Tyre Pressure - Dawes Karakum

[Bandini]

Hi - I am quite new to cycling and would like some advice.

The maximum recommended pressure on the tyre is 70 psi. But until I bought a track pump today (I didn't have a gauge before) I had them much lower. I now have them at 60 psi front and 65 psi back. Is this about right? I am about 13 stone.

Cheers.

 

[Crankarm]

Tyres are able to take considerably more pressure than the rating on the tyre walls, as manufacturers have to test them to much higher pressures. Therefore I always have them at max pressure and have never suffered ill effects and neither the tyres. The higher the pressure the less likely a puncture and less wasted energy pedalling a bike with soft tyres. 70 psi is quite low so I would pump them up to max 70psi. 60 psi would be far too soft for me. I weigh 72kg so lighter than you. I generally have my tyres at about 115-120 psi - Specialised Armadillo All Condition Pros on my commuter and 125-130psi in my Vittoria Rubino Pros on my road bike and max 5.8 bar (sorry don't know the psi) in my Brompton kevlar tyres.

 

[andym]

I don't think 60 and 65 psi is really a lot lower than 70psi and I suspect would be in the manufacturer's recommended range. The disadvantage of running really low pressures are greater rolling resistance and the risk of pinch punctures.

If you pump your tyres up really really hard you reduce the rolling resistance but you also increase the vibration transmitted from the road. I think there are good arguments that the latter offsets the benefit from the former. I'd follow the manufacterer's recommendations: if you want to run a tyre at high pressure then buy a tyre that's designed to run at high pressure.

My rule of thumb if you excuse the pun, is that if there is a tiny, tiny bit of give on the tyre then its about right.

 

[Crankarm]

Just to clarify I inflate a tyre to it's manufacturer's max pressure rating so if 70psi then inflate to this or if 115psi then to this. I don't generally go above 125-130 as then I think this may be approaching the max pressure rating of the rim. Anyway 125-130 psi is pretty 'ard AFAIAC. I don't tend to buy tyres with a pressure rating of less than 100psi except Brompton as the wheels are a lot smaller. The only time I have cycled on much reduced tyre pressure is in snow. Simply cannot cycle a road bike with a soggy underinflated tyre knowing a lot of my energy is being wasted because the tyre is too soft. But thats just me. I haven't noticed any increased vibration having a properly inflated tyre, but then again I wouldn't as I don't cycle on squidgy tyres.

 

[Bandini]

Cheers. I think 60 and 65 will be fine. There is not much give and I was running them at much less without it being a problem..

 

[willem]

How about this: http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com/images/TireDrop.pdf

 

[Bandini]

Cheers. Reckon that they have just enough give now.