BigIkeDiesel

Just bought a bike and have a post in the intro section...

My tires say inflate to 90 psi, max 110... At 297# I would like to air it up to 120/130. They are Michelin Axial Select 700x23c. Any of you bigguns go over the max inflation rating?

Was looking at Thickslick sport tires, they seem to be more heavy duty. Any thoughts on going with this tire.

Should I, could I, go up to a 25c tire?

Thanks,
Jay

Shimagnolo

The sidewall lists the *maximum* PSI.
I don't know why so many people think they need to use the same size tires as the pro cyclists regardless of their weight.
The proper size tire for a vehicle varies with the weight.
Pro cyclists weigh 130-180#.
I weigh 185# and my favorite is 28mm, even though one of my bikes has 25mm, (which will be replaced with 28mm in the future).

LGHT

I ride on 25's and they inflate up to 130. 23's aren't bad, but I just found it to be a lot more comfortable on 25's and I believe they offer just as good if not the same rolling resistance.

corrado33

There's a good possibility that his bike CAME with the 23s

While there is probably a good margin of safety built into the maximum PSI ratings, I still wouldn't chance it.
I would not over inflate the tires, especially with the higher than normal load applied to them.

Black wallnut 

I'm guessing the answer is he just bought the bike, is new and his bike came with a too small for application tire. I weigh 217 and ride on 25's. I weighed more and rode a set of 23's without issue. I've never rolled on 28's. My CX bike has had 32 and 33's.

I would not over-inflate what you have. I've no knowledge of the Thickslick tires. Honestly at 297 pounds you should consider the largest tire that will fit on your bike at above the PSI that will cause pinch flats. Overinflation does not give the best ride quality and neither does under inflation. The ideal pressure likely takes experimentation. Start at the max and slowly decrease pressure, if you get pinch flats you went too far.

Shimagnolo

Good point on OEM tires.
Another thing that might happen with overinflation is cracked rim sidewalls.
I had that happen twice with 1.9" tires with sidewalls labeled 70PSI.
After I cracked the *second* new Mavic rim, I realized the tire is not necessarily the weak link with PSI.

BigIkeDiesel

Yeah, it came with these tires. I was used to 19c on my old bike (a long, long time ago..). I guess i could slap some 25c's on it... Didn't see the Max 110 psi mark until i was looking at the tire for this post. I'll see if they pop on me

Still think those Thickslicks would be good for my lardness...

JerrySTL

Don't exceed the max by much if at all. There's probably some fudge factor built into the max PSI, but I wouldn't test it.

Upgrade to 25s or 28s ASAP.

BigIkeDiesel

Going to bounce on these now!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-WTB-Tir...item5b09714dd5

Jarrett2

At 297, I'd suggest going to these 25mm @ 120 psi:

Continental Gator Hardshell Folding Road Tyre - 700c | Merlin Cycles

By the way, this is coming from a guy that has ridden road bikes at well over 300 lbs. and currently rides these tires at 275 lbs.

Beware getting wheel/tire advice from a 130 pounder

dr_lha

Regarding tire sizes, I ride on 25s and on 23s, usually inflate to the max PSI, and weigh 250lbs. I enjoy riding on the 23s, they feel solid, positive and fast to me. They don't make me uncomfortable at all. These are Michelin Pro4s FYI. The 25s are Gatorskins. I used to ride 700x32cs and I can't say I feel much comfort difference between riding narrower tires and those.

Shimagnolo

Have you actually measured them?
I keep reading that the Pro4s actually measure a size larger than the label.

dr_lha

22.98mm!

dhender02

I wouldn't over inflate beyond the manufacturer's recommendations.... I ride 25s Gatorskins inflated to 101... On my hybrid,i ride on 32s inflated to 85...

ColaJacket

Also, even the sites that have tire calculators tell you to never go over the max pressure or under the min pressure.

For example, I weigh 250#, and I have 700x28 tires on my bike. I figure about 25# for bike and gear. The max pressure for them is 100psi. The calculator says that I should use 80/125 (f/r) psi for the tires. So I inflate to about 85 and 105 (partially because I know a little air escapes when I take the pump off the presta valves), to insure 80/100.

Article on Tire Pressure (there are links to sites with tire pressure calculators near the end of the article). The article (and the links to other articles) makes a point that the least rolling resistance occurs when the tires have about a 15% deflection.

GH

Namida12

Jay,

Currently @ 247, and I have worn out two sets of Thickslick 25, they gave me 4,240 & 4,500 miles watching mileage carefully. I switched front and back at 1,500 miles. I never used these heavy tires for high speed runs, just road consistently below 30 miles an hour on a few downhills, but mostly 13 -14 miles an hour on flat terrain. I was under the impression they were tires made for fix gear bicycles, reason for the thicker amount of rubber.

Except for the heaviness, they had good grip, performed well and I had only one flat on both sets. I picked up a sheet rock screw, from about 50+ dropped at a corner along with several well used tools. I took the time to move the sheet rock screws and tools from the roadway, to save others from a similar incident, before repairing the flat. Tire sidewall was 90 PSI and that what pressure I used.

I am riding on Continental 23 Gatorskinsat the moment, they were a gift and are much faster to spin up, than the Thickslick tires I was using the last few years. I always inflate near the maximum, but never exceed the sidewall recommendation.

lurch0038

+1 honestly smaller folks truly have no clue the amount of stress and damage that us Clydes do to everything we own!

ColaJacket

Agreed. That 130# should be careful about the minimum air pressure in the tire for the best ride.

Us Clydes are more worried about the maximum air pressure in the tire for our weight.

GH