Do You Over Inflate Your Tires?
- Thread starter Darktone
- Start date
Unless you ride on glassy smooth roads (or steel rails) there is no rolling resistance to be lost by overinflating your tires. In fact, the ability of the tire casing to deform as it rolls over imperfect surfaces reduces rolling resistance as it increases traction and comfort. Think about it--a hard tire bounces and and gets pushed back by everything it hits, while a properly inflated tire deflects enough to roll over it. Oops, Froze beat me to it, while I was eating dinner. With a reference, no less. Good post, man.
For that reason, you should consider where you'll be riding while inflating your tires--chipseal or gravel, back off a few psi.
On the other hand, there are guys who will mount the widest tires they can fit on their bikes, and inflate them to where they're barely avoiding pinch flats or rolling the tire off the rim going around a corner, 65-70 psi. I don't see the point.
For that reason, you should consider where you'll be riding while inflating your tires--chipseal or gravel, back off a few psi.
On the other hand, there are guys who will mount the widest tires they can fit on their bikes, and inflate them to where they're barely avoiding pinch flats or rolling the tire off the rim going around a corner, 65-70 psi. I don't see the point.
No you don't. Not unless you want to ride a bucking bronco over every little bump.Darktone said:
And technically yes you do need to run them that high or risk pinch flats the lower you go, now there is room to move downward in the PSI but not more than 20 especially on the rear.Darktone said:
When you see that on the calculator that is telling you that you're using too narrow of a tire for your weight. Notice what happens if you select the next size up tire to the PSI recommendations, so you should be riding a 25 and not 23's as you are currently doing; besides, 25 size tires roll better anyways. Technically you should be running 25's on the front and 28's in the rear just to be safe, you could also go with 23 on the front and 25 on the rear minimally which I wouldn't do but that of course is up to you. Price wise if you don't have the money for 2 tires you could buy just a 25 or better yet a 28 on the rear and just wear out your two 23's on the front.
Wow! I knew a guy who weighed 240 he never blew 23's either but those were tubulars and when he switched to clinchers he had issues at mad tire rated psi so he had to go up a size, (issues were on the rear, I don't recall if he had any on the front).Mr. Beanz said:
Mr Beanz, this is sort of like saying, gee I have a 1/2 ton truck and I routinely carry 3/4s of a ton of stuff in the rear and never had an issue. Sure it can be done but you pushing the design limits beyond what they were originally designed to do.
the calculator is just a guideline, for most tires it will be right for tire life, obviously as stated before everyone has different ways they like their tires to feel, but putting more air or less (beyond a 5 psi plus or minus leeway) will shorten the life of a tire, nothing different than a car tire, but depending on road conditions too could have a direct impact upon whether or not you need to change the PSI for better traction like in wet conditions.Darktone said:
Not all the time but usually if I am traveling over a great distance of straight aways. For me it is easier to ride on max air tires than if they were low.
I usually don't specifically over-inflate my tires, but I'd never really given it any thought before now. I'd rather have them a touch over-inflated than under, even though it gives me a bit of a bouncier ride, so I guess I err on the side of over. For me it's easier to ride on tires that are filled to the max rather than softening slightly.
I've gotten pinch flats before though so I try not to go too overboard. I like that it feels slightly easier to pedal with full tires, but I have no need to take it to the extreme with over-filling.
I've gotten pinch flats before though so I try not to go too overboard. I like that it feels slightly easier to pedal with full tires, but I have no need to take it to the extreme with over-filling.
I'm not really much concerned with the tires because someone has been checking that for me. From what I understand, over-inflated tires get make the bike run faster and under-inflated can make it slow. But I know that over-inflated tire can burst so it is not good. With the car, I am more well versed because the gas station attendant would ask me for the psi and it's always 30 for my small car.
I have never felt the need to, even though it might be useful for the longest distances. Maybe I should just try it out the next time I go really long, to see if it makes a difference. It doesn't seem to be much of a difference though, but it seems worth experimenting with, if it is smoother in longer distances.
Hmmm, maybe you need to reread all the posts because it's not as simple as the little bow you tied on.Corzhens said:
I don't over inflate or under inflate my tires. There simply is no need. Besides, I carry a pump and gauge and repair supplies anyway. Just stick to the recommended inflation for the tire and you will be fine. People get all kinds of crazy ideas for doing obtuse things that don't have any rhyme or reason.
Very little. I've blown tubes before. Sometimes the seams split, or the area around the valve separates, and Ka Boom. The worst that usually happens is a section of the bead gets blown off the rim. Well, the worst that happens to the tire from a blow-out itself. Bad things can happen to you, and the bike, depending on how fast you're barreling down a hill when a tube blows.Susimi said:
