Tyre pressure for winter

Tjgoodhew
Tjgoodhew Posts: 628
edited January 2014 in Road beginners
I usually run my tyres around 100psi front and back but reading through other threads about winter kit i have seen people mentioning running at a lower PSI for winter.

Im guessing this is to do with grip on winter roads but am i really gaining a lot by going down to say 80psi ?? Or is this more of a personal preference thing.

I have a GP4000 on the back and Foretezza tri comp on the front so neither are winter tyres.

Is it safer to run these at a lower psi and if so what ? Or am I ok to just run them as I always have done ?
Cannondale Caad8
Canyon Aeroad 8.0

http://www.strava.com/athletes/goodhewt

Comments

  • dnwhite88
    dnwhite88 Posts: 285
    Lower psi will give you better grip in the wet, but not too low or you will get pinch flats. Trial and error, personal preference....
    "It never gets easier, you just go faster"
  • kajjal
    kajjal Posts: 3,380
    As above it is personal preference, I run mine at 105psi winter or summer. I have had no grip problems but do take it easier on wet or muddy roads. On dry roads in the summer I ride a lot faster.
  • dyrlac
    dyrlac Posts: 751
    Tjgoodhew wrote:
    Im guessing this is to do with grip on winter roads but am i really gaining a lot by going down to say 80psi ??

    Yes. Like night and day. See my thread below.
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  • edscoble
    edscoble Posts: 38
    Tjgoodhew wrote:
    Im guessing this is to do with grip on winter roads but am i really gaining a lot by going down to say 80psi ?? Or is this more of a personal preference thing.

    If you're not a fattie, then there's no need to run your tyres at 100psi.
  • Tjgoodhew
    Tjgoodhew Posts: 628
    edscoble wrote:
    Tjgoodhew wrote:
    Im guessing this is to do with grip on winter roads but am i really gaining a lot by going down to say 80psi ?? Or is this more of a personal preference thing.

    If you're not a fattie, then there's no need to run your tyres at 100psi.

    Im about 75kg. So what should I run them at ?
    Cannondale Caad8
    Canyon Aeroad 8.0

    http://www.strava.com/athletes/goodhewt
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    Tjgoodhew wrote:
    edscoble wrote:
    Tjgoodhew wrote:
    Im guessing this is to do with grip on winter roads but am i really gaining a lot by going down to say 80psi ?? Or is this more of a personal preference thing.

    If you're not a fattie, then there's no need to run your tyres at 100psi.

    Im about 75kg. So what should I run them at ?
    IME they will be fine as they are, just ride and enjoy it. :)
  • edscoble
    edscoble Posts: 38
    Tjgoodhew wrote:
    Im about 75kg. So what should I run them at ?

    About the same as me, 90-95psi on rear, 80-85psi on front (on road performance bicycle) with 23mm tyres.

    You don't necessary need to run it lower for winter, they're handy for all season, if you're worried about riding in winter, just get bigger tyres, after all it make no difference in performance other than comfort and ride quality.
  • littledove44
    littledove44 Posts: 871
    Tire Width=20: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 63.33
    Tire Width=23: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 53.33
    Tire Width=25: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 43.33
    Tire Width=28: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 33.33
    Tire Width=32: Pressure(psi) = (0.17 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 41.67
    Tire Width=37: Pressure(psi) = (0.17 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 26.67
  • edscoble
    edscoble Posts: 38
    Don't forget the other factor of what kind of riding required.

    Audax - 25-30psi.
    Sportive - 35-40psi.
    Commuting - 30-35psi.
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    in the last 12 months I have had only 3 punctures. 1 was clipping a kerb too fast and the other 2 were down to lower than my normal pressure of 105 psi in the winter. debris in the wet sticks to you tyres and the softer they are the easier it is for the dirt to work its way into the tyre. so long as you run a good quality tyre, the pressure can be kept high without it losing grip.

    I run Ultremo 23 all year round and never had any grip issues in the wet at higher pressures.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Can drop a bar or so for wet weather, but otherwise broadly keep it the same as what you'd ride the rest of the time.

    I'm 55 odd kilos so I can ride 5.5 bar or so without any problems. Anything over 6.5 and I get bounced around a lot.
    _
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Can drop a bar or so for wet weather, but otherwise broadly keep it the same as what you'd ride the rest of the time.

    I'm 55 odd kilos so I can ride 5.5 bar or so without any problems. Anything over 6.5 and I get bounced around a lot.

    At 55kg im surprised you dont get blow away in a strong breeze.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    30mm tyres at 60psi - poncing around on skinny tyres at high pressure in winter usually results in punctures or sliding on your ar$e!
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • buckles
    buckles Posts: 694
    littledove44 wrote:
    Tire Width=20: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 63.33
    Tire Width=23: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 53.33
    Tire Width=25: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 43.33
    Tire Width=28: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 33.33
    Tire Width=32: Pressure(psi) = (0.17 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 41.67
    Tire Width=37: Pressure(psi) = (0.17 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 26.67
    Shocking that only one post in this thread acknowledges that rider weight and tyre width are significant factors when it comes to deciding on tyre pressure.
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  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    littledove44 wrote:
    Tire Width=20: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 63.33
    Tire Width=23: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 53.33
    Tire Width=25: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 43.33
    Tire Width=28: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 33.33
    Tire Width=32: Pressure(psi) = (0.17 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 41.67
    Tire Width=37: Pressure(psi) = (0.17 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 26.67


    Good Lord. I've actually got mine set exactly right :shock:
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
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  • Cheesemanpaul
    Cheesemanpaul Posts: 56
    Personal pref, less drag high pressure, more comfy lower, more hard work
  • cheers drive
    cheers drive Posts: 63
    90-95kg
    90 front, 100 rear on 23c for summer
    80 f, 90r on 28c for winter.
    Never had a pinch flat.
    Some people run their pressures very high, especially considering the less than smooth road surfaces we mostly ride on.
  • hstiles
    hstiles Posts: 414
    I run 23c at 120psi. Rarely get punctures, even on the crappy roads in surrey.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    hstiles wrote:
    I run 23c at 120psi. Rarely get punctures, even on the crappy roads in surrey.

    plus you get the benefits of a bone-jarring ride and skittery handling on corners
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Bucksspeedyboy
    Bucksspeedyboy Posts: 59
    I also run at 120 psi all year round. I have no problem with the firm ride and do not have problems on corners.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,461
    Buckles wrote:
    littledove44 wrote:
    Tire Width=20: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 63.33
    Tire Width=23: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 53.33
    Tire Width=25: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 43.33
    Tire Width=28: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 33.33
    Tire Width=32: Pressure(psi) = (0.17 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 41.67
    Tire Width=37: Pressure(psi) = (0.17 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 26.67
    Shocking that only one post in this thread acknowledges that rider weight and tyre width are significant factors when it comes to deciding on tyre pressure.

    It works out that I should run my 23mm tyres at more than their maximum pressure!
  • dazzTurning
    dazzTurning Posts: 67
    Yes, I was thinking the same. I am quite light and It says over 100 PSi. If I ride at that pressure it feels pretty harsh. Surely you need to take into account road surface as well?
  • racingcondor
    racingcondor Posts: 1,434
    The formula above are a great starting point but yes, I'd take other factors into account. Be that road surface, what you're doing, the tyres themselves.

    I run 10psi less in the front and usually run my Vittoria tubs about 20psi higher than Conti Clinchers. Put the same pressure in to the tubs and you feel like you're bouncing around all over the place (big mistake finding that out in a crit).
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    Bucksspeedyboy wrote:
    I also run at 120 psi all year round. I have no problem with the firm ride and do not have problems on corners.

    You may have no problems, but what about actual advantages?
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  • arthur_scrimshaw
    arthur_scrimshaw Posts: 2,596
    Pross wrote:
    Buckles wrote:
    littledove44 wrote:
    Tire Width=20: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 63.33
    Tire Width=23: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 53.33
    Tire Width=25: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 43.33
    Tire Width=28: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 33.33
    Tire Width=32: Pressure(psi) = (0.17 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 41.67
    Tire Width=37: Pressure(psi) = (0.17 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 26.67
    Shocking that only one post in this thread acknowledges that rider weight and tyre width are significant factors when it comes to deciding on tyre pressure.

    It works out that I should run my 23mm tyres at more than their maximum pressure!

    That's what Christmas does to you! :lol:
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    Kieran_Burns wrote:
    littledove44 wrote:
    Tire Width=20: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 63.33
    Tire Width=23: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 53.33
    Tire Width=25: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 43.33
    Tire Width=28: Pressure(psi) = (0.33 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 33.33
    Tire Width=32: Pressure(psi) = (0.17 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 41.67
    Tire Width=37: Pressure(psi) = (0.17 * Rider Weight in lbs) + 26.67


    Good Lord. I've actually got mine set exactly right :shock:

    remarkably me too, at about 100psi any lower and they start to sqidge.

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