lulubel
Über Member
- Location
- Malaga, Spain
My tyres are rated 100 min 130 max, and I inflate them both to 110. Any less and I'm worrying about pinch punctures all the time, any more and the roads around here are unbearable.
What tyre pressures?
- Thread starter APK
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Glover Fan
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Almondsbury, Nr Bristol
Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
110 psi all round for me.
The max stated pressure has nothing to do with 'greatest puncture resisitance'.
Davidc
Guru
- Location
- Somerset UK
I always inflate to the maximum, which means there's still adequate air in them all week. The 700c 32 Marathons I use have a maximum of 90 psi and drop to about 80 in a week with Conti tubes.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
That was my very limited understanding of the matter based on some traffic on CC. All extra information is welcome.
BTW, I don't go out of my way to ride on the pavement outside inner city pubs on a Friday night.
MacB
Lover of things that come in 3's
- Location
- Farnborough, Hampshire
Ah, this one is actually susceptible to our good old friend, common sense - a manufacturer will set a min and max with an eye on their legal team so they will be fairly conservative. The lower limit, I'd guess, is set at a point at which you wouldn't expect to get pinch punctures or rim damage and the tyre should stay on the rim. The upper limit is the same but also with the added bonus of the tyre not destroying the rim, or blowing off, due to excessive pressure.
So it's safe to exceed either end or run them anywhere between the two limits but apply common sense. If you put the minimum pressure in on road your bike it may be fine, if you then handed it to me to ride I may well cause pinch punctures or even rim damage....as I outweigh you by the odd ounce here and there.
Whether it's wise to exceed either end is up to the individual and how much they weigh.There's nothing wrong with experimenting with pressures to find what you like best, somewhere between a boneshaking ride and a wallow would be my advice
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
Thanks, MacB. My main concern is puncture avoidance. Hopes of speed faded decades ago. I don't ride far enough or fast enough for comfort to be a huge issue, but I'm still interested in zexel's advice about pressures that are best.
MacB
Lover of things that come in 3's
- Location
- Farnborough, Hampshire
Well here's a tyre/pressure chart from Rivendell, that bastions of all things old and cranky:-
http://www.rivbike.c...pick_a_tire.pdf
At your weight, which I'd guess at sub 13 stone, then 80psi upwards should be enough to ward off pinch punctures, after that it's just a case of finding the pressure you prefer through trial and error. Also nothing to stop you running different pressures on different days if you so wish.
There was a similar sort of discussion on YACF around a steering problem a young lady called Peli had and whether it could be related to tyre pressure. One thing I did notice was that she was running the same size tyres and the same, or higher, pressures as I do. I'd guess there could be as much as 10 stone between us.
By the way I run slightly lower pressures up front as I find that helps with any road buzz, but I also use a lot of padding on the bars as well....this is down to my elbow problems and having to be very cautious about aggravating it.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
MacB, what can I say? Thanks for the excellent advice. BTW, how did you guess my weight? Was it a Brighton run, or perhaps my many images in the style mags? My people need feedback dude.
Thanks.
Thanks.
gb155
Fan Boy No More.
- Location
- Manchester-Ish
just under 14 stone, 110Psi at the front and 100psi at the rear
Did you mean the other way round? Everyone I know runs a bit more in the back. There's considerably more of the rider's weight on the back wheel than the front, which is why rear tyres wear out faster than fronts.
Some interesting comments, I increased my pressures to about 105/110 yesterday and went out for a 42m ride after (my furthest for 32 years!) and they felt much better, might try a little more, as ride still seemed quite "plush" even over coarse chipped roads, don't particularly want to lose that feel, but maybe another 5psi might help rolling?
John the Monkey
Frivolous Cyclist
- Location
- Crewe
Personally, I find Continental & Michelin are usually fairly good at the recommended pressures on the tyres.
From memory, my 25c Pro Race 2s are at 95psi front & rear, and the 42c City Contacts on the trucker are between 50 & 60psi depending on conditions (I ride them at 50 if we're in for a prolonged spell of bad weather).
Michelin's recommendations;
http://www.michelinbicycletire.com/michelinbicycle/index.cfm?event=airpressure.view
From memory, my 25c Pro Race 2s are at 95psi front & rear, and the 42c City Contacts on the trucker are between 50 & 60psi depending on conditions (I ride them at 50 if we're in for a prolonged spell of bad weather).
Michelin's recommendations;
http://www.michelinbicycletire.com/michelinbicycle/index.cfm?event=airpressure.view
MacB
Lover of things that come in 3's
- Location
- Farnborough, Hampshire
MacB, what can I say? Thanks for the excellent advice. BTW, how did you guess my weight? Was it a Brighton run, or perhaps my many images in the style mags? My people need feedback dude.
Thanks.
I work on my own dimensions, you looked like the weight of a MacB leg and a half to two legs to me Fortunately it wasn't a breezy day on the seafront so there was no need to tie you down, though were you looking longingly at the girl being tied to the pillar?
