Originally Posted by FBinNY

There's usually very generous safety margins built into tire pressure ratings. After all they have to account for inaccurate gauges and pressure climb from braking heat and/or hot pavements.

So fee free to exceed rated pressures by 25% or so (usually) if it improves performance. Finding ideal pressure is about experimentation, and different people of the same weight, and using identical tires, won't always agree on what works best, which is OK. What's best for you is what you think is best for you, so feel free to exceed rated pressure, but be aware that heat can cause further increase.

BTW- my way of optimizing pressure, is to raise by degrees (5psi or so) over time, and riding for a while before raising again. When I find a level where the drawbacks -- skittish handling, harsh ride, etc. -- become noticeable, I back off to the last pressure that rode nice.