PSI?

Trekster

Is there an ideal PSI level? Does this need to vary when on the road verus off road?

nicklouse

More info needed.

what are you talking about.

Trekster

Just pumped my tires to 50 psi - more or less?

nicklouse

depends. on your weight, the tyre size and usage.

50 sounds high but again more info needed.

Trekster

i am around 85 kgs running 26 x 2.0, on the road more than off currently.

supersonic

More pressure = less contact patch = less rolling resistance. Good for the road, not always though off road.

Tony Williams

I'd say yes

Onroad you tend to have more PSI which is better for cycling.

Offroad it's better to drop the PSI alittle to prevent your innertube from bursting and to be more comfitable.

Also your suspension can be hardened or softened for onroad/offroad.

BlackSpur

For Road cycling I tend to inflaye my tyres to their max reccomended pressure (written on sidewall)

norco forever

run my at 55 ona nd off road never had any problems, am i wierd :?

John Stevenson

Tony Williams wrote:

Off road it's better to drop the PSI a little to prevent your inner tube from bursting and to be more comfortable.

High pressures won't make your inner tube burst (within reason: 200 psi will blow the tyre off the rim with an almighty bang).

Lower pressure = more traction for soft surfaces because you have more knobs in contact, better shock absorption (therefore more comfort) but higher rolling resistance and more chance of pinch punctures.

Higher pressure = the opposite of the above, and very high pressures are therefore best suited to road riding.

endurojcb

I run my 26x2.35's at 45psi. Any highter and I fined that the front wheels sometimes slips out from underneath me on sharp corners.

Just like tyre choice, pressure choice is a personal thing, and you'll find people will choose all sorts of different pressures.

If you're on bridleways etc then a high pressure will be fine, but if you're trail riding in Wales or the likes then you don't want it too hard cos you might damage something on a big hit or the front will wash out on you in a fast corner.

guilliano

With tubes I tend to go 45-50 psi, but I'm a hefty lump so tyres deform pretty well. I actually go higher in tubeless guise as I find the tyre deforms the same amount at 5-10 psi higher and don't have problems with grip at 55 psi that way