tyre pressures

kenniff
kenniff Posts: 207
edited October 2010 in Road beginners
Is there a standard pressure for tyres or do we have different pressures for different seasons,events.
Also lubricants for chains,silicone?oil?
many thanks for any advise.
ken
Easy life

Comments

  • Weejie54
    Weejie54 Posts: 750
    can_of_worms_ahead.jpg
  • gavintc
    gavintc Posts: 3,009
    Look on the sidewall of the tyre and pump up to near the max pressure. With regard to oil, lubricants; they are relatively cheap and last for ages, so my recommendation is to get a small bottle of the more expensive stuff. Apply it in small doses, but reasonably regularly and keep the chain clean with a frequent wipe down with a rag.
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Weejie54 wrote:
    can_of_worms_ahead.jpg

    Heh, heh. :D Such a simple couple of questions, so many possible/conflicting answers.

    FWIW, I've just got back from a training ride in the wet with 23mm Krylions and elected for 85F and 95R, which worked for me (I'm about 68Kg).
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    gavintc wrote:
    Look on the sidewall of the tyre and pump up to near the max pressure.

    Do not do this, there's almost no situation when the max pressure of the tyre is a good choice unless you are a particularly heavy rider.

    For example a 700x25c Michelin Pro Race 3 with a 73kg rider has a Michelin recommended PSI of 95 see

    http://bicycle.michelin.co.uk/bicycleuk ... ique=CYCLE
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • gavintc
    gavintc Posts: 3,009
    Each to their own, but I run Conti 4000s and have the pressure at 110-115 psi. Max is 125psi. I am content with that pressure and it seems to be a similar pressure to other riders I ride with.
  • Scrumple
    Scrumple Posts: 2,665
    I run 120 rear, 110 front

    72kg
  • Barteos
    Barteos Posts: 657
    Optimal tyre pressure depends on your weight, road surface and the tyre width.
    Rock hard tyres will make you faster on a velodrome but not on real roads.

    Have a look. http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com/images/TireDrop.pdf
  • topdude
    topdude Posts: 1,557
    Is there a standard pressure for tyres or do we have different pressures for different seasons,events.
    No need for high tyre pressures unless you want a hard ride, 70 / 80 / 90 psi is plenty high enough depending on your weight.

    Re Lubricants.
    so my recommendation is to get a small bottle of the more expensive stuff.
    My recommendation is to get a big bottle of the least expensive stuff ie, engine oil :D
    He is not the messiah, he is a very naughty boy !!
  • sirdjango
    sirdjango Posts: 123
    can recommend suitable PSI according to weight?
    ride like the wind... with the wind... to the wind...
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    High tyre pressures = faster is one of the great cycling myths, as well as narrow tyres being faster. A determinant factor is the surface you're riding on - above about 6-7 bar it makes no difference unless you can get someone to make the road surface smoother! The pressure printed on the tyre is the maximum safe pressure at which the manufacturer is happy for the tyre to be used - it has nothing to do with speed, grip or feel.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Narrow tyres tend to feel faster as they're usually lighter and so spin up quicker.

    I run 20mm pro 3's, i'm 90kg with 95psi in the front and 105psi in the rear.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • badlydrunkboy
    badlydrunkboy Posts: 78
    I'm 110kg and my tyres are 23mm. Any idea what pressure they should be? Had them both at 110psi today and it felt pretty rough on the poor single lane country roads. I also got a puncture on the back :(
  • mattward1979
    mattward1979 Posts: 692
    I run my gatorskins at 110 rear, 105 front.

    Im what would be considered a "heavy" rider, so I much prefer the security of not having pinches over worrying about what the Perfect set up for speed is.

    I climb a lot in the drops with my weight forward, hence the high front pressure.

    Its a personal thing that you will decide for yourself, and in 6 months you will be putting your opinion on an identical post exactly as we all are =)
    exercise.png
  • Essex Man
    Essex Man Posts: 283
    I would never run narrower than 23 mm on UK roads, and I always run at the lower end of the pressure range.

    Rattling over rough road with narrow tyres at high pressure never feels fast to me.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    badlydrunkboy wrote:
    I'm 110kg and my tyres are 23mm. Any idea what pressure they should be? Had them both at 110psi today and it felt pretty rough on the poor single lane country roads. I also got a puncture on the back :(

    What sort of puncture...

    i'd usually have 5-10psi more in the rear as there is more weight back there...
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • neeb
    neeb Posts: 4,467
    I'm only 63kg and I'm aware of all of the arguments for lower pressure, but I just like the feel of the bike when the pressure is quite high - I run my pro3 race at 110 front & rear. I think road surfaces here in Finland are a little better on average than in the UK though (excepting the huge fissures you sometimes get in the spring after the snow has melted...) I wouldn't run those pressures on that sort of knobbly surface you get on some UK roads.
    I climb a lot in the drops with my weight forward, hence the high front pressure.
    Yes, I can empathise with that - at lower pressures the front tyre really squidges around when you are climbing hard with all your weight on the front wheel.

    I just like that taught, skippy feeling you get with a light bike and fairly high pressure. Lower pressures soak up the micro-bumps more, but for me at least that makes me feel less involved with the ride.

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