Pressure for Continental 4 Seasons?

bungle73
bungle73 Posts: 758
edited July 2017 in Road beginners
If you go onto Continental's website, it states the the "recommended" pressure is 95 psi. That's seems a bit high for 28s, but it's what I've been running them at anyway....until a few days ago. A few days ago I put them down to about 62/76 based on my weight. Now, suddenly, I've got my first puncture since in the winter. Coincidence?

And it was a PITA too, because I was in the middle of nowhere, miles from home, it was cold damp and windy, and just when I thought it was fixed and the wheel was on it went down again! I'd forgotten my spare tube too.

Comments

  • grenw
    grenw Posts: 804
    Unless it was a snakebite then yes. Probably coincidence.

    95 is far too high for 28s unless you're a heavy bloke. Running 70/80 here and probably higher than I need. I'm on 4000s but I can't imagine things would be that different
  • N0bodyOfTheGoat
    N0bodyOfTheGoat Posts: 6,065
    I've got my new 28mm Grand Sport Races at 65/80psi, for me and Wazoo total weight ~90Kg. With shopping and lock on my rucksack totalling ~10Kg extra this evening, the rear tyre was looking a bit squished and could probably have done with ~90psi, but I got home with no dramas and an unexpected uphill KOM. :lol:
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
    2016 Voodoo Wazoo
  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    GrenW wrote:
    Unless it was a snakebite then yes. Probably coincidence.

    95 is far too high for 28s unless you're a heavy bloke. Running 70/80 here and probably higher than I need. I'm on 4000s but I can't imagine things would be that different

    No, it was something that got embedded in the tyre. I'm not sure what as it pinged away when I was digging it out. Not too heavy, no, about 10 stone 12 since my last weigh in, and I've probably lost some more since then. I guess I'll keep them as they are then. Thanks.
  • Cyclinguphills
    Cyclinguphills Posts: 15
    I know I run my continental ultras at 100 psi would never have them as low as you say!
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    no way I would run that low for fear of the dreaded puncture !!!

    I run 90psi on my 28c hybrid ... I only weigh 70kg, but with clothing, the rack, 2 fully loaded panniers its a crap load of weight all being slammed across crap roads covered in Bristols finest smashed glass and bits of broken cars.
  • grenw
    grenw Posts: 804
    Cyclinguphills wrote:
    I know I run my continental ultras at 100 psi would never have them as low as you say!

    28mm width?
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Those tyre pressures do look a bit high to me from the Conti site.

    http://conti-tyres.co.uk/road-and-track ... -4000-s-ii

    When I was running 23mm I never went over about 90 PSI and had no problems.

    Now I'm on 25mm and using about 80.
  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    I just thought there might be some reason why they're telling people to run their tyres at those specific pressures.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,479
    There is a slight chance that they know more than people on the other side of an internet keyboard.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Theres a really good chart somewhere online - uses width of tyre and weight and lighter pressures for the front as there's less weight on there - I've been using that for the last few years and had no dramas.
  • bungle73
    bungle73 Posts: 758
    Fenix wrote:
    Theres a really good chart somewhere online - uses width of tyre and weight and lighter pressures for the front as there's less weight on there - I've been using that for the last few years and had no dramas.

    The only charts I've seen have been far too vague. I've got a spreadsheet where you type in your weight and tyre width and it tells you what pressures to run. There are apps too.
  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,707
    PBlakeney wrote:
    There is a slight chance that they know more than people on the other side of an internet keyboard.
    I'm 62kg and run 23mm / 25mm tyres at roughly 70 psi. I couldn't care less what the sidewall says, much higher than that is uncomfortable and feels like there's less grip on the front.

    Too many people overcomplicate it. I'd start with this:

    Front: rider+bike weight (kg) in psi
    Rear: 5 or 10 psi more than the front

    Experiment in 5 or 10 psi steps either side of these figures and see how it feels. Your personal setting will be better than an app or some graph, however 'clever' the either of these may seem.
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,479
    Simon E wrote:
    I'm 62kg and run 23mm / 25mm tyres at roughly 70 psi. I couldn't care less what the sidewall says, much higher than that is uncomfortable and feels like there's less grip on the front.
    Maybe try 28mm. Much more comfortable.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • svetty
    svetty Posts: 1,904
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Simon E wrote:
    I'm 62kg and run 23mm / 25mm tyres at roughly 70 psi. I couldn't care less what the sidewall says, much higher than that is uncomfortable and feels like there's less grip on the front.
    Maybe try 28mm. Much more comfortable.

    At only 62kgs does he really need to go beyond 25mm?
    FFS! Harden up and grow a pair :D
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    https://janheine.wordpress.com/2016/03/ ... take-home/

    Here you go - a chart and some research.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,479
    Svetty wrote:
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Simon E wrote:
    I'm 62kg and run 23mm / 25mm tyres at roughly 70 psi. I couldn't care less what the sidewall says, much higher than that is uncomfortable and feels like there's less grip on the front.
    Maybe try 28mm. Much more comfortable.

    At only 62kgs does he really need to go beyond 25mm?
    He is the one saying that 25mm is uncomfortable at the recommended pressure.
    They are a race tyre after all.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,707
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Maybe try 28mm. Much more comfortable.
    I wanted to run 28s on my recently deceased SCR 2 but the rear rubbed on the mudguard despite me fiddling with the stays (it was intended for tyres up to 26mm).

    I find comfort varies with brand as well as pressure - Michelin Pro 4 Endurance & Lithion were nice, Durano Plus definitely not so good, even when I tried ~55 psi.
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,479
    Simon E wrote:
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Maybe try 28mm. Much more comfortable.
    I wanted to run 28s on my recently deceased SCR 2 but the rear rubbed on the mudguard despite me fiddling with the stays (it was intended for tyres up to 26mm).

    I find comfort varies with brand as well as pressure - Michelin Pro 4 Endurance & Lithion were nice, Durano Plus definitely not so good, even when I tried ~55 psi.
    True that. This is why some people struggle to get comfortable on a race bike. Pure race bikes are not meant to be comfortable, they are made to be fast. The concept filters down to the masses.
    Fortunately for those people CX bikes are now common place. Tourers would probably be another sensible choice but don't have the right image.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • Sutton_Rider
    Sutton_Rider Posts: 493
    75 front and 85 rear
  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,707
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Simon E wrote:
    I wanted to run 28s on my recently deceased SCR 2 but the rear rubbed on the mudguard despite me fiddling with the stays (it was intended for tyres up to 26mm).

    I find comfort varies with brand as well as pressure - Michelin Pro 4 Endurance & Lithion were nice, Durano Plus definitely not so good, even when I tried ~55 psi.
    True that. This is why some people struggle to get comfortable on a race bike. Pure race bikes are not meant to be comfortable, they are made to be fast. The concept filters down to the masses.
    Fortunately for those people CX bikes are now common place. Tourers would probably be another sensible choice but don't have the right image.
    I think this is a different component of what we call comfort. Some race bikes, particularly aluminium frames, can feel harsh and transmit every tiny surface imperfection. However, brands have recently tried to design in stiffness and compliance more selectively (fat BB, pencil-thin seat stays, for example). As a result some race bikes can be more comfortable to ride than you might think, geometry differences notwithstanding.

    Some CX bikes are stiff as they are intended for racing, others are intended as 'adventure' or all-road use (though that complicates matters as they must then be tough enough for regular offroad/MTB use).

    One of the problems with choosing a bike, and why people care about good reviews, is that even if you get a 'car park' style test ride this really doesn't tell you anything about how that bike really compares to other similar models on a long ride.
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I'm 63kg and have run 25mm GP4S at 85 rear / 70 front for years. Only punctures have been snakebites when I CBA pumping them up before a night ride and crashing through potholes. Oh, and one thorn like a javelin through the sidewall.
    In contrast I've written off two nearly brand new Michelin pro4 scs in quick succession to sidewall cuts

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