Tire Pressure, should tire deform when i sit down?
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Tire Pressure, should tire deform when i sit down?
Part of why I bought a comfort bike and not a hybrid was due to the wider tire being able to handle more weight and give a smoother ride. I pump my tires up to max pressure which is 65 psi but I notice that my rear tire is still deformed when I sit down, is this normal? Should I try going to 70 psi or will it go boom?
#3
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Google bicycle tire pressure calculator, pick one.
Target is for tire to deform 15%...
Target is for tire to deform 15%...
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How much have you ridden? You getting any pinch-flats? If you are, more pressure. And in case you don't know, you can tell a pinch-flat because the tube looks like it was bitten by a rattle snake. It'll have two holes, actually created by the tire flexing out (with the tube stretching with it), then the rim coming down and pinching the tube between the rim and the ground.
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Absolutely normal. Like PhotoJoe said, as long as you're not getting pinch flats you're OK.
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Cool, I knew it would deform it just seemed like a lot but it is hard to judge looking down between my legs and hopefully the neighbors don't think I'm checking myself out.
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I hate to sound snide but tires aren't magic. They have to deform as they are loaded.
Go outside and look at a few car tires. They all have the characteristic bulge at the bottom. Bike tires work the same way, and will have the same characteristic bulge.
Go outside and look at a few car tires. They all have the characteristic bulge at the bottom. Bike tires work the same way, and will have the same characteristic bulge.
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#8
SuperGimp
Part of why I bought a comfort bike and not a hybrid was due to the wider tire being able to handle more weight and give a smoother ride. I pump my tires up to max pressure which is 65 psi but I notice that my rear tire is still deformed when I sit down, is this normal? Should I try going to 70 psi or will it go boom?
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#10
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The only tires that don't deform are solid rubber *OR* those on the 1931 W-30. Neither would be my choice to ride on...
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Like I said above, of course I knew there would be deformation but I should have written "more than expected".
What I was getting at was my tires have a recommended pressure of 45-65 psi, I ran at 70 psi a couple days ago and it made a noticeable difference and was curious if any other big guys did this.
What I was getting at was my tires have a recommended pressure of 45-65 psi, I ran at 70 psi a couple days ago and it made a noticeable difference and was curious if any other big guys did this.
Last edited by WVU_Engineer; 05-22-14 at 02:47 PM. Reason: puncutation
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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.
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.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
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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.
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.
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For example:
#16
just pedal
on a road riding setup you are ideally looking for about a 15% drop... different tires will be slightly different but it's a good average... to get this you need to figure out the height of the tire from ground to rim... then take 15% of that number, when you sit on the bike (in your proper riding position) that is the height the rim edge should sit... this requires a friend and in reality I don't know any normal rider who's done this.
on a MTB out on the trail I tend to go with a more generic of "enough" I always started around 35psi (29er so larger air volume allows lower pressure than similar sized tire 26er)... if I felt the tire was rolling out from under me or I ever felt it hit the rim (or got a snake bite) i'd add a bit of pressure, on the other end I'd let out a bit of pressure as I'd ride to get the pressure low enough to what felt right... this is far easier to do and more important on a rigid bike.
here is a helpful calculator, but its only a limited size and for 700c tires.
Bicycle tire pressure calculator
in my experience I would say that most larger (250+ lbs) road clyds are prob running too little pressure based on the 15% drop rule of thumb and that most skinny riders are running too high of pressure
on a MTB out on the trail I tend to go with a more generic of "enough" I always started around 35psi (29er so larger air volume allows lower pressure than similar sized tire 26er)... if I felt the tire was rolling out from under me or I ever felt it hit the rim (or got a snake bite) i'd add a bit of pressure, on the other end I'd let out a bit of pressure as I'd ride to get the pressure low enough to what felt right... this is far easier to do and more important on a rigid bike.
here is a helpful calculator, but its only a limited size and for 700c tires.
Bicycle tire pressure calculator
in my experience I would say that most larger (250+ lbs) road clyds are prob running too little pressure based on the 15% drop rule of thumb and that most skinny riders are running too high of pressure
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I also think that, rather than being ridiculous, the above pictured wheels are super stylish, and while impractical (in terms of damage risk and street ride quality, anyway), definitely make a statement about wheels and tires, specifically that the boundaries are probably way beyond what you think you know.
Stock BMW M3 '14:
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I think if someone put a heavy enough load in those low pro cars, (like a clyde on a road bike) the tires would bulge. "Think" being the key word.
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