Figured out my tire pressure was way too low after a flat on a 90 degree day in Austin

I spent two years commuting on 30 PSI in my tires because I thought softer meant more grip. Then I got a flat on South Congress at rush hour and some guy from a bike shop stopped to help. He asked what pressure I ran and laughed when I told him. Turns out for my weight and these 28mm tires I should be at 70 PSI in the back and 65 up front. Now I don't get pinch flats anymore and my ride is actually smoother instead of feeling like I'm dragging a boat anchor. Anyone else been running wrong pressure for way too long?

2 comments

2 Comments

mason49925d ago

Ngl 70 PSI sounds high but it really depends on your weight. I'm a bigger guy at 215 pounds and anything under 60 and my tires feel like they're squirming around corners. On a hot day in Austin the pressure actually climbs a bit too so you gotta account for that. 45-50 on 32mm tires is totally normal for a lighter rider though so no worries there. The real trick is checking the max pressure on your tire sidewall and working backwards from there based on your weight. I run my gravel bike way softer than my road bike for obvious reasons.

milap3525d ago

Whoa hold up, 70 PSI in 28mm tires? That sounds crazy high to me. I run 32mm tires on my bike and anything over 50 feels like I'm riding on glass, bouncing over every pebble and crack in the road. Maybe it's because I'm not as heavy as you, but I've been running 45-50 for years and never get pinch flats, even on rough pavement. I guess different bodies and tire widths make a huge difference, but 70 just seems like you'd feel every single bump.