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I did Dalby at the weekend and struggled to be happy with the tyre pressure on my hardtail. Initially was just getting the back end kicking like an angry bull and was losing traction all the time on hills until I let out a fair bit of air out.
Worked a treat but when I went to check the actual tyre pressure afterwards at the end of the ride it was just over 25 on the gauge.
I am 165lbs or 75kg so not especially heavy but I am guessing this is too low with a tube? I didn't get pinch flats but I am guessing this was more luck than judgement?
What tyre pressures are others running with tubes? Are people running around 30psi with tubes? Or is my gauge wrong as it seems far too low?
I weigh slightly less than you and run my back tyre at around 25psi and my front just under 30psi, both with tubes, on my hardtail. TBH though, how low you can run the tyre will depend on the tyre you use. My rear tyre is a big rubbery DH tyre with fairly decent sidewalls so it supports itself better than skinny walled tyres.
is that with tubes? Got [url= http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=1369&categoryId=156 ]these[/url] on the bike at the moment. Not greatly impressed with them at the moment.
[i]is that with tubes? [/i]
Yep.
Not heard of the Hutchinson Bulldogs as per your link so can't comment.
I like to run my tyre pressures low on my hardtail, particularily at the back, for traction and comfort but it takes a bit of trail and error to find how low I can get away with before they get to wallowy or suffer pinch flats. On my 29er I could get away with under 20psi with Bonty ACX tyres!
May just keep it very low then and see what happens then. Will do some local stuff and aim at the rocks.
I still cannot get that under 30 is right with tubes? People going tubeless have it around there or higher, seems wrong to be there with a tube.
It depends on so many variables, rider weight, type of riding, type of terrain, how fast you ride. I can't go much below 45psi without starting to get pinch flats, and I'm about 72kg.
The low limit is when you pinch flat and / r the tyre comes off the rim. Different tyres behave in different ways. Personally I cannot stand the squidgy feeling of a half flat tyre so never go below 30 psi
TJ it was on the border of too flat this weekend, hence I was concerned about pinch flats or cornering too fast and it felt a bit weird but loved the extra traction and shock absorbtion.
Would prefer to find the low limit before the tyre comes off the rim 😯
Dibbs 45psi was where I started. Are you riding a hardtail? Why you need the extra air? Bad line choice? rockier terrain? Broken scales 😉
It's an impossible question to answer. I can run 2.4 MK on my hardtail at 30psi with no issues, can't run High Rollers at less than 40psi on the same trails.
[i]Initially was just getting the back end kicking like an angry bull and was losing traction all the time[/i]
Hardtails will do that, learn to ride.
Hardtails will do that, learn to ride.
Obviously you decided it was too much hard work to learn to ride and put your own tyre down to 30psi
Alternatively I could let the tyre pressure down a bit and ride as I normally do as both symptoms mentioned are often caused by too much pressure in a tyre.
What has changed?
Sounds like you need some large volume tyres with a hard sidewall
what tyre, what tube, what rim, what weather......
If you want grip, esp on things like tree roots (and who doesn't?), then go as low as you dare. If you keep catching pinch flats then go a bit higher.
So much attention is paid (and so much money paid!) on which brand of tyre, and then, in my experience, so many people run them at silly high pressures which don't give grip.
I put knobblies on (1.85" tiogoa factory muds from 02) and ran 40psi.
OMG was it fun as the bike went everywhere but after a while I was able to control it.
I never go lower than manufacturers pressure without pinch flats and I weigh 95kg.
Either use a reinforced side wall or a tyre that works for you.
Will stick 2.1 Nevegals on.
I say put your worst tyres on without killing yourself and then chuck some decent tyres and learn to ride.
If you want lower pressure then go tubeless but I've never had to go lower than the manufacturers min as the bike loses it sharp handling.
Yes, I ride a hardtail most of the time and I suppose its pretty rocky in places and I'm not a fan of big fat tyres, so I don't go over 2.1's but its not just the pinch flats, its the rim damage too.
BTW when I use 1.5's I run them at 60-65psi.
TJ - New bike, new tyres.
Old bike was the weight of a small car so it didn't bounce around as much and the weight gave it more traction. Was usually my legs that died before traction lost. Was still a hardtail so not because of the change from FS to HT
Just trying to see what is an acceptable level as didn't want to run too low, get pinches and/or smash my rims. Just seemed that the 25psi that it was when I finished was bordering on too low. Interested in what others were riding as well.
Will be pumping it up a tiny bit and seeing if I can get a happy medium around 30psi and just take a 2nd inner tube with me along with puncture repair kit for next couple of weeks.
30 PSI on the hardtail for grip, but i have to be a bit carefull on the full-on rocky descents.
35 - 40 on the susser as it has more grip than a hardtail, so i can push it a bit harder with less risk of pinch flats.
Panaracer xc pro 2.1's.
I weigh 90kg, ride a FS and use 35 - 40 psi. Never had a pinch flat. Tyres are Kenda Blue Grove or Trail Rakers for the winter.