Have I been pumping up my tyres wrong pressure to date???

[Lauris]

Okay so if its true what I am about to say.
Then I will be fuming!

So I have always pumped my tyres and then checked firmness by pressing my finger that's how I decided if its enough or not

So today I pumped it up as per the range on the side of the tyre.

I was scared as I never pump it that much and afraid it would blow up.

Even the pump provides more resistance if that makes sense. When that happens that's when I stop pumping. Usually I think around 40-50 psi

Basically I used it as indicator.

So do I have to pump it as per the minimum tyre range for example 80-130 so minimum 80 psi?

Could the inner tube explode? How much psi can an inner tube take?

I know this a very novice thing.

Tyres feel very solid now and roll much better!

 

[fossyant]

What bike, what tyre size. Ideally it needs to be somewhere in the range. Road bikes are around 100 PSI.

My MTB is at the lower end of the scale - just less than 30 PSI a sit's full suspension.

Tubes aren't rated for pressure - the tyre is. Tubes actually would burst with not many PSI in them, but the tyre holds them in shape.

 

[nickyboy]

Okay so if its true what I am about to say.
Then I will be fuming!

So I have always pumped my tyres and then checked firmness by pressing my finger that's how I decided if its enough or not

So today I pumped it up as per the range on the side of the tyre.

I was scared as I never pump it that much and afraid it would blow up.

Even the pump provides more resistance if that makes sense. When that happens that's when I stop pumping. Usually I think around 40-50 psi

Basically I used it as indicator.

So do I have to pump it as per the minimum tyre range for example 80-130 so minimum 80 psi?

Could the inner tube explode? How much psi can an inner tube take?

I know this a very novice thing.

Tyres feel very solid now and roll much better!

If your tyre suggests 80-130psi then it's generally a good idea to pump it up to something in that range. Two problems if you don't...

1) You are more prone to certain types of punctures if you run the tyres underpressure
2) The rolling resistance is quite a bit less when run at the suggested pressure

All you're left to consider is where in the range to pump them up to. Generally, the heavier the rider, the more towards the upper end. Having said that, 130psi does sound extremely high. I use "normal" road tyres weigh about 85kg and target about 90psi on the front tyre, 105psi on the back (the reason for the difference is because generally the back wheel carries more weight than the front wheel

 

[mjr]

Can't say if you've been pumping up to the wrong pressure because you don't know what it was! Probably too low but most people do. As long as the tyres stay on the wheels and you aren't suffering "pinch flats" hitting bumps, it isn't awful.

Tubes won't burst unless they can escape through a hole in the tyre or a gap between tyre and wheel (usually caused by misfitting).

I run my Dutch bike's 37mm tyres at 35psi front and 55psi rear, but my road bike with 28s is more like 60/80 and someone else's road bike with 25s is 100/110. I think my teeth would fall out and bum feel sore soon at that!

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Yes the tyre pressure range is important. If you're way below the minimum range that's not a good place to be. You're liable to snake bite punctures and as you sort of found out, the tyre will roll very, very heavily.

The exact best pressure depends on a few things, but mainly the type of tyre, the weight being carried, and possibly surface conditions. You should start somewhere mid range and then see how that feels, with experience you'll get to know where within that range is the ideal blend of comfort and least rolling resistance. On a road bike with a range of 80-120 I'd probably be aiming at 100 and go from there on feel, but then I'm quite heavy.

 

[Lauris]

It's a road bike 25mm tyres.

This is the first time ever I pumped it up to the range.
The reason was actually cause it would not bead in well so I pumped it up more.
Then it finally seated well on rim and I left it like that went for a ride and it was noticeably faster.
I would have never pumped it up so high if the tyre seated initially at lower psi.

Like I said I usually don't pump it as high.
Even though the pump has gauge I'd still pump it by feel. Gauge would how around 40-60 psi.( Depending how it felt pressing by finger )

My main question is it safe to pump it up so much higher than I usually do?
My main worry is tyre explosion during a ride!

Also when I start to go into higher psi range them pump gives more resistance would makes me think its too much air

 

[Lauris]

Yes the tyre pressure range is important. If you're way below the minimum range that's not a good place to be. You're liable to snake bite punctures and as you sort of found out, the tyre will roll very, very heavily.

The exact best pressure depends on a few things, but mainly the type of tyre, the weight being carried, and possibly surface conditions. You should start somewhere mid range and then see how that feels, with experience you'll get to know where within that range is the ideal blend of comfort and least rolling resistance. On a road bike with a range of 80-120 I'd probably be aiming at 100 and go from there on feel, but then I'm quite heavy.

I wasn't suffering too many snake bites even at low pressure. Only recently. 80psi feels rock solid to be fair I am afraid to go higher incase of tyre explosion

 

[Lauris]

If your tyre suggests 80-130psi then it's generally a good idea to pump it up to something in that range. Two problems if you don't...

1) You are more prone to certain types of punctures if you run the tyres underpressure
2) The rolling resistance is quite a bit less when run at the suggested pressure

All you're left to consider is where in the range to pump them up to. Generally, the heavier the rider, the more towards the upper end. Having said that, 130psi does sound extremely high. I use "normal" road tyres weigh about 85kg and target about 90psi on the front tyre, 105psi on the back (the reason for the difference is because generally the back wheel carries more weight than the front wheel

I am at 100kg at the moment. I was just always paranoid that if I blow it up any higher the tyre would explode!
Happened before on a mountain bike though.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I wasn't suffering too many snake bites even at low pressure. Only recently. 80psi feels rock solid to be fair I am afraid to go higher incase of tyre explosion

You're possibly a lighter rider? Or you don't have many pot holes near you, one of the two.

A well inflated tyre will feel hard, but it's got to carry a lot of weight. Your whole body and bike weight will deform the tyre more than a finger and thumb can.
Don't worry, it won't go bang even at the maximum range. Oh and yes, they do get harder to pump as you get to mid-range onwards, but it's normal.

 

[T4tomo]

Your tyre isn't going to explode if you pump it to 80-120 psi. for 25mm tyres you shouldn't need to go over 100. for example I'm about 80kg, I run 25mm tyres around 85 front 90-95 rear.

edit you're 100kg - you probably want 100psi rear and 90-95 front then. Surprised you haven't had more pinch flats running at 60 psi

 

[Lauris]

You're possibly a lighter rider? Or you don't have many pot holes near you, one of the two.

A well inflated tyre will feel hard, but it's got to carry a lot of weight. Your whole body and bike weight will deform the tyre more than a finger and thumb can.
Don't worry, it won't go bang even at the maximum range. Oh and yes, they do get harder to pump as you get to mid-range onwards, but it's normal.

Thanks.
I did feel a noticeable difference when almost doubling the air in the tube.
The ride was also more enjoyable!

 

[nickyboy]

Thanks.
I did feel a noticeable difference when almost doubling the air in the tube.
The ride was also more enjoyable!

I think your key takeaway here is that although road bike tyres may look fragile compared to, say, a car tyre, they are designed to withstand the high pressures we are talking about

Really, unless the tyre has some significant defect it's never going to "explode" at 100psi or whatever. And weighing 100kg you should notice a significant improvement in both comfort and speed at the higher pressure

 

[si_c]

You haven't said what tyres you are running other than their width (25mm), but I weigh the same as you and for my 25c Bontrager tyres I run at 90psi front and 95 rear (90psi minimum) and my vittoria rubinos (25c) I run at 95/100 where 95 is the minimum. On my 28c Bontrager road tyres I run at 80/85 psi (80psi minimum).

I don't have any problems associated with under-inflating the tyres, and tend toward the view that for most tyres the minimums specified are grossly overkill for lightweight riders. Ultimately at 100psi for a 25c tyre you're reaching the point where it just becomes less pleasant to ride on poor road surfaces.

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

There's an OK tyre pressure guide that can be used as a guide here.

With your weight and tyre width, it comes out as 91 psi recommended for a road bike.

But remember, this doesn't take correct pressures for surface conditions into consideration for grip and comfort depending on what the roads are like near you.

 

[iluvmybike]

Lighter riders do not need as high a pressure as heavier ones - my hubby and I ride same tyres but I run them 10psi less than he does. The pressure on the sidewall is a max and a min. In winter I reduce the pressure a little to enhance the grip on wet surfaces