s a tire that forgoes any pure premium characteristic and instead focuses on longevity and many miles on the road. Don’t expect high TPI counts, and ultra-light weight with this tire, that’s not its intended audience.
- Budget-friendly, mile-cruncher
- Premium tires are better
Schwalbe Pro One Tube Type
The Schwalbe Pro One is a top-tier tire from the German brand, which can also be used for time trials.
It’s very light and has one of the best low rolling-resistance numbers. Like many super-fast tires it’s still a clincher tire.
The 23 mm version weighs 215 grams and the 25 mm version 235 grams. The 25 mm version also comes as a tan wall.
- Super fast, lightweight, tan wall option available, one of the very best race tires on the market
- None
Vittoria Corsa
The Vittoria Corsa tops many lists as one of the best road bike tires in general. And lucky for us, they also offer a tan-wall version of this beauty of a tire.
The Vittoria Corsa is a tire for the current generation of road bikes. At 290 grams for a 25 mm width it’s not lightweight. But the combination of that weight and an extremely high 320 TPI carcass means this is one of the most comfortable road tires on the market today, and an obvious choice for many road cyclists.
Not only is this an extremely comfortable tire, grip, handling, and cornering confidence is also at a maximum with this tire. And for years the Vittoria Corsa has set the benchmark of being the tire with the lowest rolling resistance. All of these characteristics combined make the Vittoria Corsa a failsafe option for sure.
- Stunning tire, very comfortable, great grip and handling
- None
Vittoria Corsa Speed
The Vittoria Corsa Speed is basically Vittoria’s time trial version of its regular Corsa. A tubular tire where a considerable amount of rubber has been shaved off to create a 23 mm width 200 gram tire in either black or tan.
All that reduction in weight does of course come with a penalty, so this tire is best reserved when you really want to go really fast. Or else the 140 dollar price tag for a tire that isn’t all that durable might not be the best option for the average rider.
But if you do decide to go for this tire, just to experience what it feels like, you can rest assured that the 320 TPI count will provide both a very smooth and very fast ride, which will hopefully make you forget how much money you spent for that ride.
- Very fast, lots of grip
- Meant for race day, very pricey
Vittoria Rubino Pro Control
The Vittoria Rubino Pro Control is the stiffer, heavier and more puncture protected version of the standard Rubino.
It’s a training tire with bead-to-bead protection besides an enhanced puncture protected layer. Its nylon casing is meant to withstand the elements of all seasons.
Available in standard sizes 23 to 28 mm as a 60 TPI folding tire.
- Solid puncture protection with a bead-to-bead protection layer, and breaker.
- None for its price-point
Road Bike Tires Weight Rating
I’ve always been fascinated by bicycle tires, and road bike tires offer some of the most premium pieces of rubber you can put on your rims. It’s a good place to save quite a bit of weight without paying a really large amount of money. It’s not like there are titanium or carbon tires, which are traditionally materials to make bicycle products lighter that are very expensive.
The lightest 700C tire I’ve looked at is the Veloflex Record, which is a track tire sitting at 135 grams for a 23 mm version. The heaviest tire I’ve taken into account is the Schwalbe Lugano II Endurance weighing 490 grams for the same 25 mm tire width.
In the following graph you can find the weight ratings for each tire. The weight ratings represent a relative percentage irrespective of tire width and only looking at 700C versions of the respective tire. The numbers are compared against each other resulting in a percentage of 0 for the relative heaviest tire and 100 for the relative lightest tire.
Road Bike Tires Puncture Protection Rating
Nobody likes a flat tire. It’s one of the most jarring things to break the flow of a ride. That’s why puncture protection is an important factor when considering a certain bicycle tire.
Puncture protection sits at the other end of the tire weight, suppleness and possibly grip. The more rubber you add to a tire, and the more layers of protection sit underneath it, the more weight you add, and the stiffer your tire gets. That’s why racing tires have the most minimal protection, and touring or 4-season tires the most.
The puncture protection ratings you see here are a function of TPI, in combination with tire weight, and puncture protection technology added to the tire. From sidewall protection, multiple breakers and tire belts.
Specifications narrowest road bike tires
Name | Size | ETRTO | Weight (gr) | Tread color | Sidewall color | Compound | Puncture protection | Tire bead | TPI | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continental Competition | 700Cx22 | 22-622 | 230 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | tubular | 3/180 | |
Continental Gatorskin | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 305 | Black | Black | BlackChili | DuraSkin / PolyX Breaker | wired | 3/180 | |
Continental Gatorskin | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 230 | Black | Black | BlackChili | DuraSkin / PolyX Breaker | foldable | 3/180 | |
Continental Grand Prix 4-Season | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 235 | Black | Black | Max Grip | DuraSkin / Double Vectran Breaker | foldable | 3/330 | |
Continental Grand Prix 5000 | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 200 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | foldable | 3/330 | |
Continental Podium TT | 700Cx22 | 22-622 | 225 | Black | Black | BlackChili | Vectran Breaker | tubular | 3/180 | |
Continental Sprinter Gatorskin | 700Cx22 | 22-622 | 265 | Black | Black | BlackChili | DuraSkin / SafetySystem Breaker | tubular | 3/180 | |
Michelin Dynamic Classic | 700Cx20 | 23-622 | Black | Tan | foldable | |||||
Michelin Power Time Trial | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 180 | Black | Black | Gum-X | foldable | 3/180 | ||
Panaracer Agilest | 700×23 | 23-622 | 180 | Black | Black | ZSG Agile | AX-Alpha / TF Super Belt | foldable | 120 | |
Panaracer Agilest | 700×23 | 23-622 | 180 | Black | Amber | ZSG Agile | AX-Alpha / TF Super Belt | foldable | 120 | |
Panaracer Agilest Duro | 700×23 | 23-622 | 210 | Black | Black | ZSG Agile | TF Super Outer Shield / ProTite belt | foldable | 120 | |
Panaracer Agilest Light | 700×23 | 23-622 | 160 | Black | Black | ZSG Agile | AX-Alpha / TF Super Belt | foldable | 120 | |
Panaracer Race C Evo 4 | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 220 | Black | Tan | ZSG Advanced | AX-Alpha / ProTite Belt | foldable | 120 | |
Panaracer Race D Evo 4 | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 240 | Black | Tan | ZSG Advanced | AX-Alpha / ProTite Belt / 3D casing | foldable | 120 | |
Schwalbe Durano Plus | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 410 | Black | Black | ADDIX | SmartGuard | wired | 2/67 | |
Schwalbe Lugano II | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 260 | Black | Black | Silica | Reinforced Tread | foldable | 50 | |
Schwalbe Pro One Tube Type | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 215 | Black | Black | ADDIX Race | V-Guard | foldable | 2/127 | |
Vittoria Corsa | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 245 | Black | Tan | Corespun K | Protection Belt | foldable | 320 | |
Vittoria Corsa | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 245 | Black | Black | Corespun K | Protection Belt | foldable | 320 | |
Vittoria Corsa Speed | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 200 | Black | Tan | Corespun T | Protection Belt | tubular | 320 | |
Vittoria Rubino Pro Control | 700Cx23 | 23-622 | 290 | Black | Black | Nylon | Protection Belt | foldable | 60 |
Johan van Seijen
FoundeR Restoration.bike
Johan van Seijen is the founder of restoration.bike. His passion for cycling in general, and restoring older bikes turned into a website to share his knowledge with a broader audience. Starting out on his father’s road bike and riding classics as the Amstel Gold Race and Liege Bastogne Liege he has shifted his attention to trail, XC, and gravel riding since. No matter how much he loves writing about everything related to cycling, nothing beats actually using his ever-expanding bicycle collection.
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