Tyre pressure advise.

[LincsBlue]

Apologies if this has been covered before but here goes...Being new to cycling after a break of way too many years I now MTB on road with a bit of trail riding thrown in here and there but this Sunday I'm doing the Viking Challenge for the first time which is predominantly farm track, canal path, trails and a bit of road as far as I know. I run on 27.5 x 2.2 and have the rear at 34 psi and front at 30 psi would these pressures be ok for this type of ride? Many thanks in advance.

 

[HarryTheDog]

Seems reasonable, I might go a bit higher but only as I would want to go as fast as possible. I run 40/40 on tarmac, I race XC and on a dry firm course would have 40 in the rear, 35 in the front, wet muddy course 30 in the rear a little bit lower in the front. I run tubeless and have burped the front tyre at 30 hitting a rock ( slightly sideways) . My tyres are 2.0 and I weigh 11st though. If your a big lad you might want to go higher

 

[Kajjal]

Seems reasonable, I might go a bit higher but only as I would want to go as fast as possible. I run 40/40 on tarmac, I race XC and on a dry firm course would have 40 in the rear, 35 in the front, wet muddy course 30 in the rear a little bit lower in the front. I run tubeless and have burped the front tyre at 30 hitting a rock ( slightly sideways) . My tyres are 2.0 and I weigh 11st though. If your a big lad you might want to go higher

This is good advice, on my XC hard tail I have 40 front and rear due to weighing 100KG as I get no punctures and find the handling is very consistent. It is really down to personal preference and the tyres you use.

 

[Motozulu]

Almost an impossible question to answer - depends on riding style, terrain, bike, tubed? tubeless?, rider weight etc etc.

I personally run 25 rear 23 front on tubeless tyres. A good ball park figure to start I'd suggest would be 35 rear 33 front and go for a ride - pinging of rocks? front tyre washout? go down a couple of PSI - feels sluggish? go up a couple. I'd also recommend a decent digital pressure gauge too, the ones on most pumps are gash.

 

[LincsBlue]

Almost an impossible question to answer - depends on riding style, terrain, bike, tubed? tubeless?, rider weight etc etc.

I personally run 25 rear 23 front on tubeless tyres. A good ball park figure to start I'd suggest would be 35 rear 33 front and go for a ride - pinging of rocks? front tyre washout? go down a couple of PSI - feels sluggish? go up a couple. I'd also recommend a decent digital pressure gauge too, the ones on most pumps are gash.

The terrain is a bit mixed by the sounds of it as the route isnt released til the day as part of it is on private land as presumably they want to stop anyone having a practice run although there's plenty of farm tracks to contend with. I have a Trail 4 with tubed WTB Beeline's and I'm about 12 stone 5. This is the first time I've done anything like this site don't fancy making an arse of myself! Oh I have a Topeak D2 which I think is pretty much recommended by most. Thanks for the advice, appreciated.

 

[Motozulu]

12.5 stone? I'd say anything over 30psi would be too hard then for you, you'll compromise grip especially this time of year where everything is wet/muddy. I'd seriously go 30 rear and 28 front at that weight.

 

[LincsBlue]

12.5 stone? I'd say anything over 30psi would be too hard then for you, you'll compromise grip especially this time of year where everything is wet/muddy. I'd seriously go 30 rear and 28 front at that weight.

Cheers, I actually took some air out today as I was bouncing off every rut there was. Also note to self that WTB Beeline's are useless in muddy conditions but it added to the fun.

 

[NeilnrLincoln]

How did you get on? I did the Viking with my two teenage lads. It was a bit muddy & slippery wasn't it.

 

[LincsBlue]

How did you get on? I did the Viking with my two teenage lads. It was a bit muddy & slippery wasn't it.

Thoroughly enjoyed it, did the long route in 3 hours 50 and I'll take half an hour off that for the 4 cake and pork pie stops Bike encased in mud as well as myself and managed to fall off only the once! I believe some didn't make it to the end because of damaged bikes and it was definitely a bit hairy in places. Got the bug for it now so might have to do the Dorking Gravel Grinder.

 

[NeilnrLincoln]

You did it quicker than me. I managed one fall too going up the 1st big hill. Both my lads bikes had trouble with the chains throwing off because of the mud, cracking day though.
Its the Caythorpe chase in a couple of weeks, not far from where the Viking was held. Might have a go at that.

 

[LincsBlue]

You did it quicker than me. I managed one fall too going up the 1st big hill. Both my lads bikes had trouble with the chains throwing off because of the mud, cracking day though.
Its the Caythorpe chase in a couple of weeks, not far from where the Viking was held. Might have a go at that.

Some of those hills were ridiculously muddy and only walkable. I was in the second group to start and it was well cut up in places by the time we went through so dread to think what it was like for late starters. Still buzzing from it if I'm honest, only been cycling a couple of months so definitely caught the bug to do more. Just had a look at the Caythorpe Chase, errrm can resist it