Real dumb question

concorde
concorde Posts: 1,008
edited April 2011 in MTB beginners
You know when you sit on your bike... how much is the back tyre 'squashed' where it contacts the floor? I know you can't exactly give an accuarate 'measurement' but like is it not squashed at all, so the tyre would be solid to the feel of teh hand, or does it 'press' out at the sides by 1/2cm etc.

I've never bothered to check psi etc and I've prob never had tyre pressures set properly so was just wondering what it's like to the eye?

Cheers

Comments

  • getonyourbike
    getonyourbike Posts: 2,648
    A little bit for me. For my weight I put in 28PSI in the front and 30 PSI in the rear. There's enough pressure to stop snakebites every five minutes but it still gives a bit of extra traction. I'm running high volume 2.25" tyres btw.
  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    I should prob get a pump with a working psi gauge. Mine has never worked from day 1! I think I need more air. I don't get snakes very often at all. I weigh about 12 and a bit stone but there's a bit more than 'a bit' of 'squash' I would say.
  • Cog Head
    Cog Head Posts: 53
    when i sit on my fury with the conti speed king tyres (with inner tubes) it aquishes a bit, but not a lot, and it says on my rims to put 49PSI in ... is that too much? 2.3"
  • Muttly1981
    Muttly1981 Posts: 815
    On the tyre wall it gives you a min/max pressure i have always just aimed inbetween when out trai riding and never had a problem yet (fingers firmly crossed), have a mate who runs minnimum pressures and he can bring a ride to a holt every 30 mins or so with punctures (he averaged 1 a mile last weekend on a 15 mile ride)
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  • getonyourbike
    getonyourbike Posts: 2,648
    I'll expand on my post, I'm actually below the minimum but it's fine. The minimum is there so you put enough air in to stop the tyre rolling around on the rim. The minimum is 35 PSI, anymore than I have at the moment would be rock solid. I'd compromise traction and comfort and as it's fine as it is, I've got no reason to change.
  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    I'm happywith the traction and comfort and not getting punctures so I'll rolll with it I think. See what I did there... ROLL with it!

    If your mate is getting flats why aint he upping his psi?!?!
  • Muttly1981
    Muttly1981 Posts: 815
    Concorde wrote:
    I'm happywith the traction and comfort and not getting punctures so I'll rolll with it I think. See what I did there... ROLL with it!

    If your mate is getting flats why aint he upping his psi?!?!

    Put simply he is a tool, he'll get a punture but it's up to me and another lad to fix it as he's just useless but he pumps the tyre up and gets bored easy and just says "that'll do" 10 minutes later we're fixing another pinch flat. We've nicknamed him teabag because of the ammount of holes he has.
    You only need to see the two jumps he does from about 2.20 too see what i mean
    http://youtu.be/dSOQokrPSy0
    What if your dreams and fears existed in the same place? What if to get to heaven, you had to brave hell? What if everything you've ever wanted cost you everything you've ever achieved? Would you still go there?
  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    Have a word, tell him to put some more air in, or you stick the air in! lol. w
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Let him fix his own punctures or leave him for the bears and wolves.
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  • Muttly1981
    Muttly1981 Posts: 815
    Concorde wrote:
    Have a word, tell him to put some more air in, or you stick the air in! lol. w

    I think once he gets his own bike (he borrows my riding buddys spare HT) he'll start respecting it more but we've started to drop hints that he'll not be able to borrow the bike soon. I'm gonna start taking the lead as i'm faster anyway and if he falls behind it's tough :D
    What if your dreams and fears existed in the same place? What if to get to heaven, you had to brave hell? What if everything you've ever wanted cost you everything you've ever achieved? Would you still go there?
  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    That's the way mate. I went out just now for an hour. Thought I'd try stickign some more air in my back wheel. Rolls better I will say that. But on the other side, coming down hitting about 32mph(ish) an it gets to a bumpy place and usually I'm ok, today I felt the bike was being kicked about all over the place! HT bike. I do have a broken bone in my right hand too mind and I don't think that helped as it was hurting and I couldn't grip the bars as I'd like. AIr out though I think. Don't change something that aint broken!!!!

    As for your mate! Yeah def leave him behind!
  • mac_man
    mac_man Posts: 918
    I run mine at 35psi. Bought a cheapo pump from Aldi with a pressure gauge on it so I can see how much air is in them. You can get away with lower pressures with fatter tyres. Mine originally came with some 2" Specialized Fastrack tyres and the back end alway felt really harsh with loads of vibration through the pedals.

    I've since fitted some 2.35 tyres and run them a little lower, and the difference is really noticeable. And I don't seem to have any problems with pinch flats.
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  • concorde
    concorde Posts: 1,008
    I'm too skinny to get pinch flats!

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