Steve Juniper wrote:
> This reminds me of a question I've been meaning to ask for some time...
>
> Where does the smart money come down on road bike inflation? I typically inflate to about 5 pounds
> under maximum, reasoning that I'm a bit heavy at 180 and a fairly aggressive rider for my age
> group. I currently have a Continental 20cm on the front with a labeled max of 150 (I use 145) and
> a Gatorskin 23 on the rear labeled 120, so I use 115. (I usually use same tires fr ont and rear
> and just haven't gotten around to it).
>
> I would think a lighter rider might want to use less air but as I type this I can't really
> imagine why...
Why? Comfort. I put in a lot of hours on the road training for mtb races and use the Pasela 32
(really 28) TGs on a cyclocross bike set up for the road. The pavement around here has a lot of
irregularities. My favourite are the gas (or is it water?) lines cut through the pavement to new
homes and patched with a nice abrupt lip on entry and exit. Damn housing boom... Hit it at 95 psi
(my initial pressure choice and the max rated for the tire) and 30 km/hr and your wrists and butt
will remember for a while. Hit it at 70 psi front and 75 rear (my chosen pressures for a 165
pound body on a 25 pound bike) and it is much less unpleasant. Second winter of training on this
tire type and no pinch flats. Only one flat of any kind (a tiny spring like a lighter hinge
pierced the tread).
This chart seems to support my choice:
http://www.precisiontandems.com/photos_files/tirechart.jpg I
roll from the house around 195 pounds total. On 28s, it suggests about
72.5 psi for this weight.
