PSI for city riding
 

6'1" 210lbs ThickSlick Sport 700x28

I rode them for a week at 80 psi.
Yesterday I rode both front and rear at 100.
Definitely a 'more lively' ride. Seemed faster but I don't know how much of that is psychological from the increased road feel.
Seemed like much less resistance going over rough road.
I did immediately notice that it was such easier to lock up the rear tire on downhills at the higher pressure.
Also noticed a better ride carrying 30lbs of groceries when I had 100 psi.

I've read on here where some people were running their rear FreedomSlick 700x28 at 120 (Max rating is 100).

I dodge potholes but I do have to ride on rough pavement and I carry bumps with my legs (I pay attention).
I have been reading a lot about "Tire Drop" etc..but a lot of the information out there is more about racing than street handling.

I'm going to try running the front 5-10 psi lower than the rear.
Any words of wisdom?

Just about your height/weight and I run both sets of tires at 100 for city riding/commuting. That seems to be the sweet spot for me so far. I don't skid intentionally so I cannot attest to any part of that. The ride does seem fast and smooth at that psi though.

Your tire pressure depends on the width of the tire and your weight. The front tire pressure should be about 90% of the rear value. Based on a set of formulas I use, you need about 103 psi in the rear and 93 psi in the front for your weight and tire width. This is not a rigid requirement, but this has worked well for me.

A lot of it is just experimenting and seeing what works for you. For example, you can set your tyres a bit higher than you'd expect and then monitor things as the pressures drop through the week. Realistically though, that's a lot of mucking about for a casual user. I usually just pump my tyres up to near the max noted on the tyre wall - some tyres that's all I do, with some I've realised that's bit high and so go a little less. I don't bother trying to set the front to a lower pressure, but knowing that about 10% less is recommended, I just don't get as fussy with the front end pressure once it's near the mark.

Apart from being pedantic about pumping my tyres up at the start of every working week (and before long rides), I've just spent more time fussing about tyre pressures than I normally do :)

Also 200lbs. I ride my 28s at about 90psi on the rear for general riding or a tad lower for a more plush ride.

Formulas? please..

The "15% tire drop"-based calculators haven't steered me wrong yet. If you like the feel of harder tires or need to carry the occasional load, though, use more. :thumb:

I like to run my 28s at about 100 psi as well. Good ride. If I go much less than that they feel too gooey and I worry about pinch flats.

Pump your rear to the max of the tyre so you can pop curbs and mule cargo.

Rear tire size: Formula (psi)

700x23C: 0.33 x rw + 53.33

700x25C: 0.33 x rw + 43.33

700x28C: 0.33 x rw + 33.33

700x32C: 0.17 x rw + 41.67

Where rw = rider weight

Front tire pressure = 0.9 x Rear tire pressure for the same tire size

All great info.
I tried a little over 90 front and 100 rear today.
Front end was less bouncy on rough pavement and the rear still had the feeling of more torque.

Now that I have a bit more education I'll know more of what to look for as I experiment with different pressure and WHY to use it.

thanks!

My method works just as well as all the ones mentioned above & requires a lot less mathing.

Pump the tires till you can't squeeze them in w/ your fingers & ride.

Well, you can significantly change how the bike feels underneath you by adjusting tire pressure. Inflating till rock hard limits your bike to feel harsh and jarring. If you Learn to ride light(dodge odstacles and lift your ass off the saddle) then you can enjoy a softer smoother ride :)

Right. So your fingers can tell the difference between 100psi and 80psi, or 60psi. Nor are your fingers strong enough to tell you if you've got enough pressure to avoid a snake bite if you're unlucky enough to hit a pot hole.

That method is fine for fat, heavy tyres and emergencies, bit of a risk otherwise.

Agreed
The difference between 100 and 90 in the front was very noticeable.

Y'all clearly missed the fact that I was joking.

#RoadieSeriusSingleSpeeders

Yup, you were so clear.:rolleyes:

I pump mine up to 100 and then just top them off every week or so because I'm a slob.

Same. Maybe I should get a Topeak digital pressure gauge and cross-reference multiple tire inflation app calculations. Also gonna need that new Silca Super Pista Ultimate with +/- 1% accuracy. Next year will be a Phil Wood/Chris King collabo pump accurate to one pascal.

is this a minimum requirement or recommended amount formula?

I'm giving this a try. Thanks.

It's a nominal recommended value that offers a good compromise between ride quality and performance.

Were you? You know I bet a lot of people use this method. I check my tires every morning before my commute and know I'm guilty of the pinch test. :rolleyes: I couldn't tell you any specific PSI but when riding you feel the difference and know when you need air.

Not to get too much off topic but as a daily city commuter, when encountering cracks, bumps, potholes, etc. the most important thing is to watch the road and just avoid that stuff. If you have to go over something make sure you stand up to absorb the shock with your legs, lean back and pull up on the bars so your front tire clears the obstacle, then move your weight forward to release pressure as the rear tires clears.

Oh I used to live by the pinch test when all I had was a hand pump. I bought a lot of tubes in those days.

Those were the good old days ;)

I still try to maintain proper tire pressure but I feel the pinch is a good litmus test to know if you need air. Especially since I can't really be bothered to check the tires with a gauge every time I ride, call me lazy if you want.