What tyre pressure should I run?

2

Comments

  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    That being said, given that most people appear to be running lower pressures, I will try mine at 110-115 and see if i notice a positive difference.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    will3 wrote:
    teagar wrote:
    I know of bike mechanics in Holland who always joke that if someone's running over 100psi (they work in BAR but nevermind), they must be english.

    90 psi is fine.
    Yeah but they don't have the rough roads that we do :roll:

    Our rough roads are the biggest reason to run lower pressures.
    I like bikes...

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  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    redddraggon wrote:
    will3 wrote:
    teagar wrote:
    I know of bike mechanics in Holland who always joke that if someone's running over 100psi (they work in BAR but nevermind), they must be english.

    90 psi is fine.
    Yeah but they don't have the rough roads that we do :roll:

    Our rough roads are the biggest reason to run lower pressures.

    Agreed - they run 90 odd psi in Roubaix.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • dj6
    dj6 Posts: 16
    Cheers all,
    own a track pump, 3mtb's a mountainboard and childs bike made it an essential bit of kit. Decided to run 110psi in the end and they felt fine.
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    Nuggs wrote:
    For that reason I'd go:
    110 psi in the dry
    90 psi in wet conditions (better contact patch)
    According to tests by French cycling magazines, it's a misnomer to think lower pressures are better in wet conditions, and that actually higher pressures may be better.
  • Takis61
    Takis61 Posts: 239
    "andrew joseph, from the sounds of things you're a bit more mtb based, no roadie would be serious unless s/he put in the maximum amount of pressure into her/his tyres because obviously a slightly softer tyre is a huge waste of energy... "

    Sorry - what uttter bollocks. You going to judge people on their clothing, and bike ? Is a Carrera rider from Halfords not a "roadie" then ?

    Gets my goat !
    By the way, 100psi front, 110 psi rear, I'm 78kg & working on it.
    My knees hurt !
  • sub55
    sub55 Posts: 1,025
    Bhima wrote:
    Do it so you can't deform the shape of the tyre between your fingers but not too much that the tyre doesn't change shape a bit when you sit on the bike. If the tyre stays solid when you're on it, you'll be bouncing all over the place and actually go slower for a given power output.

    I've got loads of tyres. These are my pressures.

    17mm tubs - 160psi
    18mm tubs - 150psi
    20mm Clinchers - 130psi
    22mm Clinchers - 120psi

    17mm tubs god they must be 30 years old ! wot are they
    constantly reavalueating the situation and altering the perceived parameters accordingly
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    i am 63kg with 23mm tyres and usually run at 115psi.
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    You're all very exact aren't you?
    Personally on the CX (bad example 32mm tyres) I run 80 PSI when I pump it up. A couple of weeks later it'll look a bit squidgy and I'll find out I've been running at 40 PSI 8)

    Having said that I do pay closer attention on the road bikes as there's less margin for error!
  • Takis61
    Takis61 Posts: 239
    Well, there is another rule of thumb.
    1.) Sit fat arse on bike
    2.) Start pedalling
    3.) Look down & note how squidgy (technical term) tyres appear
    4.) Pump the fuckers up
    5.) Bounce bike on hard tyres - when it hits your nose, they're full !
    My knees hurt !
  • Escargot
    Escargot Posts: 361
    Have to say I don't ever worry about it too much. For me the ideal pressure is one where I can just about move the tyre by squeezing with my thumb. This seems to give me a good balance between comfort and speed.

    I'm pretty anal about pressures in the car as I can feel the change in handling between 1-2 psi but on the bike it's my backside that calls the shots. I find it easier that way on a bike as you can't always achieve the exact pressure e.g. if you get a puncture whilst out, so it's good for me to know how hard it has to be by feel.
  • Stone Glider
    Stone Glider Posts: 1,227
    +1 Escargo Sqeeze the tyre walls between thumb and finger to recognize the "feel" of the pressures as you use the track pump. Then p.....s can be repaired and tyres pumped up close to your usual pressure while out on the road.

    Very hard tyres will knock the stuffing out of you and your bike. Make sure you check bolts etc. frequently if you enjoy a harsh ride quality.
    The older I get the faster I was
  • callahan
    callahan Posts: 12
    I've just been reading this thread with interest and will be checking my pressures when I get home tonight....

    Hopefully this is not too far off topic, but can anyone recommend good track pumps, maybe a cheap option (up to £30), middle price (£30-50) and then high?

    I'm embarrassed to admit this but I've been using my Halfords automatic pump for cars, the kind you plug into the ciggy lighter to power it.... :oops:
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    Tescos
    £10
    comes with a gauge
  • Wallace1492
    Wallace1492 Posts: 3,707
    Joe Blow Sports Pump. Superb, comes in about £35.
    "Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    sks renkompressor awesome track pump. The lezyne ones are gorgeous, but i'd neve be able to actually use it, it's just too pretty!
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • sicknote
    sicknote Posts: 901
    will3 wrote:
    Tescos
    £10
    comes with a gauge

    +1 and for the money it has been fine for and can get up to 115-120psi with it.
  • callahan
    callahan Posts: 12
    Sicknote wrote:
    will3 wrote:
    Tescos
    £10
    comes with a gauge

    +1 and for the money it has been fine for and can get up to 115-120psi with it.

    It's now £15 and out of stock....

    ride_whenever, how can a pump be pretty? :shock:

    Wallace1492, is this the Joe Blow one: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Topeak_Joe_Blow_Sport_Track_Pump/5360013205/

    Or this: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Topeak_Joe_Blow_Max_II_Track_Pump/5360011991/

    Here's a cheap one: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeLine_High_Pressure_Floor_Pump/5360041893/

    Cheers
  • sicknote
    sicknote Posts: 901
    Have to say I did get it on sale :)
  • Takis61
    Takis61 Posts: 239
    Wiggle always good for choice & price options, Decathlon also good if you live near one, you can't mail or internet order but you can view online.
    My knees hurt !
  • Nuggs
    Nuggs Posts: 1,804
    Takis61 wrote:
    "andrew joseph, from the sounds of things you're a bit more mtb based, no roadie would be serious unless s/he put in the maximum amount of pressure into her/his tyres because obviously a slightly softer tyre is a huge waste of energy... "

    Sorry - what uttter bollocks. You going to judge people on their clothing, and bike ? Is a Carrera rider from Halfords not a "roadie" then ?

    Gets my goat !
    By the way, 100psi front, 110 psi rear, I'm 78kg & working on it.
    I think you missed the sarcasm in the post you quoted...
  • Takis61
    Takis61 Posts: 239
    Could be, in which case apologies given.
    Probably knackered from earlier ride when I read it.
    Just a grumpy old git at times
    :lol:
    My knees hurt !
  • andrewjoseph
    andrewjoseph Posts: 2,165
    ride_whenever wrote:
    andrewjoseph, let me add some more sarcasm to make things perfectly clear:

    no roadie would be serious unless s/he put so much air into her/his tyres that it was one pump away from exploding because obviously a slightly softer tyre is a huge waste of energy... :roll: :roll: :roll:

    Thank you, that helps enormously.
    :wink:

    I wasn't getting at you, I just wasn't sure if you were getting at me.
    --
    Burls Ti Tourer for Tarmac, Saracen aluminium full suss for trails
  • simmspin
    simmspin Posts: 15
    Hey people....sorry to butt into this thread...

    Have a confusing problem-but it may just be me being daft...

    Bought a track pump yesterday as I knew I wasn't getting near enough pressure into my tyres and I wanted to make sure I'm doing things correctly as I'm a newbie..

    Tyre recommends 125PSI.....so I attached the pump and swear on my life I cannot get the thing over 40 PSI without it feeling like it is going to explode! The tyre is rock hard but NOWHERE near 125PSI...I've tried 3 times now from flat and just keep getting the same problem...

    The tyres are 700x23c and I'm 65kg.

    Any ideas...am hoping it's not the pump as it was the last one!!

    Thank in advance guys :?
  • sicknote
    sicknote Posts: 901
    simmspin wrote:
    Hey people....sorry to butt into this thread...

    Have a confusing problem-but it may just be me being daft...

    Bought a track pump yesterday as I knew I wasn't getting near enough pressure into my tyres and I wanted to make sure I'm doing things correctly as I'm a newbie..

    Tyre recommends 125PSI.....so I attached the pump and swear on my life I cannot get the thing over 40 PSI without it feeling like it is going to explode! The tyre is rock hard but NOWHERE near 125PSI...I've tried 3 times now from flat and just keep getting the same problem...

    The tyres are 700x23c and I'm 65kg.

    Any ideas...am hoping it's not the pump as it was the last one!!


    Thank in advance guys :?

    Hi simmspin

    Which pump do you have and sorry to say but it does sound like you have a duff one as my Tesco's one gets me up to 120psi at a push and it helps that I am over 95kg.
  • simmspin
    simmspin Posts: 15
    Hey!..

    It's an SKS Air-X-Press...

    Uh-oh....!!
  • sicknote
    sicknote Posts: 901
    Do you know someone that also has one you can try, so you can check yours and also have a look at the needle to see if it is getting stuck.

    You could also take it back to the shop you got it from and ask them to check it but would have thought that pump would have been ok.

    Have not use that one myself
  • simmspin
    simmspin Posts: 15
    I have another bike I can check it on so will see if it's perhaps the tyres on my road bike (although its a NZ$5000 bike so am pretty sure the tyres will be OK!!)

    I'll probably just take it back...live in Germany so am sure there will be some rule about that too!!

    Cheers!!
  • mikeq
    mikeq Posts: 141
    simmpin, I've had that before but it was just the needle on the valve getting stuck. So the pump wasn't pushing it in properly.

    Make sure the needle aint stuck
    Cycling from Glasgow to Paris to raise funds for Asthma UK

    www.velochallenge.org
  • simmspin
    simmspin Posts: 15
    thanks mikeq..

    just tried it again on my everyday bike...same result...

    then tried it on my road bike making sure it was connected properly but to no avail...

    the needle just keeps bouncing back to 40PSI no matter how hard I pump...and I'm scared to keep going as the tyre is rock solid and I don't want a face full of rubber when it blows up!

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