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Tire pressure for all around XC riding?

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#524 ·
Wow, crazy to see all the different psi for tires. I'm in the 190lb range, fully kitted and have always run 20 psi in the rear and 17-18 psi in the front. 30mm rims w various maxxis tires ranging from 2.3 to 2.5. I know no two pumps provide the same psi, so I recently purchased the digital Topeak, smartguage to compare psi w my pump. turns out my pump gauge reads about 1 psi higher then the gauge. when it's a little damp, I sometimes let even a little more air out during the ride. No pinch flats to date and we ride in MD/PA, so plenty of rocks to contend with.

Our group consists of riders from 120lbs to the heavy hitters, and when conversation topics run low, psi always seems to rear its head. For the most part, it seems that most are in the 20 psi in the rear and 17-18psi in the front. That said, the lighter guys do like to run a little lower then this on the really technical rides, with their fair share of pinch flats.

with that lower psi, they can really roll more effectively over the chunky stuff until they pinch and ask if anyone has an extra bacon strip! Oh well, time for another bite from my smashed up pbj and a new chapter in the psi discussions.
 
#525 ·
eastman said:
That said, the lighter guys do like to run a little lower then this on the really technical rides, with their fair share of pinch flats.

with that lower psi, they can really roll more effectively over the chunky stuff until they pinch and ask if anyone has an extra bacon strip! Oh well, time for another bite from my smashed up pbj and a new chapter in the psi discussions.
Click to expand...
They're pinching out tubeless at these pressures?
 
#527 ·
eastman said:
Yes, w Stans of plenty. But, please note, they are running lower psi then 20R/18F in those rocky technical situations.
Click to expand...
I've run 13 front, 17 rear in Moab for years at my weight of 160. Getting a rim strike hard enough to cut the side wall is pretty impressive, especially for the lighter guys in your group! I've been running a 29x2.3 Mountain King rear and 29x2.4 Trail King front lately on 27 mm rims with Protection and Black Chili. I've used Nobby Nics and DHF/Aggressor combos at that pressure as well with no rim hits.
 
#528 ·
MSU Alum said:
I've run 13 front, 17 rear in Moab for years at my weight of 160. Getting a rim strike hard enough to cut the side wall is pretty impressive, especially for the lighter guys in your group! I've been running a 29x2.3 Mountain King rear and 29x2.4 Trail King front lately on 27 mm rims with Protection and Black Chili. I've used Nobby Nics and DHF/Aggressor combos at that pressure as well with no rim hits.
Click to expand...
I'm a maxxis guy and do seem to notice more riders having pinch flats with bontrager tires. I haven't been out to moab yet, but some of the rocky trails in MD and PA can be a little sharp!
 
#529 · (Edited)
eastman said:
I'm a maxxis guy and do seem to notice more riders having pinch flats with bontrager tires. I haven't been out to moab yet, but some of the rocky trails in MD and PA can be a little sharp!
Click to expand...
They can probably be sharper in Md and Pa. Moab is a place with hundreds of square edges per mile, on fairly high speed straightaways, so it just makes for a good data point.
 
#530 ·
eastman said:
Wow, crazy to see all the different psi for tires. I'm in the 190lb range, fully kitted and have always run 20 psi in the rear and 17-18 psi in the front. 30mm rims w various maxxis tires ranging from 2.3 to 2.5. I know no two pumps provide the same psi, so I recently purchased the digital Topeak, smartguage to compare psi w my pump. turns out my pump gauge reads about 1 psi higher then the gauge. when it's a little damp, I sometimes let even a little more air out during the ride. No pinch flats to date and we ride in MD/PA, so plenty of rocks to contend with.

Our group consists of riders from 120lbs to the heavy hitters, and when conversation topics run low, psi always seems to rear its head. For the most part, it seems that most are in the 20 psi in the rear and 17-18psi in the front. That said, the lighter guys do like to run a little lower then this on the really technical rides, with their fair share of pinch flats.

with that lower psi, they can really roll more effectively over the chunky stuff until they pinch and ask if anyone has an extra bacon strip! Oh well, time for another bite from my smashed up pbj and a new chapter in the psi discussions.
Click to expand...
29ers?

I run a similar front pressure but 24-25 in the back on 27.5 x 2.6, but am switching to 2.5 and 2.3 soon. Also rider weight around 190 and i30
 
#531 ·
trmn8er said:
Weigh 225 6'3"
Tires XR4 29X2.3 Team issue front and rear
Roval Traverse SL 30mm internal
XC and fairly aggressive trail riding
21 psi front, 26 rear

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Thanks for this.

I'm 220 and just installed a pair of 29 x 2.4 XR4's on my Trance with 30 mm ID rims.

I tried the suggested 30R/28F yesterday on the stock Minions and it felt way too hard.

I'm lost with tire pressure as I've been on 29+ the past few summers.
 
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#532 ·
Yeah that’s way too high pressure especially with a 2.4. Try 21 up front & 25 rear and see how that supports you. I’m down to like 215lbs and that’s all I usually run.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#533 ·
Swerny said:
Thanks for this.

I'm 220 and just installed a pair of 29 x 2.4 XR4's on my Trance with 30 mm ID rims.

I tried the suggested 30R/28F yesterday on the stock Minions and it felt way too hard.

I'm lost with tire pressure as I've been on 29+ the past few summers.
Click to expand...
Experiment. Take a compact frame type pump out on your normal ride. Find the segment with the most rock/roots and some speed. Drop the pressure until you get rim hits riding through the chunk. Front and rear will be different with front tire maybe 4 psi lower. Session the segment lowering the pressure until you feel the rim hit. Then add 1-2 psi.
 
#534 ·
Same here... I weigh 215, ride rigid, and recently switched from plus tire [27.5x3.0] to 27.5x2.4 tires and tubeless. I started with 15/18psi f/r ... a few psi more than I used with plus tire. Ive had occational rim strikes and been adding 1-2psi til I don't rim strike.... Currently at 18/22psi.... No strikes yet. The rear tire feels less soggy but traction has decreased. Front has sharper steering. If this is ideal pressure, maybe 29er with same weight rider could use a few more psi. Hope this helps.
 
#536 · (Edited)
168 lbs on old style, narrow 22mm ID, Roval Control Carbon SL rims on full suspension bike with 130mm travel fork and 120mm travel shock.
XC/Trail riding at SLC-Wasatch Front, Park City, Moab and Hurricane, Utah.

Front: 29x2.4 Bontrager XR4 Team Issue at 22psi
Rear: 29x2.35 Maxxis Ardent Race at 25psi

Working great. Some tables indicate a 2.4 tire is too wide for my 22mm rims, but the 2.4 XR4 on front is cornering great.
 
#538 ·
At the moment, 18f/20r psi (+2psi if a bit more protection is needed) in 2.3" Purgatory's (winter tyres) on 25mm rims. 180lbs.
Rode yesterday without checking the pressures and it felt great. Checked when I got home - 16f/18r.
 
#539 ·
I can't understand how people run such low pressure. I'm 190lbs on 29x2.35 and I've bent two rims (one was not salvageable) on my hardtail running 23psi in the rear. I have to run at least 26 in the rear to avoid crying half way down the trail.
 
#540 ·
crembz said:
I can't understand how people run such low pressure. I'm 190lbs on 29x2.35 and I've bent two rims (one was not salvageable) on my hardtail running 23psi in the rear. I have to run at least 26 in the rear to avoid crying half way down the trail.
Click to expand...
Well for one thing you are on a HT which is much harder on your rear wheel.
There are many factors including terrain & riding style.
I also need higher pressures.

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