Tire Pressure

Pressure by rider weight, tire width and surface — not by the number on the sidewall.

5 articles

• Gravel Tire Pressure by Rider Weight — and Why to Run Below the Chart

  The 15% tire drop target was measured on tarmac. On gravel the fastest pressure is lower than it predicts, and the reason is not comfort.

• MTB Tire Pressure for Trail Riding: Where the Charts Run Out

  At 2.4 inches the road pressure formula returns 17 psi. That number is not wrong, but it is no longer the number that matters.

• Road Bike Tire Pressure Chart by Total Weight (Front and Rear)

  Most charts give you one number for both tires. Your wheels do not carry equal weight, so one number cannot be right for both.

• Tubeless Tire Pressure: What Actually Changes When the Tube Comes Out

  The common advice is "run 10 psi less tubeless". That is roughly right for the wrong reason, and the reason matters when you decide how far to go.

• Bike Tire Pressure by Rider Weight: The Chart, and the Maths Behind It

  The pressure written on your tire is a limit, not a recommendation. The number you actually want comes from wheel load and tire width, and it has been measurable since the 1990s.