What tire pressure do you ride?

[veloman]

What psi and what size tire do you ride?

I'm just curious, I think I ride lower pressure than most (30-40psi). I just switched to a wider 2" wide tire and it seems I could drop it to 20psi without risk of a pinch flat. Only downside would be more rolling resistance (could be negligible). I can't imagine running 50-80psi on an ebike, way too harsh.

 

[Ykick]

What psi and what size tire do you ride?

I'm just curious, I think I ride lower pressure than most (30-40psi). I just switched to a wider 2" wide tire and it seems I could drop it to 20psi without risk of a pinch flat. Only downside would be more rolling resistance (could be negligible). I can't imagine running 50-80psi on an ebike, way too harsh.

CST Cyclops 2.4" x 26" - around 50psi. I'm about 250lbs but the bike is FS. Yes, it feels a little harsh every once in a while but I also don't worry much about hopping curbs or stairs.

 

[dougnutz]

I run Michilin City (puncture resistant) 2.3" x 26" 40psi front 60 psi rear. I'm about 170. It's not harsh but like Ykick I ride a full suspension bike

 

[wesnewell]

65 psi on all the tires I've used from 26 x 2.125 to 2.40. But I'm 275lbs. I can notice the difference when it gets below 55-60 psi.

 

[Joseph C.]

45 PSI on all tyres, including the two trailer tyres.

 

[The fingers]

I used to run 80psi in 26x2.50" tires but blew the bead a few times. I don't recommend exceeding the max on the sidewall which is 65psi for the Electra Hotster. Still gves good range and rides real smooth on a beach cruiser.

 

[MadRhino]

I vary tire PSI with the trail conditions, and the bike they are on. All bike are FS, most long travel DH.
I ride mostly 26 X 2.70 Minions or Nevegals between 28 and 40

 

[Drunkskunk]

20 to 60 depending on where I'll be riding. 2.5" hookworms are very forgiving of low pressure.

 

[amberwolf]

I ride at 50-65PSI. I like to reduce rolling resistance and this seems to be the best way to do it, given the weights I have to deal with. I'd do higher PSI but I have only ever had one tire that was rated higher, and it's too wide to use on either of my current bikes without modification.

TIre size varies depending on which bike and which stage of experimentation, but I usually use 26" wheels. 24" on CrazyBike2 originally (it is now 26" until I get a 24" motor wheel built). The unfinished ReCycle would've used 26" rear and 20" front. The new bike in progress will use a motorcycle wheel and tire, it's probably 3-4" wide and just about 26-27" outer diameter; I don't remember what PSI it uses. I'd prefer a skinnier tire/wheel but I don't have anything else that's anywhere near this strong for cargo carrying. Moped wheels would work, I think.

Width/size varies depending on what tires I happen to have salvaged, because some are up to 2.5", most are 1.95" to 2.1", and some are closer to 1.5" skinny tires.

I prefer softer tires with stickier rubber, and smoother tread patterns. I have only ever found one pair of tires that is ideal, and they are now both totally worn out, with holes in them. Everything else is a compromise, either too slick or too knobby. Softer tires give more even when at higher pressure so they ride smoother than hard tires. They also grip pavement better, so less chance of me sliding out in a sudden sharp turn (like avoiding a car or pedestrian making a sudden unpredictable maneuver into my path). But they wear out a lot faster than harder tires.

 

[mat h physics]

Front Mich cyclocross 42x700c (35-73) run @ 50+psi, rear std schwinn 38x700c (50-85) run @ 73+psi. I weigh 290lbs, and the bike is conventional, not electric assist. Those higher pressures make a difference on rolling resistance, and the extra weight makes down hill a no pedal situation. :lol:

 

[docnjoj]

I've been using cheap Walmart kevlar tires @ about 15 bucks apiece. The fancy European tires would wear out just as quick and didn't grip any better. I ride 20" wheels with full suspension and at around 45 lbs. Mostly on road but with drainage ditches to cross (about 3-4" deep and a foot wide. Total trike plus me is about 300 lbs.
otherDoc

 

[recumbent]

I find 40 PSI is the sweet-spot for comfort, speed, and no pinch flats. This is for the 1.75" tires I use.

 

[dogman dan]

I tend to run about 60 psi. Dirt or street.

 

[veloman]

I ride FS too, but the suspension does almost nothing for the small road inconsistencies which vibrate and shake me a lot. The FS is best for softening an actual hole or small obstacle, or dropoff. I think I need to look into better suspension. Seems there is a lot of stiction.

 

[dogman dan]

More tunable air shocks might help a lot with that. But once you go too cush, here comes pedal bob. Softer tires might be the best thing for you. Sun baked old asphalt is definitely like riding on a vibrator.

 

[Kingfish]

I have the phatty Hookworm tires and run them about 42-44 psi when on the road and loaded down. Otherwise - for commuting, they are fine at 36 psi.

~KF

 

[deardancer3]

I have the phatty Hookworm tires and run them about 42-44 psi when on the road and loaded down. Otherwise - for commuting, they are fine at 36 psi.

~KF

i run big apples with about the same pressure... 60lb bike 220 lb rider, i pump up to about 42 then add air at 35 lb

d

 

[Xanda2260]

As high as they'll go! On my hybrid pedal cycle I run 90 psi, the trike is 65psi cos it's the max their rated for. I hate pinch flats!

 

[amberwolf]

I ride FS too, but the suspension does almost nothing for the small road inconsistencies which vibrate and shake me a lot.

FWIW, the softer rubber tires I have used even at higher pressures tend to help vibration a lot more than harder tires.

 

[dogman dan]

Softer rubber? As in the compound?

I don't run street slicks myself, I like the tiny bit of cush you get from a road tread, so I usually pick something from the comfort bike category. The tread, especially when new does give a smoother ride than a slick.

On the longtail, I have a pair of cheap knobbies on it, just because they kept piling up when I bought used bikes for parts. That bike is so cush, I don't even notice the knobbies on pavement.

 

[Farfle]

On the race bike, im running 35psi on the front 24" hookworm, and 30 psi on the ml-75 that's on the back.

 

[alan]

75-85psi front and rear on 26x1.75 Michelin City Pilots. I've tried the Michelin City, but got occasional sidewall punctures. With the City Pilots, no puncture (or pinch flat!) in about 13K miles/three sets of tires using thin tubes and no slime. By the time the pressure drops below 70, the drag becomes very noticeable. The rolling resistance with 80psi is so wonderful that I don't mind the harsher ride. I have front suspension, and use a fairly well padded saddle. I would love a great FS commuter (i.e., something like the Specialized Roulux), but I don't expect to be giving up my virtually puncture proof low rolling resistance Pilots.

-- Alan

 

[Timma2500]

50-55psi with 1.5" slicks for on-road riding, around 30psi for offroading with various 2.35" / 2.5" / 2.7" knobby tyres i use depending on the terrain.


Paul

 

[amberwolf]

Softer rubber? As in the compound?

Yeah. I dunno which ones they are, but the ones EvoForce had at the Undead Race where I screwed up and left a spoke in his tire when I relaced his wheel on the way down there, in 2010, and he had a flat on his main bike in the heats, those are a really soft tire that can "balloon" under shock and vibration so they absorb those better. They have knobbies that felt harder but the main tire and sidewall are softer.

Even the cheapie "hookworm clones" I have on my 24" wheels do this enough to help, while the harder Kenda Kross and Krossroads I've used on DayGlo Avenger (and currently have on the front of CB2) dont' do this very well, even though the sidewalls are so thin that they often shed rubber bits and leave the cloth showing.

I dunno about the Maxxis knobby I have on the back of CB2 right now, as I am still learning the feel of the front end to figure out what comes from each wheel. But it isn't as good as the softer hookworm-clone or the Cheng Shin car-tread style tire I just lost the last of last week.

 

[cruiserbikeman]

40 psi front and back tires.