Tire Pressure?

[Dogmama]

Just curious-

Do you routinely inflate your road bike tires to 120 psi? I do and they're hard as a rock. I thought I read somewhere that when you're riding there should be a small bulge from the back tire - when my tire is at 120 psi there is very little/no bulge at all.

Do you think there can be a drawback to inflating to 120? I've had my share of snakebite flats when my tires are underinflated (pure laziness on my part!!).

Thanks

Kim

[DoubleLori]

More psi gives less rolling resistance and more speed for the same effort. If your tire bulges, it is deforming while rotating which uses up energy and causes you to go slower. Of course you don't want to inflate your tires to more than the manufacturer's recommended maximum, so use that as your guide. Better tires will typically have a maximum of 120psi or even more.

Note: The above applies only to road bikes on smooth roads. For a mountain bike on rough or slippery surfaces, LESS pressure gives better traction and better shock absorption, so you should adjust your pressure according to the surface.

[Hill-Slug]

I check mine before every ride. Several years ago, I invested in a floor pump and I have decided it was money well spent. It's quick & easy to check the tires, and no sweat to add air if required.

And I like 'em rock hard. :p