Originally Posted by
cxwrench
The only reason you use the pressure you do is because you think you're faster? How long is the ride and what were the time differences? Rolling resistance is by far the least difference and the last reason you should ride lower pressure. Traction? Better at lower than you're using. Ride quality? Better at lower than you're using. Those points can not be argued.
No, not think, I know.
I use the pressure that both my data and legs tell me let me be faster and feel like I actually put out less effort to do so. I have very smooth asphalt that I ride on with very tiny aggregate for my main ride.
The rides were 22 to 33 miles in length. I did the first 12 rides at the lower pressure. And the last 12 at the pressures that have always been normal for me. Thinking that maybe it was just that I got better fitness for the second set of data, I went back and found the same rides before the time I spent at the lower 90F and 95R PSI. Both before and after were faster times. And my perceived effort for the rides at higher pressures was less and much more enjoyable. At the lower pressures my legs were always complaining.
Of course it's all relative to my pressure gauge, so maybe mine reads high. But I'm thinking it's not off by that much.
I don't really care what pressures people ride. I just want them to find what works for them on their riding surface and not just simply pump their tires up to a pressure that was given to them by something or someone else.