Road tubeless - how low do you go?

munkster
munkster Posts: 819
edited February 2016 in Road general
I've been a road tubeless convert for about a year now (some friends would say zealot rather than convert to be honest) and have today found I've been riding around happily on 50psi front and rear (Hutchinson Intensive 25mm).

Now, I haven't felt this to be a problem at all, comfy ride, no issues with punctures as per usual, but is there a point below which the pressure really is *too* low on road tubeless? Am I wearing the tyre out prematurely? Am I compromising my rolling resistance somehow? Or should I just enjoy the comfort benefits of being able to run this low?

I would routinely perhaps pump up to 80-85psi (75kg rider weight) as and when I do get round to pumping up which seems fine. I will probably pump them back up to this later but just wondered what people (those who use road tubeless anyway) reckon on this?

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,317
    50 PSI rear on a 25 is too low and you should notice it... if you don't, then I would probably question whether you would notice any difference between tyres at all.
    Wear will be abnormal, in view of the much anlrged footprint and handling in tight bends severely compromised.

    50 PSI front is probably OK... I have ridden on a punctured front where the pressure had dropped to 50-60 before sealing and it's fine
    left the forum March 2023
  • munkster
    munkster Posts: 819
    This princess would obviously not notice the pea then, is what you're saying.

    Interesting thanks - I don't intend to ride (knowingly) at those pressures just wondered what the effects would be...

    Edit: just pumped them up and they were more like 60psi on my other (newer) track pump actually so maybe not as extreme as first thought.
  • 964cup
    964cup Posts: 1,362
    I won't generally go below 80psi intentionally (same tyres as you). I have ridden well below that on a punctured and self-sealed tyre before now without dying, but I could certainly feel the "squidge" in the handling, and have a dint in the rim from a pothole to prove that the pressure was too low. I find 90psi is a good compromise for comfort (80kg rider, 8-10kg bike); usually I set this up as 95 rear and 90 front. For anything involving serious distance or speed I go to the full 110 to privilege rolling resistance over comfort.
  • petegraaf
    petegraaf Posts: 23
    964Cup wrote:
    For anything involving serious distance or speed I go to the full 110 to privilege rolling resistance over comfort.
    Isn't that just on very smooth roads though? I thought that too high a pressure on typical UK roads results in the tyre not deforming to the road and "bouncing" off the surface thereby losing energy i.e. an increase in rolling resistance?

    Plus don't you find that there is an effect from accumulated fatigue due to the discomfort / vibration caused by the high pressure?
  • DKay
    DKay Posts: 1,652
    I only weight 58kg and run 65psi front and just over 70psi rear on 25mm Schwalbe One Tubeless.
    N
    N+1
  • 964cup
    964cup Posts: 1,362
    petegraaf wrote:
    964Cup wrote:
    For anything involving serious distance or speed I go to the full 110 to privilege rolling resistance over comfort.
    Isn't that just on very smooth roads though? I thought that too high a pressure on typical UK roads results in the tyre not deforming to the road and "bouncing" off the surface thereby losing energy i.e. an increase in rolling resistance?

    Plus don't you find that there is an effect from accumulated fatigue due to the discomfort / vibration caused by the high pressure?
    110psi isn't really all that high. In the summer I run anything up to 150psi in tubulars for TTs and similar riding, and 130psi for normal road work. 110 is the limit for Hutchinson Intensives, though. I'm probably a bit heavy to bounce...
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    90 front and rear. my weight fluctuates between 78-80kg and the bikes are both about 7 kg
  • JoostG
    JoostG Posts: 189
    71kg and 80psi front and 90 psi rear, but can be lower as I check the tires manually and pump them up once a week/2 weeks.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,700
    wrong side of 100kg and I use 6 bar (90ish psi) for general riding, and drop it to 5 (70 ish - minimum allowed on the tyre) for Belgian cobbles (One Pros, 25c)
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • stanthomas
    stanthomas Posts: 265
    I run Intensives (marked 25, measure 24) in the winter and find they are happiest at 6bar (90psi), maybe a bit less in the front. But Fusion 23mm and 25mm are best at 5bar front, 5.5bar rear. and Sector 28 at 5bar front and rear. I'm 78kg this time of year :(

    I have tried pressures down to 3.5bar in the Sectors but there doesn't seem to be any advantage: they don't role as well and get a bit squirmy.
  • schlepcycling
    schlepcycling Posts: 1,614
    I'm running Hutchinson Sector 28s at 70psi.
    'Hello to Jason Isaacs'

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