Finding and maintaining an appropriate tire pressure for your mountain bike will improve your riding experience and speed, in addition to increasing the lifespan of your tires and inner tubes. The correct tire pressure for your bike depends on a range of factors from your weight to the type of surface you are riding on. Tire pressure too high can reduce your ability to turn corners, or cause your bike to bounce away from obstacles. Pressure too low reduces the efficiency of your pedaling action, and increases the risk of getting a pinch flat tire.
Representative Pressure Readings
Tires with tubes can generally be inflated to a slightly higher pressure -- between 28 and 32 pounds per square inch -- than tubeless tires. If your bike has tubeless tires, an appropriate pressure range for average riding and an average rider weight may be around the 26 to 28 PSI range. Tires can be inflated to as much as 45 PSI, but for most mountain bike riding this would be considered over-inflation.
Weight
The correct or optimal pressure for your mountain bike tires depends on how much you weigh. The website "MountainBikeRiding.com" recommends the following tire pressures based on a 2-inch tire width: 30 to 35 PSI for a rider weighing between 100 and 150 lbs; 35 to 40 PSI for a rider between 150 and 175 lbs; 40 to 45 PSI for a rider between 175 and 200 lbs; 45 to 50 PSI for a rider between 200 and 225 lbs. If your tires are tubeless, you can reduce these recommended pressures by between 5 and 7 PSI.
Terrain
If you are riding on rough ground, it will be important for you to achieve a high level of traction. The higher your tire pressure, the less rolling resistance you will experience, and the bike will be easier to pedal. Therefore, you may wish to use slightly higher mountain bike tire pressure when riding on a smooth tarmac or graveled road, and use lower pressure when riding off-road. A lower tire pressure will typically be slightly more comfortable on rough ground, although the risk of pinch flats is increased.
Weather
In general, your tire pressure will increase in hot weather and decrease in cold. In cold weather, you may need to carry a pump with you to top up your tire pressure several times during the course of a long ride. Some mountain bikers in wintry climates will bike on ice, using high tire pressures and possibly also studded mountain bike tires to provide traction. Setting the tire pressure high in icy weather counteracts the effect of the cold, and also pushes out the studs in such tires to grip the ice.
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