Tire pressure on gravel roads

[hebe]

The harder more air in your tires, the more they slide..

So true. I take a right turn off my favourite bridleway onto another path. The builders have just gritted the junction with very big loose gritty pebbles and my poor bike struggles every time unless I remember to take it dead slow. Both of my bikes have 60psi at the moment, but I've been riding mainly on-road(ish).

[Aggie_Ama]

You know what's funny, I have never, ever, put air in my mountain bike tires or checked the pressure.

Maybe I should start doin' that.

I am beginning to feel OCD. I check my pressure ever ride, adjust it for terrain. Less technical, usually a firmer pressure. Less pressure for the rocky/loose trails. My husband is super OCD and checks his fork/shock pressure every ride. Lube chain every ride but we live in a dust bowl.

[Catrin]

I am beginning to feel OCD. I check my pressure ever ride, adjust it for terrain. Less technical, usually a firmer pressure. Less pressure for the rocky/loose trails. My husband is super OCD and checks his fork/shock pressure every ride. Lube chain every ride but we live in a dust bowl.

It was drilled into my head to check my tire pressure for every road ride, and I do! Granted, I've no mountain bike experience yet, but it seems to me that if it is helpful to do this for road riding, that it doubly applies to off-road riding.

[jessmarimba]

Haha...I almost never check my tire pressure - since they're big ol' fat mtb tires I can look and feel pretty quickly if they aren't high enough. But to kind of answer your question, I run mine at 40 (I think they're rated 40-65?) and I ride road and bike path. I'd definitely stay lower for loose rock or sandy trails.

[Aggie_Ama]

Catrin - Exactly why it just seems like part of riding. Plus it gives me a second to inspect my tires.

It may also be that I check my tires often that I am perfectly comfortable running a low pressure. My mountain bike tires still lose about 1 PSI over night, granted on a road bike it is about 5 PSI but I check before I ride. Just part of my routine since I started, seems to be the norm in my area as well.

[limewave]

I'm a freak about my tire pressure on my road bike. I always check it before I ride. Sometimes I double and triple check.

For some reason, I don't mountain biking. And now I'm a little superstitious about it! I just can't bring myself to check them

[Catrin]

My legs were asking for a break from the bike tonight - so I went for a short hike and a look at the gravel in the park I want to take the mountain goat to next weekend. The gravel isn't very deep and in many places is washed out - small pebbles and nothing like the deep big gravel I have seen elsewhere. Also saw lots of puddles and where things have recently flooded. I wanted to go home and get my bike

Hopefully things will be dried out after I return from my conference next week...I will follow the advise here and start with highish pressure after asking lbs staff about it. They told me about the trail...

[ridebikeme]

Ahh tire pressure , as many have already mentioned it is such an individual thing. Like Shefly mentioned, LOTS of roots and rocks here in this part of the country. I weigh about 130 and generally use between 25-30 PSI, if it seems to be more hardpack then I will add more.

Glad to hear that you are getting your new bike out Catrin! If you are ever in the Richmond area, try riding on the Earlham campus. They own about 400 wooded acres, and the only people out there are the deer and people walking their dogs.

Have fun with the new bike!



http://chasecyclery.blogspot.com

[Catrin]

Ahh tire pressure , as many have already mentioned it is such an individual thing. Like Shefly mentioned, LOTS of roots and rocks here in this part of the country. I weigh about 130 and generally use between 25-30 PSI, if it seems to be more hardpack then I will add more.

Glad to hear that you are getting your new bike out Catrin! If you are ever in the Richmond area, try riding on the Earlham campus. They own about 400 wooded acres, and the only people out there are the deer and people walking their dogs.

Have fun with the new bike!



http://chasecyclery.blogspot.com

Thanks for the tip! I wanted to get it out today but I do not want to be rushes the first time I take it off pavement - so just got in a short road ride before the rail comes in. Taking the Jamis out next weekend will be a reward after attending a 5 day conference