Are Wide Tyres Killing Your Aero Wheels?

Are wider road bike tyres actually ruining the aerodynamics of your expensive aero wheels?
As tyre clearance on new bikes continues to grow, many riders are wondering if they are sacrificing speed for comfort.
We headed to the wind tunnel with Hunt Wheels to test 28mm vs. 30mm tyres to find out the truth.
In this video, we break down the aerodynamic drag, stall points, and real-world performance impacts of wider tyres. Whether you’re looking to optimise your race setup or want a more comfortable ride, this guide will help you decide which tyre size is right for you.

00:00 Are wider tyres killing aero performance?
00:41 Wind tunnel testing methodology
01:36 Why tyre choice matters for you
02:07 28mm vs 30mm tyres
05:25 Understanding aerodynamic stall points
06:37 The impact of rim width on tyre shape
08:29 Should you switch to 30 mm tyres?
09:25 Rolling resistance & comfort
10:49 Are wider tyres worth it?

Useful Links:
GCN Tech Uploader 👉 gcn.eu/techuploader
.co/
Insurance: Viewers in the USA and UK can explore GCN Insurance products 👉 gcn.eu/GCNinsurance
Sign Up To The GCN Newsletter 👉 gcn.eu/Newsletter
Visit the GCN Shop 👉 gcn.eu/gcnshop
GCN WhatsApp Channel 👉 gcn.eu/GCNwhatsapp
GCN Instagram Broadcast Channel 👉 gcn.eu/instagrambroadcast
Join the GCN Club on Zwift and ride with us! 👉 gcn.eu/GCNClubRides

After seeing the data, are you team 'narrow and aero' or team 'wide and comfortable'?💨👇

Watch more on GCN Tech...
📹 youtu.be/4uUbItrU9f8
youtu.be/86q8cLIKS7c
📹 Watch our Editor’s Choice Playlist 👉 gcntech.co/EditorsChoice
📹 Watch the latest GCN Tech Show 👉 gcntech.co/GCNTechShow

🎵 Music - licensed by Epidemic Sound 🎵
Window Weather - Brotin
Angelica (Instrumental Version) - David Edward
AIR FORCE ONE - BLUE STEEL
Always Had a Way - Matt Large
Application - Autohacker
Dirt Rhode - HATAMITSUNAMI
Everything I Wanted and More (Instrumental Version) - mr

📸 Photos - © Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Sprint Cycling Agency

Brought to you by the world’s biggest cycling channel, the Global Cycling Network (GCN), GCN Tech is the only channel you need for all things bike tech – past, present and future.

Simply put, we’re obsessed with tech: we seek out and showcase the best in bikes, components, tech, accessories, upgrades and more from races and events, tech shows and product launches across the globe to bring you the best in road bike technology.

We’ve got great maintenance videos to help you get the most from your bike; pro-bike tours from all the biggest races; special features and the weekly GCN Tech Show!

Thanks to our sponsors:
Canyon Bikes: gcn.eu/-Canyon
Orbea Bikes: gcn.eu/Orbea
Pinarello Bikes: gcn.eu/Pinarello
Topeak Tools: gcn.eu/Topeak
CamelBak: gcn.eu/Camelbak
Pirelli Tyres: gcn.eu/Pirelli
Hunt Bike Wheels: gcn.eu/Hunt
Wahoo Fitness: gcn.eu/Wahoo-Fitness
Park Tool: gcn.eu/-parktool
Selle Italia: gcn.eu/SelleItalia
Zwift: gcn.eu/Zwift
Gtechniq: gcn.eu/Gtechniq
Core Body Temperature: gcn.eu/corebodytemp
Precision Fuel & Hydration: gcn.eu/precisionhydration
Elitewheels: gcn.eu/Elitewheels
CeramicSpeed: gcn.eu/GCNCeramicSpeed
HJC Sports: gcn.eu/hjcsports
Shimano: gcn.eu/shimano
Cyclowax: gcntech.co/cyclowax
Sena: gcn.eu/Senacycling
Princeton Carbon Works: gcn.eu/princetoncarbonworks
P1 Race Technologies: gcn.eu/p1racetechnologies
POC: gcn.eu/POC

Watch our sister channels:
Global Cycling Network - youtube.com/@gcn
GCN Racing - youtube.com/@gcnracing
Global Triathlon Network - youtube.com/@gtn
GCN Italia - youtube.com/@gcnitalia
GCN en Español - youtube.com/@gcnenespanol
GCN auf Deutsch - youtube.com/@gcnaufdeutsch
GCN en Français - youtube.com/@gcnenfrancais
GCN Training - youtube.com/@gcntraining
Global Mountain Bike Network - youtube.com/@gmbn
GMBN Racing - youtube.com/@gmbnracing
GMBN Tech - youtube.com/@gmbntech
Electric Mountain Bike Network - youtube.com/@embn