Setting Your Tire Pressure

Riding your mountain bike with the appropriate amount of tire pressure can make a huge difference in how much control you have over your bike.

Setting your tire pressure too high will make for poor contact with the ground and also make your bike less controllable. Setting your tire pressure too low will make your tires unpredictable and also make them susceptible to pinch flats.

The appropriate amount of tire pressure in a mountain bike will vary between rider to rider and tire setup to tire setup. The conditions of your trail and the type of terrain your riding will also greatly impact what tire pressure you should be using in your tires.

The trick here is to find out exactly what mountain bike tire pressure works for you and your setup during normal conditions. After doing this, you can learn to adjust your pressure for different trails and types of terrain as needed.

You should start by finding a reliable pressure gauge or a pump with a pressure gauge. Then, use this same gauge or pump anytime you are making adjustments. A gauge can be very inaccurate, so if you switch around it you can make things much more difficult.

You should start with a higher pressure of around 40 - 50 psi. If you have a tubeless system, you should start lower, 30 - 40 psi. The more you weigh, the higher pressure you should start with. Try this pressure for a while and get a feel for how the tires take corners and loose dirt.

Drop the pressure by 5 psi in each tire and get a feel for how this new setup rides and how it compares to your previous setting. You should notice some improvement in stability, and if you don't, drop the pressure by another 5 psi.

You want to find the lowest pressure you can ride with without sacrificing pinch flat resistance. A pinch flat occurs when your tire rolls over an object then compresses to the point where the tire and the tube get pinched between the object and the rim on the wheel.

With tubeless tire systems, you can run much lower air pressure, as you don't have to worry about getting pinch flats. If you start to dent your rims, burp air out along the bead, or feel the tire roll under the rim during hard cornering, you've taken the pressure much too low.

Once you've found a comfortable setting for your tire pressure, learn what your tire feels like when you squeeze it with your hands. Once you know what your tires feel like you can always get the right air pressure - with any pump.
 

Related topics

01/05/2009 03:26 PM

Mountain Bike Shoes - What You Should Know Before Buying Them to Avoid Any Careless Mistakes

A Mountain biking expedition is quite incomplete without equipping yourself with all the necessary accessories that give you the best possible mountain biking experience. One important thing that you must do is, purchase the right kind of footwear that will permit better performance. Mountain bike shoes are specialized shoes that are designed specifically for mountain biking. It should be apt for the terrain you plan to cover and provide necessary features to suit your personalized requirements.

01/05/2009 03:25 PM

Mountain Bike - What You Should Know to Avoid Any Careless Mistakes When Buying Them the First Time

In order to buy a bicycle it is very important to figure out how you would be using it. In case you like mountain biking then it is vital to buy the right kind of mountain bike for yourself. Mountain biking involves riding your bike through rough terrains and dangerous slopes. Therefore, it is important to find a bike that is strong enough to withstand the stresses and strains of mountain biking.

01/05/2009 10:40 AM

Downhill Mountain Bike - What You Should Know to Avoid Any Careless Mistakes When Buying Them

Downhill mountain biking is an extreme adventure sport that goes only one way and that's down! From the top of the hill to the bottom at break neck speeds while riding over rugged terrain all the way, avoiding rocks, pits and trees! This means that you cannot afford to take such risks unless you have the best equipment to back up your endeavor.

01/05/2009 10:39 AM

Best Mountain Bike - What You Should Know Before Buying a New Set to Avoid Any Careless Mistakes

As we all know mountain biking is a very popular adventure sport. A mountain bike is for those who like to live life beyond the boundaries of concrete jungles. Mountain bikes are also a great way to commute; they are usually designed to be able to take a beating so you can rule out chances of breakdown, they provide a great cardio workout and not to forget, they are a zero emission form of transport and besides, riding a bike beats taking the bus or being stuck in traffic hands down!

12/29/2008 04:30 PM

Go Back to School - Mountain Bike School

The thrill of the forest speeding past at thirty miles per hour. The rush of making hair-raising turns around boulders. The joy of making it to the top of what seemed like an insurmountable peak. Mountain bike school will have you up and running in no time at all.

12/16/2008 12:53 PM

Setting Reservations to Go Extreme Mountain Biking

There is probably not one person that has never heard of mountain biking! However, extreme mountain biking is different; it is a more intense form of mountain biking. Not only is it more intense, but it is also far more strenuous on the body.

12/15/2008 09:23 AM

Mountain Bike Accessories

I love to mountain bike and learned first hand the importance of bringing the right stuff with you before you hit the trail. Getting caught in the rain without a poncho in the middle of nowhere is no fun. Getting dehydrated because you didn't bring enough water stinks too. I'm hoping to provide a bit of insight into the importance of what's a good idea to bring with you and what you can do without.