mikemets5

Hi guys,

Just got my new bike, and have decided to try out some new tires, Vittoria Open Corsa EVO CX.

The recommended tire pressure is 8-10 bars (116 - 145 psi) Do you actually fill them that high? I had been using Michelin Pro Race tires and filling them to roughly 115 psi (max recommended is 8 bars (116 psi)

Just that 145 psi sounds very high, and I carry CO2 cannisters for flats, if they work to fill the Michelins what do I do about the Vittorias?

Thanks,
Mike

ajst2duk

Thyat same pressure would be fine. My wife runs hers at 110 & they are fine with that. On my bike I ran them around 120. 145 would seem too high unless you are racing on a smooth track.

Corsaire

I ride my Diamante Pros at 155 PSI,then again I only ride them on club rides. High pressure gives you an edge on group rides.

Corsaire

krazyderek

high pressure is also good for accelerating, lets you man handle the bike and stand up, without losing to much energy in the tires flattening against the road, especially if you're a big guy. The down side is though, that at 140 psi, you don't get pinch flats... tube's just explode.

biker7

I posed the same question the other day but asked the question a bit differently. I asked at 188 lbs, what is the lowest pressure I can run my new 23mm Vittoria Rubino Tech's at and not get pinch flats. My personal view is the higher pressure while conducive to low rolling resistance...BTW there are studies that refute this on the high end...is not worth the sacrifice in ride quality. I now run my tires rated at max of 125 psi...at 110 psi and so far so good in terms of resisting pinch flats..the biggest thing I am trying to avoid. Have to say I was astounded by what happened while doing some night riding the other day. Was running 110 lb pressure and was distracted and hit a big f-ing pot hole...with a sharp edge. This was a mother of all pot holes...the kind that jar your teeth. My immediate reaction after a string of expletives...still pissed about hitting that hole...was I had to bend my front wheel and cut my Vittoria tire and blow out the tube. Not so. Stopped of course...inspected everything...spun the wheel...and by the fates of God, everything was fine. I am astounded with my weight and running this pressure I didn't kink the rim, or at least cut the tire or blow out the tube. Nope...everything is fine. I still can't believe it. I have become a big fan of Vittoria tires...and Vento rims.
George

rockmuncher

Excuse me, did you actually say anything?

alanbikehouston

The PSI stamped on a tire is a "safety" rating estimating the MAXIMUM PSI for use with an "average" rim of the correct size. And, many rims are stamped on the inside with a maximum PSI rating based on an "average" tire. These are maximums, not minimums, not optimums, not suggested riding levels. Above the "maximum" level, there is a small chance the tire will come off of the rim when you hit a pothole riding full speed, or suffer some other sort of spectacular tire failure.

The "best" PSI level for a given rider depends on the total weight load placed on the tire, and the qualilty of the riding surface. Obviously, 140 PSI is more comfortable on a smooth track than on a pot-holed inner city street.

A tire provides its best performance when it compresses just slightly under the rider's load. If there is zero compression under load, the wheels will tend to leave the road surface on every bump. If there is too much compression, that will increase rolling resistance and lead to pinch flats.

For a tire that is an actual measured 23mm wide (which means in the USA, tires marked 25mm on the sidewall), the ideal PSI level can range from about 75 PSI for a 120 pound rider on a 20 pound bike, to about 140 PSI for a 230 pound rider on a 25 pound bike. On a 20mm tire (a tire marked in the USA as "23 mm", those pressures would be raised to about 80 PSI for the light rider, and 150 PSI for the heavy rider.

The goal is to find the PSI level that results in a very slight perceptable change in the profile of the tire when the rider gets on the bike. Zero change, the PSI is too high. Significant change in tire profile, the PSI is too low.

The total load on my tires is about 220 pounds (due to owning very heavy bikes...). I usually ride on rough roads with about 100 PSI in the front and 110 PSI in the back. The result is a comfortable ride, with good shock absorption, and zero pinch flats. If I rode at the PSI levels stamped on some of my tires (140 PSI, 160 PSI), my bikes and I would shaken apart riding over one pothole or another.

biker7

Agree with you Allan. And BTW "rockmuncher" which I might add is an appropriate handle...I went into your profile and read some of your posts for kicks. What I thought...you are a troll. You give great hearted Aussies a bad name. Marty if you read this, do a quick perusal of "rockmuncher's" contributions...won't take long...lol and decide his fate accordingly.
George