Originally Posted by
djdelarosa25
Hi! I weigh around ~56 kg and my bike is just under 9 kg. For the most part, I ride on rough pavement. Using Silca's tire pressure calculator, it recommends around 80 psi front and 85 rear for my 25 mm tires but I find it pretty uncomfortable. Heck, even dropping down to 70/75 is still a bit jarring to me. I've tried running 60/65 a few times and they seem to be a noticeable improvement, but I'm worried if that's too low and I have a higher risk of bottoming out. My internal rim width is pretty narrow at 15 mm, so the 25 mm tires measure to exactly 25 mm, give or take. What do you guys think? Is this a good excuse to ditch these tires and go get 28 mm?
What tires are you running? Something like an an “open tubular” with higher thread count casing will give a more forgiving ride. Also in addition to this, latex inner tubes are a good choice for a better ride, the ability to run slightly lower pressures and being more resistant to pinch flats. Even changing to tubeless rim tape can help if you are running Velox. The tubeless tape helps create slightly more air volume for your 25mm tires.
I suppose if you really wanted to go even lower (in pressure) on those same rims you could get those Stan’s tubeless conversion rim tapes that have the presta valve built right in to the rubber rim tape. I bought a set of these on clearance when Performance Bike went out of business but haven’t really had the need to try them since my tire set ups are latex tubed clinchers on one bike and 25mm/28mm road tubeless on the other.
If there is any way to rebuild your current wheels for road tubeless, I highly recommend it. When reading these forums you would think avoidance of flats is all that tubeless is good for. My experience has been an increase compliance on choppy road surfaces which keeps me more relaxed and fresher thanks to less harshness. I can ride in the “gutter” if I want to (still avoiding broken glass and debris) and hang out there comfortably. My road tubeless bike’s pressures could safely be run in the high 60’s front and the mid 70’s rear. I weigh more than you though, currently around 88 kg.