Tire Pressure
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Tire Pressure
I have a Kona Explosif 27.5 MTB, Fox 34 shock, it is a hard tail steel framed bike. It has stock tires Maxxis Tommack 2.30 I am riding mostly for exercise on easier trails and gravel roads and climb lots of hill for the workout. What tire pressure would you recommend front and rear? I weigh 194 lbs. I had the rear at 32 and the front at 30 psi with tubes. My bike shop suggested 23 psi front and rear, what do you guys with experience think and what about front shock pressure? Thanks in advance, Cheers Roscoe
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Your weight,speed, tire size and terrain will dictate tire pressure needed to prevent pinch flats yet maintain traction.
I weigh 20 pounds more than you, ride at a B+/A level on rough single track and run 28 psi on similar tires.
Your shop suggestion is too low, stick with yours unless you feel you are loosing traction, then drop 2 psi at a time and continue until you are satisfied with the roll/traction of the tires or experience flats.
I weigh 20 pounds more than you, ride at a B+/A level on rough single track and run 28 psi on similar tires.
Your shop suggestion is too low, stick with yours unless you feel you are loosing traction, then drop 2 psi at a time and continue until you are satisfied with the roll/traction of the tires or experience flats.
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At your weight, tire size, and tubes, 23 psi sounds a bit too low in my experience.
I weigh less than you (~175 lbs), and my rear tires have typically been around 2.3 since forever.
Back when I ran tubes, anyrhing below 28 in the rear was asking for a pinch flat.
You might get away with 23 in the front.
To echo what NYMXer said.....I think the best method for finding optimum pressure is to start just a little high, and then lower the pressure 2 psi each ride (or a couple rides). When you start getting pich flats, bump it back up 2 psi.
In your case I would start where you are at now and go down.
I weigh less than you (~175 lbs), and my rear tires have typically been around 2.3 since forever.
Back when I ran tubes, anyrhing below 28 in the rear was asking for a pinch flat.
You might get away with 23 in the front.
To echo what NYMXer said.....I think the best method for finding optimum pressure is to start just a little high, and then lower the pressure 2 psi each ride (or a couple rides). When you start getting pich flats, bump it back up 2 psi.
In your case I would start where you are at now and go down.
Last edited by Kapusta; 06-05-18 at 07:02 AM.
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Thanks for the advice, it sounds more reasonable to me. I am going to try 30-28 next ride and also recheck the front sag and rebound. Cheers
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I'm amazed at how low some of you guys go. can you show some photos of the how the tires look when your full weight is on them? I'm picturing them really flat, but they can't be if you are riding around on them, right?
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If you keep the pressure as high as possible and still maintain good traction you've found your sweet spot. If the front feels too harsh but the traction is good, soften the front suspension. I'm changing pressures all the time because I usually ride asphalt to get to the trails. I run 2.35 Bontragers up front and a 2.5 Delium on the rear. I like the traction I get from the Delium when climbing loose grades and it's a heavy, indestructable tire. I ride for the work out so the weight isn't an issue.
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Remember, we are talking about 2.3” tires, here. If I tried to run a set of 23mm tires as low as my 2.3” tires (23F / 27R), they would look pretty much flat - and would quickly BE flat when I hit my first bump.
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With Older Wheels
I have an older bike with 26 inch wheels. Tires are 2.1. I now. I used to run 1.9 in the old days. I’d run those 45 to 55. With the wider tires I can run lower. I weight about 210. I have run down to 25 without issues on rooty trails. But run 32 now for fear of a flat. The tires do compress but traction and ride are better. I just had to get used to the tires flexing more in corners.
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A lot depends on how you ride. With a similar weight and tire size I was riding about 22 rear - 18psi front. No rocks around here. Might go a few pounds more or less, but not much.