To be a flat tire or not to be a flat tire....

[OakLeaf]

Why do people think that bike tires should be inflated to the consistency of concrete? If you do, go back to using iron and wood wheels.

Too much rotating weight from the iron, and I was getting splinters from the wood.


Srsly, tires are part of the suspension system, and once you remember to think of them that way, it all comes clear.

You want a stiff enough "spring" and enough "preload" that they don't bottom out (i.e. pinch flats or rim damage). You want enough damping that every little bump isn't soaking up your forward progress, but not so much that you're getting beaten to death, or that every little bump is launching you in the air. Just as you would dial down the compression damping on adjustable forks and shocks on very rough surfaces, you'd do the same to your tire pressure. Just as you'd use a stiffer spring and/or greater preload if you're carrying a lot of weight, a heavier rider will generally want higher pressure.