Maintaining proper air pressure in your tires is one of the most important factors when riding a bike.

Website Resources

Submit your site for possible inclusion in our directory.

If you find this site to be of interest, please link to us.

Visit our directory for related websites and services you may be interested in.

Browse our site map for related articles on cycling.

Please read our privacy policy and terms of use.

Bookmark this site

Home: Bicycle air pressure

Bicycle air pressure

Maintaining proper bicycle air pressure is one of the most important factors when riding a bike. Improper pressure is the leading cause of damage to the tires. Unfortunately, they are also the most overlooked aspect in proper bike maintenance. That’s because it is normal for the tire to gradually lose air, and must be pumped at least once a week. Thus, as the biking season progresses, riders unaware that they need to inflate their tires every week will wonder why it is harder to cycle. Eventually, the tire will be punctured by a sharp rock or shard of glass.

Tips on maintaining proper pressure

Buy a good pump with a gauge: The gauge will measure the psi (pounds per square inch) of a tire. The recommended psi rating will be listed on the sidewall of the tire.
Inflate your tire at least once a week: If you commute to work, you can easily do this every Monday morning, though quickly checking the pressure every morning is a good habit. Because the material of the inner tire tube is naturally porous, air will be constantly escaping. Under normal conditions, it will lose about 10 psi per week.
PSI recommendations: For road bikes with thin tires, about 100 psi is a good average. For mountain bikes, or those with fatter tires, inflate to about 40 psi for trails and about 50 to 60 psi for city riding. 60-70 is good for hybrid mountain/road bikes.

How do you determine air pressure for a tire? Basically, the wider the tire, the lower the pressure. A wide mountain bike tire uses a lower pressure to grip the rugged terrain of a hill or mountain. A thin road tire uses a higher pressure for a faster ride on smooth ground.

If the pressure of a tire is too low, ground resistance will be higher, since more of the tire will make contact with the ground (called the “contact patch”). Debris and small rocks will stick better to under-inflated tires, and may eventually cause a flat. On the opposite end, over-inflation means less resistance, which can mean more skids and slips, especially in turns. The ride will be very bumpy, as there is no cushioning.

A correctly inflated tire will slightly bulge when you sit on it, will skid less on the ground, and will comfortably absorb bumps in the road. Test different pressure settings and see what setting you are most comfortable with. Stick a note to your gauge with the best setting for you and your bike.

More Articles . . .