Originally Posted by
Papa Tom
I just purchased my first set of fat slick tires - Schwalbe Big Apple 26" X 2.35"s to be specific. My first mistake was inflating them to 50 psi, at which they don't feel a whole lot different than the 1.5" Specialized nimbus tires they are replacing....
You basically answered your won question. 50psi feels too high, and you've read that they can go as low as 30psi. So don't listen to folks who can't know what you want or need.
Instead listen to your bike, and your body's senses. If I were you, I'd start at the "too high" 50psi, and drop pressure in 5# increments riding at each level a while to get a decent sense of how it handles, then moving on. When it gets sloppy, or you feel seriously at risk of bottoming out on hard bumps, go back up to the last decent level.
BTW- use a similar process to find the right pressure for front and rear tires, which likely will be different. Also, be aware that "best" pressure will vary based on road/trail conditions so don't lock yourself into the idea that there's only one best pressure.