80 psi

[wilko]

Been road riding for a few months now and have a hybrid that I pump the tyres up to 90 psi. Today I decided to take my old mtb along the canal path, but had no idea what pressure to pump the tyres up to, so I put 80 psi in them!! I have a feeling this is too high, so what would you recommend I pump them up to?

 

[Norm]

What does it say on the side walls? Mine are, IIRC, 40-65 and I stick 50 in them but every tyre is different (as is every bike, rider, route etc etc).

 

[wilko]

I didn't think to actually look on the sidewall! It says max psi 80 min psi 25, so I guess 50-60 psi would do it.

 

[JiMBR]

80 psi does sound on the high side.

As Norm says, every tyre etc is different.

I usually stick with 50-55 in mine, sometimes with slightly less in the front.

 

[Norm]

Experiment a bit.

Higher pressure reduces the shock-absorption benefits you'll get from the sidewalls but too low and you can get snake bite punctures if the wheels hit the hard stuff. If the pressures are low enough that the tyres deform, that can make the bike feel very insecure on the tarmac.

But, if the range is 25-80, then 50-60 would be a good starting point.

IMO.

 

[mr Mag00]

i dont like it so low on the mtb i hate the way the tryes squirm. i go high and feel far more in control

 

[Cubist]

i dont like it so low on the mtb i hate the way the tryes squirm. i go high and feel far more in control

Until you hit some nice rooty track, or a few rocky steps.......

 

[spence]

40 is the most you'll need for off road, less will give you better grip. Even less if you're running tubeless.

 

[Mr Pig]

I like my off road tyres quite hard, about 60-65psi I think they're at. I don't do a lot of dare-devil riding and I prefer being able to batter rocks etc without getting punctures. It also helps to deflect thorns and stuff like that. You do get less grip on harder surfaces but for me it's bearable for the limited off road riding that I do.

 

[mr Mag00]

Until you hit some nice rooty track, or a few rocky steps.......

i allow the suspension to deal with that whilst i glide effortlessly.

 

[wilko]

I won't be doing any extreme off roading, just down the canal towpath, so I will try riding with psi 50 to start and see how we go. Many thanks for your replies.

 

[Mr Pig]

I won't be doing any extreme off roading, just down the canal towpath.

You don't even need MTB tyres then. Get some puncture resistant commuters with a little bit of tread.

 

[JiMBR]

I can recommend 'Town and Country' from Continental...excellent tyres.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=18845

 

[RedBike]

MTB tyres rarely go much over 50/60, 80psi sounds very high. I'm guessing these tyres are more of a narrow hybrid tyre than a wide knobbly MTB tyre?

 

[yashicamat]

The Specialized FastTraks my Rockhopper Comp came with have a max of 85 PSI, and they're 2.0" IIRC. They are slightly oddball tyres though, "fast rolling off roaders". Replaced with some decent Maxxis ones since as the Spesh ones were useless in the gloopy stuff.