# tyre pressures and Scott bikes



## LOGAN 5 (18 May 2009)

Can somebody tell me please roughly what pressures I should have when off roading? Are there different pressures for various terrain? I think I've had my tyres pumped up too hard - 50 or 60psi and I seem to have trouble controlling the bike.

Just sold my Stumpjumper FSR as I couldn't get on with it and am thinking of getting a Scott Spark and enjoyed the test ride on one recently. Anybody got a Scott? Views appreciated.


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## roadjunkie (18 May 2009)

I would say tire pressure for offroad (XC) probably 40 PSI rear and 35 PSI front in dry conditions, possibly lower in wet/muddy/rocky conditions to increase grip..I used to have a Scott Elite MTB 16 inch hardtail. It was hard as nails and really light, they dont make em like they used to!!


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## LOGAN 5 (19 May 2009)

Thanks for that. This is where I've been going wrong with higher pressures. On the test ride the pressures were quite low and it felt really controllable but I suspect there's the danger of pinch flats. I'm so used to really hard road tyres it goes against all instincts to have them so low!

Now..... which model Scott Spark to buy hmmm


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## RedBike (19 May 2009)

As low as possible. If you can run 20psi without getting pinch flats every two seconds and the tyres feeling like they're coming off the rims then go for it. 30psi is probably a reasonable lower limit. 

It all depends on how heavy you are and how aggressively you ride the bike. A heavy bloke smashing over rock gardens is going to need a lot more pressure in his tyres than a bean pole riding on sand. 

Tubeless tyres are popular with MTBers because you can run them very at very low pressures without pinch flatting.


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## 02GF74 (19 May 2009)

RedBike said:


> Tubeless tyres are popular with MTBers because you can run them very at very low pressures without pinch flatting.



they are not popular with me 

had another hole in the rear - that is 3 air leaks in maybe 5 or 6 rides. way way too high.


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## Globalti (19 May 2009)

Around 40 is right for an MTB tyre.


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## LOGAN 5 (20 May 2009)

Thanks for the replies. Once I've bought my new bike I'll be taking to the hills


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## User482 (20 May 2009)

I would say 40psi is the maximum unless you're a heffer. I get noticeably more cornering grip on my bike at 30psi, but as others have said, there's a bigger risk of pinch flats.

I'm not convinced by tubeless - the tubeless guys in our club seem to have lots of problems with them, plus it's a pain to swap tyres over.


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## 02GF74 (21 May 2009)

User482 said:


> I'm not convinced by tubeless - the tubeless guys in our club seem to have lots of problems with them, plus it's a pain to swap tyres over.




Care to enlighten us (me) as to what these problems are?


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## RedBike (21 May 2009)

I will fully agree with changing tryes over being a problem. It can be hard to get them to seat correctly / they're often a very tight fit. Then there's the sealent. 
Once they've been inflated they're normally pretty much hassle free though. If anything does go wrong you just stick a tube in!


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## User482 (26 May 2009)

02GF74 said:


> Care to enlighten us (me) as to what these problems are?



Tyres not sealing properly, sealant leaking out. 

The biggest issue for me is the hassle in swapping tyres - I change mine a few times over the course of the year depending on trail conditions.


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