Road Wheels & Road Wheel Recommendations?

Sure. The wider rim means a 25mm tyre will not bend back on itself as it approaches the bead. This means snake bite flats are less likely, and a lower PSI can be run. The wider rim also flttens the tyre profile slightly. This all adds contact area.

These differences are big in the MTB world where the contact patch increases are bigger. In the roadie terms the difference is more subtle. As are most factors in road cycling.

If 28s dont really fit. A wider rim with a 25 is probs your best option.

I got one p_nctr in 500kms over Christmas, it was my rear wheel, 25c Gatorskin on Richey OCR rim, classic snakebite flat when I hit a small pothole.

Rim profile: