There's a question for mountain bike tyres but I can't seem to find anything on here for road bikes. At the moment I'm running at around 90psi. Is that too much? too little? Also, am I more likely to get punctures running at higher pressure? I seem to be getting a lot lately.
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All other things being equal, run them as high as the tyre manufacturer recommends (there will be an advisory notice on the tyre wall). For most tyres of even medium quality, this should be at least 100psi, if not 110; higher end tyres might go up to 130+. (I generally inflate both tyres to similar pressures, but I think that there are some theories that if either were to be higher, that should be the rear, because it carries the majority of the weight.) Indeed, the higher the pressure and the harder the tyre, the fewer punctures you should expect as the surface should be better at repelling objects. You should keep tyres topped up, natural leakage occurs and at the higher pressures you might expect 10-20 psi drift within a week. When re-inflating, you should also take the opportunity to inspect the tyres. Any deformity or wear will be sure to be far more obvious and damaging when the tyre is inflated to the limits of its recommended pressure. The only caveat is in poor weather, where a reduction in pressure increases the contact area and introduces give, which should make for enhanced traction. |
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Michelin says this for road bikes:
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I do not agree that running at the max pressure is a good idea. Most manufacturers express the recommended pressure as a range and there is a reason for that (as has been pointed out in various answers above). There is a "sweet spot" that tends to be affected by a variety of factors such as your weight, bike weight and road conditions. You'll probably need to experiment to find what feels comfortable without feeling "squirmy" or squishy. There are some arguments that running full pressure actually wastes more energy than the increased rolling resistance from running at slightly lower pressures. At full pressure, the tires tend to "bounce" off road imperfections rather than absorb/conform to them. And of course the increased road shock will add fatigue. One trick I'll add is to run your front tire about 5-10 psi lower than your rear. The rear tire has more weight over it and so it needs the higher pressure. The front tire has more bearing on perceived handling and comfort IMO, so running lower pressure there has more benefit. As an example, I use Gatorskins on my road bike (23c) and my commuter bikes (28c). I run the rear tire 10 psi below the max and the front tire 15-20 psi below the max. When I made that transition (from running at max) I noticed a lot more comfort and no loss of speed or efficiency; that includes fairly objective measurements with a power meter. I also have not had any increase in the rate I flat--which is incredibly low by the way, I highly recommend Gatorskins! I am 160 lbs FWIW. Most of the above observations are discussed in a Bicycle Quarterly article. |
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Without knowing what type of tire you are running, that question is hard to answer. For instanct, a 700x23 will be higher (like 120psi) than a 700x28 which will be lower (like 90psi). Generally tires give a range, the lower number will have more cushion but run slower and pinch-flat easier. Higher end will roll better and resist pinch-flats, but can cause a harsh ride. |
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I always run mine around the recommended 120psi (recommended on the tire wall). You can let a little air out for some "old skool" suspension or add a touch for a firmer ride. Not sure of your weight, but this may be a cause for your punctures, which is why you get a better response around 90psi. |
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I tend to inflate 10% shy of max because I'm light (150lbs) and I like my ride to not be jarring yet roll fast. For me its a compromise.There is a sweet spot you find after riding a particular tire for a while. Also if its wet or rough or sandy you may wish to run lower pressure resulting in a larger contact patch=more grip but also more rolling resistance. Ultimately, with experience you will feel whats best for you. It just takes a little time.We all start out not knowing! |
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Yep, generally run them at the sidewall rated pressure, or maybe 5psi under. If you want a softer ride (at the expense of higher rolling resistance) you can drop the pressure maybe 20% from it's sidewall rating -- no more (unless you're a fairly small person). Running 30-40% below rated pressure on road tires greatly increases the chance of "snake bite". The wider the tire the lower the rated pressure, generally. If you're worried about puncture resistance, buy Kevlar belted tires -- they're just about bullet-proof in normal road use. (I haven't had a puncture in maybe 5000 miles riding Kevlar tires.) I run my 35mm tires at 95-100 psi -- they're rated 100. |
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On tires with tubes (which is what most of us have) you should always ride with the maximum recommended pressure but be sure to check both the tires and tubes max PSI. This is mainly to avoid pinch flats but also to decrease rolling resistance. It also will kick debris out from under the tire quicker to help avoid punctures. If you are on tubulars its less of a factor. If you are on nice roads on tubular tires i would always want to max them out as the are usually able to inflate to higher pressue thus reducing rolling resistance. On the other side with tubulars it is still safe to run them lower for nastier surfaces. For more information on tubulars and low pressure google Paris Roubaix + tires and you'll see why. |
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