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Predicting where the break point lies in real life is difficult. Tire construction and size that will work best for your application will likely involve trial and error. That said, experimenting with pressure can be an important first step.

Predicting where the break point lies in real life is difficult. Tire construction and size that will work best for your application will likely involve trial and error. That said, experimenting with pressure can be an important first step. Your loading weight (i.e., rider + bike + load) also is an important consideration as a higher load weight requires a higher pressure to ensure the rim doesn't bottom out.

If you ride on very smooth roads then a 23 mm tire can be run at relatively lower pressure, which will provide comfortable. In this scenario it will therefore not feel as "stiff," in fact it may even feel more comfortable than the larger Kenda as the casing will be more compliant than the Kenda tire casing adding to the ride quality.

If you ride on very smooth roads then a 23 mm tire can be run at relatively lower pressure, which will provide more comfort in addition to there being smaller bumps to absorb. In this scenario it will therefore not feel as "stiff," in fact it may even feel more comfortable than the larger Kenda as the casing will be more compliant than the Kenda tire casing adding to the ride quality.

I assume by "stiffness" we are referring to comfort, and that the Kenda will have a cheaper tire construction. In that case which tire is more comfortable depends on how you set up the tire and your riding conditions. If you are riding on very smooth roads, then a properly set up 23 mm GP 4000 may actually be more comfortable due to the combination of a higher quality carcass construction and the smooth roads not requiring large pressures to avoid bottoming out the rim. If you ride on very rough roads or mixed terrain then the 28mm Kenda's may be more comfortable, as you can run a lower pressure than the GP 4000, which will better absorb impacts therefore feeling more comfortable and less "stiff".

"Stiffness" relates to tire construction and casing tension (i.e., tire pressure). Cheaper tire construction tends to result in a stiffer casing and therefore will feel "stiffer" for a given volume. The continental GP 4000 will have a higher quality construction than the Kenda, there for if all things were equal (e.g., size and pressure) the Continental would actually be less "stiff." The Kenda is also larger, and a larger volume tire will actually have more casing tension and therefore be "stiffer" for the same tire pressure.

If you are on rough roads you may not be able to lower the pressure enough in a smaller volume tire (e.g., 23 mm) to achieve the same level of comfort as with a larger volume of tire (e.g., 28 mm) at a lower pressure. Because you will need to maintain a relatively higher pressure in the smaller tire to avoid pinch flats or damaging your rim. As a result the tire will ride more harshly (i.e., feel "stiffer").

If you ride on very smooth roads then a 23 mm tire can be run at a more comfortable pressure and therefore will not feel "stiff," if fact it may feel more compliant than the larger Kenda as the casing will be more compliant than the Kenda tire casing adding to the ride quality.

I assume by "stiffness" we are referring to comfort, and that the Kenda will have a cheaper tire construction. In that case which tire is more comfortable depends on how you set up the tire and your riding conditions. If you are riding on very smooth roads, then a properly set up 23 mm GP 4000 may actually be more comfortable due to the combination of a higher quality carcass construction and the smooth roads not requiring large pressures to avoid bottoming out the rim. If you ride on very rough roads or mixed terrain then the 28mm Kenda's may be more comfortable, as you can run a lower pressure than the GP 4000, which will better absorb impacts therefore feeling more comfortable and less "stiff."

"Stiffness" relates to tire construction and casing tension (i.e., tire pressure). Cheaper tire construction tends to result in a stiffer casing and therefore will feel "stiffer" for a given volume. The continental GP 4000 will have a higher quality construction than the Kenda, therefore if all things were equal (e.g., size and pressure) the Continental would actually be less "stiff." The Kenda is also larger, and a larger volume tire will actually have more casing tension and therefore be "stiffer" for the same tire pressure, but these two tires shouldn't be run at the same pressure, which makes the comparison more nuanced.

If you are on rough roads you may not be able to lower the pressure enough in a smaller volume tire (e.g., 23 mm) to achieve the same level of comfort as with a larger volume of tire (e.g., 28 mm) which can be run a lower pressure for the same level of rim protection. Because you will need to maintain a relatively higher pressure in the smaller tire to avoid pinch flats or damaging your rim, the tire can often ride more harshly (i.e., feel "stiffer") under these conditions.

If you ride on very smooth roads then a 23 mm tire can be run at relatively lower pressure, which will provide comfortable. In this scenario it will therefore not feel as "stiff," in fact it may even feel more comfortable than the larger Kenda as the casing will be more compliant than the Kenda tire casing adding to the ride quality.