Originally Posted by
smallwheeler
believe it or not, these high pressure tires are designed by the manufacturer to be inflated to high
pressures. the idea that you would plod around on these tires at 50 psi seems goofy. if you needed
to jump pavement or inadvertently rolled into a shallow depression, the likelihood of a pinched-tube
flat or even a bent rim would be quite likely. just saying'
Hi,
I have no doubts they can work up to 100psi but the physics of a 1.5" tyre
don't change with the numbers printed on the sidewalls. 100psi is 6.9 bar
which is rock hard for a 1.5" tyre, no doubt they'll have low rolling resistance.
The implication the chances of a bent rim or pinch flats increase at 50psi
is just plain wrong IMO, that implies 100psi is somehow optimum, and
my research and experience indicates
its way too high for a 1.5" tyre.
(The research indicates optimum tyre pressures are inversely related
to the tyre width, are about the same for a given width, and you gain
little with much higher pressures, except on very smooth tarmac, the
rest of the time the teeth rattling ride actually slows you down.)
The pressure needed to avoid pinch flats depends on the tyre
width and not much else, its not related to tyre pressure ratings.
(Unless the tyre is very heavily loaded, so they would matter.)
On my (non suspended) folder 50psi in 1.75" tyres is way too hard for
the front, probably about right for the rear (weight dependent), still
experimenting with the front, I think about 35psi goes with 50psi rear.
(I'm average weight). 1.5" tyre pressures would be somewhat higher.
I don't think its goofy to run your tyres at the best all round pressures,
what is goofy to me is the "harder is always better" school of thought.
rgds, sreten.
As your graph shows the important thing is to have enough pressure.
Then I'd say the better the surfaces you ride on, up the pressure more.
Better riding technique on poor roads allows you to run higher pressures.