Quick Survey...What Tire Pressure is Everyone Riding?

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Permalink Reply by David Hutton on August 28, 2008 at 5:54am

wow... isn't this like asking "that thing got a hemmi!?!?" hmmm. I guess Ill reveal my super secret method to success..... Or maybe just a lot of fun.

With tubeless I am running about 25 front and just over 25 rear, unless there is a crazy rooted section or something then I may run a tidge more in the rear. I am at this moment trying to dial in the settup. I dont know whether I want to compensate for a possible air burmp in the tubeless or just throw a set of wheels in the pit if I lose some pressure from something big bumping some air out. So far havent had any problems with that tho, and I just rode a ton of trails yesterday with no problem!

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Permalink Reply by Chris Slone on August 28, 2008 at 8:22am

I'm a little bigger, around 190. Last year(first year in cross) I ran 30-35 in the front and 35-40 in the rear in the Vittoria Cross tires. Not sure if it was the pressure or the tires, but I felt like I was all over the place. I just got some Grifos that I'm waiting to try out. I think I'll start with 30 and 32 and go from there. I generally try the "fill it until you can not quite bottom the tire out with your thumbs".

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Permalink Reply by SuperTick on August 28, 2008 at 10:35am

I have always heard that if you can't feel the rim a few times then you are running them too hard.

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Permalink Reply by David Hutton on August 28, 2008 at 10:56am

Last year if I went a race without bottoming out I would say I was lucky. Now that I have played with pressure enough, I know that it's hard to avoid bottoming out into the rim in some cases depending on the course/obstable. For instance, curbs and or large roots, I can say that if I didn't bottom out I was not only lucky, but was also running a bit too much pressure. First race of last season I was all over the place and it was due to over-inflating. I would rather run the lower pressure for the performance and take a risk of a pinch flat along the way if I have a chance of bettering my result. For cross it's sometimes better sorry, than safe. Depends on who you are any what your wanting out of the race

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Permalink Reply by Tim Mullin on August 28, 2008 at 11:45am

Quick survey, what's the course like? No one tire pressure will work for all courses and conditions.

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Permalink Reply by GeWilli on August 28, 2008 at 11:56am

pretty pointless discussion without knowing a few things:

#1 Course conditions
#2 Tire (width tread tubbie no-tube clincher and Rim width for clincher/no-tube)
#3 Rider weight
#4 Rider style

kinda adding to what Tim said

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Permalink Reply by SuperTick on August 28, 2008 at 3:45pm

Sorry I was at work when I originally posted this and didn't have time to elaborate.

#1 Around here in Chicagoland we are mostly looking at crit course style courses. Very little elevation change or off camber riding. I think we are looking at the maybe four races with a sand section.

#2 Tires- Tufo T30

#3 racing weight 148

#4 Riding style-smooth as butter. I tend to float across ruts that others tend to get stuck in. Low, long and lean on the bike.

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Permalink Reply by vanwacx on August 30, 2008 at 11:26pm

Yeah, what Mr. Willi said. I run a pressure that's usually low enough but occasionally have gone too low or not low enough. I start around 40 and let air out till it feels right.

I'm fat, ride courses that are muddy or not muddy, courses that are flat or courses that are hilly, courses than are twisty or crit like, and my riding style is sucky.

Oh, and I heard that Ms. Compton rode like 18 at the Portland USGP last December. So take that all you I can go lower than you types.

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Permalink Reply by Yeti Jim on August 28, 2008 at 4:20pm

#2 Tire: Maxxis Locust CX
#3 Rider weight: around 180
#4 Rider style: none - don't even shave my legs....

I've mostly been riding mountain bike trails at speed. I started at 40 front and rear, then dropped down to 35. Yesterday I tried 30 at Santos, and was feeling the rims all day (especally when I got airborne). I'm going to say 32 front 34 rear on yellow trails, 34 front 36 rear blue trails. Haven't tried red trails yet, and cyclocross season doesn't start down here for a few more months.

I'll say one thing - my cross bike will out climb my mountain bike on any of the trails I've tried!

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Permalink Reply by Kp on August 30, 2008 at 10:57am

I use Dugast pretty much exclusive, I run low 30's in MOST situations.

I weigh 145 pounds.

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