Hi, Whenever I raced I used higher pressures and always felt much more confident cornering, not feeling the sidewall bob and roll. So I gave up riding low pressures on my bikes. My bike in race trim always felt better. Now I've got a Levo Comp Carbon all stock and everyone is telling me to ride low tire pressure. Nobody I've talked to actually plays much with their suspension or tire pressure. With all forces magnified on an e-bike, how do low pressures hold up? I'm looking for answers from riders that have made actual comparisons on their bikes, please. Thanks!
Tire Pressure - Does anyone ride higher pressures like they did in the dawn MTB
- Thread starter JHH
- Start date
Paulquattro
Meet & Greet Elite
I don't ride any less than 25 psi front and 30 rear
I don't see the advantage personally
Loads on here will run loads less but the bike gets lazy feeling and the grip doesn't increase that much more going lower for me
We are all different thou and ride different things so its a personal preference as with other things .
I don't see the advantage personally
Loads on here will run loads less but the bike gets lazy feeling and the grip doesn't increase that much more going lower for me
We are all different thou and ride different things so its a personal preference as with other things .
I have experimented over the years and I know what works for me. I don't give much thought to what others ride with as they are different to me. My bike, suspension set up, tires, weight, riding style, trails etc; in combination, are unique to me. 
SquireRides
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
In always make sure my tyres are at the PSI spec’ed on the sidewall.
Firstly it depends whether you run tubeless or not and then the construction of the tyre needs to be taken into account. In my case I run tubeless...... Exo+ tyres in the front and DD tyres in the rear. I vary tyre pressure depending on terrain. For forest trails I run 20f 22r ( 29/2.5). For more rocky terrain I run 22f 24r. For XC type rides which is usually on firm single track/bridleways and farm tracks I run 24f 26r because reduced rolling resistance is more important than grip on those longer types of ride. Ride comfort and grip is noticeably better at the lower pressures and even at my minimum pressures there is no tyre roll on cornering.
- Thread starter
- #8
I’ve had surprisingly great results staying close to those numbers.
RiderOnTheStorm
E*POWAH Master
In general, I never run less than 22 psi on front and 24 psi on rear, and I never go above 30.
Tyre pressure is right when it feels right
Most importantly, I always check before each ride.
Tyre pressure is right when it feels right
Most importantly, I always check before each ride.
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I'm a lightweight riding on dirt or mud on dual compound Exo Maxxis dhf/dhr. 18 to 20 psi works best. If I go a few psi higher grip suffers noticeably and the ride is harsher. I'll switch to maxxgrip when these tyres wear out and maybe I can run a couple psi more?
CascadianAaron
Member
With no tire inserts, not going below about 28 psi...two squirmy and don't want to dent a rim. If I were running tire inserts, I might go lower.
maynard
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
My tyres always leak, So I start at 30, 35 and gradually get down to dangerous, then pump and repeat 
InRustWeTrust
E*POWAH Master
I run 22 psi front and 24 psi rear and think that's a good output pressure.
Plummet
Flash Git
I run pressures from 12psi through to 28psi depending of how slippery and or pointy the terrain is.
Some of the moss covered wet roots in mountains I ride are ridiculously slippery. You simply slide off the mountain If your pressures are too high. When I'm In the bike park hitting drops, jumps and burms on in the mid 20s. Real pointy rocks, high 20's.
I really is terrain dependent.
I am a tire whisperer though. I need the exact right pressure for the track. If I'm one or two psi I adjust until its right.
Some of the moss covered wet roots in mountains I ride are ridiculously slippery. You simply slide off the mountain If your pressures are too high. When I'm In the bike park hitting drops, jumps and burms on in the mid 20s. Real pointy rocks, high 20's.
I really is terrain dependent.
I am a tire whisperer though. I need the exact right pressure for the track. If I'm one or two psi I adjust until its right.
This is the right answer.I have experimented over the years and I know what works for me. I don't give much thought to what others ride with as they are different to me. My bike, suspension set up, tires, weight, riding style, trails etc; in combination, are unique to me.
Bit like riding clips, what tyres are best, Mankini or Budgie smugglers etc etc
CliffP
Member
I must be an outlier but I run 18/19 psi and I weigh 100kg
@JHH you have seen the wide range of tyre pressures. Very few gave any indication of what tyre, what terrain, tubeless or not and so forth. I go with the lowest I can get away with that still gives a smooth ride, without tyre instability when cornering hard. Similar to @Mikerb, having found a set up that works, I increase pressures if I am going somewhere with pointy rocks, or I need to reduce rolling resistance.
On this point about reduced rolling resistance, it is a myth that higher pressures automatically reduce rolling resistance. It does on tarmac or other smooth surfaces, which is why road bikes always have high pressure (that and the very narrow tyres). But when the trail is covered in roots, or is stony and/or rocky, then the tyre becomes part of your suspension. The tyre absorbs the hit rather than bouncing back off the object. When I first bought an MTB, I used 60psi front and rear and got shook to bits on my hardtail. I bought a full suss and was still being badly shaken. It was only then that I discovered the huge benefit that lower tyre pressures can bring. It was this video that was a revelation.
Tech Tuesday - Find Your Tire Pressure Sweet Spot - Pinkbike
OK it's 12 years old, but it is still pure gold. Read the words, watch the video.
On this point about reduced rolling resistance, it is a myth that higher pressures automatically reduce rolling resistance. It does on tarmac or other smooth surfaces, which is why road bikes always have high pressure (that and the very narrow tyres). But when the trail is covered in roots, or is stony and/or rocky, then the tyre becomes part of your suspension. The tyre absorbs the hit rather than bouncing back off the object. When I first bought an MTB, I used 60psi front and rear and got shook to bits on my hardtail. I bought a full suss and was still being badly shaken. It was only then that I discovered the huge benefit that lower tyre pressures can bring. It was this video that was a revelation.
Tech Tuesday - Find Your Tire Pressure Sweet Spot - Pinkbike
OK it's 12 years old, but it is still pure gold. Read the words, watch the video.
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Those are the same pressure that I use, but I doubt that we have the same suspension set up, same tyres, same weight, ride similar trails..... and so forth. Am I agreeing/disagreeing with you? Dunno!
CliffP
Member
Well said,
I ride mostly slow rock gardens with lots of slow turns and rocks you need to muscle over. I run Maxxis exo+ casing and in one bike I have Cush core in rear. I run low pressures but if I get it to low especially in the rear the bike feels terrible. I have not had a flat yet. I weigh 100/102 kg and most of my riding is slow and mostly in EMTB mode Bosch .
If I was riding faster terrain I would be in the 25/28 psi range I believe.
Great topics on this forum
22-23 in Front and 26 in rear. Rims are 30mm wide internally and tires are 29 x 2.35-2.4 on that bike. I can go lower but higher is too harsh and bouncy and I lose grip in loose corners. The days of 30PSI are long gone and I'll never visit them again but my Levo SL is around 40 lbs. On the regular MTBs, I use 20F/25R with similar rims and 2.4s and those bikes are 28 lbs and 33 lbs. I have been riding for 25-26 years and started with skinny MTB tires at 40 PSI. Those were some bouncy days.
Wilonrs
Member
Exactly. With my 76kg and in muddy and roots conditions I go 15/19psi, but both tires are DD with cushcore. No problem with dented rims and grip is awesome.
I've got no idea what i'm doing so in the interests of avoiding punctures ( as they REALLY p!$$ me off) I have tyre inserts AND slime tubes, generally run about mid 20s. Don't do anything too scary, no jumps ( if god had meant us to fly etc), generally flowing single-track .
Weigh 85kg, full sus trek powerfly 9.7LT.
Have loaaads of fun.
Weigh 85kg, full sus trek powerfly 9.7LT.
Have loaaads of fun.
SwampNut
Well-known member
Without discussing the tire sizes involved, nothing can be figured out here. I run around 20-22 PSI on my primary bike with a 2.8x29 front and 2.8x27.5 rear. But on the bike with smaller tires I need higher pressures. I like the traction with low pressure and when I've run 26-30, it's both harsh and slippery. I've experimented with a wide range. Below 18 PSI I feel like it's loose and weird, and I worry about damage on hard rocks.
78kg on 25kg '22 Trek Rail 5 (L) on trails (some very rough), sometimes bike parks, and cross country. No rocks but some rutted chalky tracks, not much air but sometimes 2-3' drops. Rockshox ZEB A2 and Ohlins coil shock with 2.5" Maxxis Assegai DD Maxxgrip front DHR2 Exo+ rear. Now run 22psi front 24psi rear which works fine.
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Pumba
Member
30f and 35r
Unless it’s mud then 25f and 30r
Unless it’s mud then 25f and 30r
Mabman
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
@JHH Way too many variables to say what tyre psi will work best for you. Best way I know is to set up a test area that represents the terrain you will mostly be riding. Pump up your tyres to more than you think you will need and ride your course at your best pace. Then let out air in increments,, no need to check psi every time, until they start to feel too soft. Check that psi and add like 3/4 psi and you should be really close to your sweetspot. Fine tune for different conditions as necessary.
Tire volume makes a huge difference in psi and what was used at the dawn of mtb with narrow 26" rims and tires with tubes required at least 40psi to keep the sidewalls from flexing and pinch flats from occurring. When 29" wheels came along in 1999 we went down to 28psi with narrow rims and tubes right away which worked just fine and now with wider rims and tires run tubeless @ 95kg I can get away with as little as 15psi fr/rear I found using the above procedure.
Tire volume makes a huge difference in psi and what was used at the dawn of mtb with narrow 26" rims and tires with tubes required at least 40psi to keep the sidewalls from flexing and pinch flats from occurring. When 29" wheels came along in 1999 we went down to 28psi with narrow rims and tubes right away which worked just fine and now with wider rims and tires run tubeless @ 95kg I can get away with as little as 15psi fr/rear I found using the above procedure.
Suddenly running about 10psi today. Sealant all over the place. Oops, that's another Maxxis DHR2 Exo+ bit the dust, but at least I got home. F*ck. 
RebornRider
Well-known member
I run 25 on the trail and 30 when I go to the BMX jump park. One day I forgot to change to my trail pressure and so rode my regular trail ride at 30. Didn't notice any change in traction (I'm not a balls-out cornering maniac), but did notice an annoying increase in chatter feedback. I HATE chatter (coils front and rear), so back to 25 psi.
Edit to add that my local California trail is all hard pack clay, and much of it is washboard. I don't think I've ever ridden on this stuff I hear about called loam.
FWIW, in 4 years of mtb'ing I've had exactly one flat (always tubeless), and that happened when I sidewsiped a rock hidden in tall grass when I didn't land a jump where I should have. The rock cut the sidewall.
Edit to add that my local California trail is all hard pack clay, and much of it is washboard. I don't think I've ever ridden on this stuff I hear about called loam.
FWIW, in 4 years of mtb'ing I've had exactly one flat (always tubeless), and that happened when I sidewsiped a rock hidden in tall grass when I didn't land a jump where I should have. The rock cut the sidewall.
