Road Cycling - Psi???

What PSI are you folks running? I'm a mountain biker who has taken to the road this year, and these high psi numbers scare me! I'm currently running around 90psi in the front and 100psi in the rear. The tires state a maximum pressure of 120psi. Anywho, here's some more info:

Wheels: Bontrager Race Lite (23mm/21mm rear rim)
Tires: Bontrager Race X-Lite (folding, 700x23c front and rear)
Me: 150lbs
My MTB set-up: front=38/40 psi, rear=42/45 psi

Also, will the compact hand-pump that I use for emergency tire inflation work given the higher psi of these road tires?

ThanX!!!!!! :D

on my MTB i run at 80 PSI
(yes my tires can take that)

on my road i run 100-125 depending on the weather. the warmer the less. the cooler the more.

Michelin pro race: 120 - 125psi rear, 110 - 115psi front.

Conti GP 3000 23s. 120 psi front and rear [max].

Me: 158 lbs.

re: pumps.

short answer: no.

if you want higher pressure consider:

CO2, a good frame pump, or the Morph Road. Personally I carry either the Morph for long rides/ CO2+ a tiny Crank Bros. pump for shorter rides (the Crank Bros will get ya home at 70-90 psi).

p.s. I run 120 F and R in my Vredesteins(road) and 35 in my Hutchison mtb tires(at 110 lbs i don't worry too much about pinch flats).

Happy flat-free riding. Having a pump aboard seems to placate the flat gods :)

Conti Ultra2000, 700Cx23: 100-105 front, 105-110 rear
(I weigh around 140lb = 63kg)

Armadillo 700Cx28: 90-95 front, 95-100 rear

Raptor 26"x1.95: 60-65F, 65-70R (sidewalls rated at 60PSI)

I run pretty close to the max. This is about 8.5 bar (120 psi), on Continental 700X23C Clinchers. If it's gonna be really hot, I might go at 8, since they are going to heat up to 8.5 anyway. Unless you are particularly heavy, I see no reason not to take them pretty close to their maximum. I've not had a flat in ages, but I am also just 63 kgs (before breakfast).

Question: I recall reading that the front and back tires should have a slightly different pressure. More in the front, or more in the back? Which is it? What are the advantages?

Cheers,
Jamie

I run mine at the max stated on the tire, although by LBS has told me it's OK to run them a few pounds higher.

There seems to be an underthread?? (is there such a word :o) ) that if you are heavier you should have lower tire pressure and if it is warm you should have lower tire pressure.

I do not agree. It seems to me that if you are heavier you need as much or more tire pressure to counteract the increased weight, and everything I have read about heat build up in tires states that they heat up more quickly at lower pressures.

I aso understand that almost all tires can actually take about 2 times as much pressure as recommended on the tire wall.

Any thoughts?

Originally posted by jmlee
Question: I recall reading that the front and back tires should have a slightly different pressure. More in the front, or more in the back? Which is it? What are the advantages?
Cheers,
Jamie

Well, I generally run a higher pressure on the back tire because that's where most of the overall weight is distributed. I do this to prevent pinch-flats on my mountain bike, and I've just carried it over from there.

Anyone else?

Originally posted by aerobat
I run mine at the max stated on the tire, although by LBS has told me it's OK to run them a few pounds higher.

I pump my Continentals to 140. The side wall says 120. I big and that stops the snakebikes. I've put thousands of miles on at that pressure with no reprecussions. AND it cut down on rolling resistance.

Conti GP 3000 23s. 120 psi front and rear [max].

Same here. I now use CO2 as my mini pump is only good for 60psi.

Originally posted by DnvrFox
I aso understand that almost all tires can actually take about 2 times as much pressure as recommended on the tire wall.
For the sake of discussion (gawd knows, don't try it!), the tire might be able to withstand it, but I would worry about other things, like the inner tube, or risking a blow-off.

Originally posted by 1oldRoadie


I pump my Continentals to 140. The side wall says 120. I big and that stops the snakebikes. I've put thousands of miles on at that pressure with no reprecussions. AND it cut down on rolling resistance.

Here's an interesting opposing opinion (http://www.roadbikerider.com/UArant.htm) (scroll down to the bottom of the page), with regard to tire pressure/snake-bites. It's the first time I'd ever heard of anyone advocating lower pressure for the prevention of snake-bites.

Indeed, an interesting opinion from Uncle Al, who states:

"Admittedly, I weigh 210 pounds and ride on really poor road surfaces. These things influence my opinions. I run 85-90 psi front and 90-95 psi rear on 700x23C clincher tires. I do not have flats! Plus, bumps are less of an issue, and my bike corners as if on rails on high-speed descents. I get 1,000-1,500 miles out of a rear tire. When I ran much higher pressure many years ago, I got no more than 500 miles."

At my wee 63 kgs (140lbs), I have not had a flat in ages (knock on rubber). My front tire has over 2000 miles on it; the rear is newer, 1000 miles (replaced because of a cut in a sidewall from piece of metal falling on it my basement). Neither shows any sign of needing replacement any time soon (they're Conti 700x23C). The point, I run these buggers at Max pressure 8.5 Bar (ca. 120 psi).

All this goes to show is that anecdotes do not make science. And it still doesn't answer the weight question.

Cheers,
Jamie