Would going from 15 to 16in tires be more comfy? Tire recommendations?

[Dean407]

I have a 2007 CE with 15's on it. I'lll need to get new tires soon.

Would going to 16's make a noticeably better ride?

Anyone have a solid tire recommendation?

I drive a very high % of highway miles and take long trips into west NC and NW VA to get to mountain bike trails.

Thanks.

-Dean

[haze10]

I can't see about this request, but, going to larger diameter tires is going to put more centrifugal force and inertia on the bearings. You might tire a tire made for comfort like the Goodyear Assurance Comfort.

[PhatRoyale]

Larger diamater wheels usually result in a firmer ride so no, they will not be more comfy.

[Donald E. George]

A little voice tells me that this will adversely affect the ABS. but I don't know why.

[moggi1964]

I run a 16" 215/55/16 on 7.5" wide wheels and the ABS is not affected to my knowledge (it still works is all I can tell you). I actually ran a 225/50/16 for a short while and they didn't affect it either but they did rub on the back right (after lowering) so they came off quickly.

I find the ABS doesn't kick in as often now I have all the upgrades that I have and I can say I have never lost adhesion when braking hard. I have yet to upgrade the disks and pads. Wider tires do tend to tram-line more so if you do go larger in width just keep that in mind.

I enjoy the wider tire and use a Summer only tire when weather appropriate: Kumho Ecsta SPT as seen here. I have to agree with the ratings for dry and wet (these were my main criteria, especially the wet performance).

I run a 15" wheel with 196/65/15 in the cold months.

I found that ride comfort was affected not by the width of the tire but by the depth of the sidewall. A shallow sidewall increased the 'level of discomfort' shall we say.

This calculator will help you pick the correct size if you do decide to change to a 16" wheel and tire.

I would definitely recommend having a winter and summer setup unless you live somewhere that doesn't get snow. Not everybody does this but in my experience a good Dunlop M3 for the cold weather and a sticky summer tire makes driving safer and more fun.

I hope this helps.

[Dean407]

I have a CE, no abs.

However, I'll just stick to the 15's.