Tyre pressures

[croyde]

Just wondering if everyone runs the highest pressures possible when riding the potholed streets of our fair capital city.

Just been on a 20+ miles ride to/from and around Richmond Park on my Giant M1 Escape Hybrid shod with Nimbus Armourdillo tyres and stopped at Evans Cycles on the way back to pump them up a bit.

They were on 30 PSI which has meant a comfortable ride but a feeling of wasted energy as there is a big contact patch. The guy in the shop pumped them up to 70 PSI and immediately it is much quicker but the mile ride home has resulted with me feeling that I have broken my wrists, shattered my teeth and bruised my perineum.

Surely no one runs their tyres at close to the upper limit of pressure unless they are riding on glass or will I get used to it.

Cheers.

No suspension on my bike btw.

 

[Bad Company]

Just wondering if everyone runs the highest pressures possible when riding the potholed streets of our fair capital city.

Just been on a 20+ miles ride to/from and around Richmond Park on my Giant M1 Escape Hybrid shod with Nimbus Armourdillo tyres and stopped at Evans Cycles on the way back to pump them up a bit.

They were on 30 PSI which has meant a comfortable ride but a feeling of wasted energy as there is a big contact patch. The guy in the shop pumped them up to 70 PSI and immediately it is much quicker but the mile ride home has resulted with me feeling that I have broken my wrists, shattered my teeth and bruised my perineum.

Surely no one runs their tyres at close to the upper limit of pressure unless they are riding on glass or will I get used to it.

Cheers.

No suspension on my bike btw.

I never ride in London but the pressure is always 70 - 75 psi. Yes it is a bit harsh and I'm sure I have lost some fillings from my teeth but you get used to it.

 

[I am Spartacus]

You'll be wanting suspension next!

It is the way it is!

Road tyres even higher at around 7 / 7.5 bar

 

[Theseus]

I ride in Edinburgh, not London, but the roads are probably just as bad. My tyres are pumped up to:

Fixie - 25mm @ 120psi
Tourer - 25mm @ 100psi (only 'cos the rims won't take more)
Workhorse - 30 something mm @ 85psi

I use my legs to take the bad bumps.

 

[ianrauk]

ride at 120psi on my Spesh Secture on my commute. Not too bad but the roads in Lewisham are something to behold.

 

[iendicott]

I tend to pump my Schwalbe Marathon Plus upto about 70psi on my hybird I just wind the front suspension down to a soft setting.

 

[2Loose]

Giant Escape M 0 here, running at 65-70psi for as much speed as I can get.
The tyres were at the rated 80, but running at that was a lot harsher for my little (11stone) frame. 6570 seems like a good compromise.

 

[wyno70]

I always run at 100 (winter) and 120 (summer)!

 

[Ian H]

30 is way too low for the road. 50 - 60 psi in fat 26" tyres and around 90 - 100 in most 700Cs.