Originally Posted by
kbarch
Best for what? Some conditions warrant lower pressure than others, some days I
want a firmer tire. Plus, unless I'm racing, I'm not concerned about performance, and there's no discernible difference in ride feel across a very broad range. The reason I pump 25mm tires to 100-105 is because it's plenty firm, but allows me to keep riding for a long time without worrying about needing to re-inflate; I'm comfortable down to about 75 psi. I don't pump any closer to the rated max. because I'm lazy, and I don't want to get big arms.
However, there's the psychological aspect, too. Regardless of the science, I feel better starting a race or a gran fondo with firmer tires, so I may pump the same tires to 110, and the tubulars over 120, which, by the end of the day, won't be at 120 any more.
Exactly. psit instead of psig.
Best based on your personal preference and application. My only point is that tire pressure is something you should be making a decision on, and trying to keep the pressure within a reasonable variation of that. Pumping to 105, and then not putting anymore air in until the tires get to 75psi means you're 30psi away from your chosen pressure, which is a pretty drastic difference.
Now, maybe you're equally happy with 105, 75, and everything in between for all of your cycling applications, in which case your strategy would make sense. I'm a bit more picky about it though...