# Ideal pressure for my 700 x 23 mm tires?



## bjh1776

New road biker here - What is the ideal pressure for my 700 x 23 mm tires? Sidewall says min 94 psi (6.5 bar) and max 131 psi (9 bar)


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## Kerry Irons

*Weight?*



bjh1776 said:


> New road biker here - What is the ideal pressure for my 700 x 23 mm tires? Sidewall says min 94 psi (6.5 bar) and max 131 psi (9 bar)


It really depends on your weight, local road conditions, and how careful you are as a rider. The general guideline is "90-100 psi unless you get pinch flats." Pinch flats are when the tire compresses against the side wall of the rim, pinching the inner tube and causing a "snake bite" flat - two small holes about a cm apart.

Lower pressure means better traction, more comfort, and longer tire wear. Many pump their tires way too hard thinking it reduces rolling resistance but actually can cause increased rolling resistance as the super-hard tire bounces off the rough road surface.

If you have to pump your tires over 110 psi to prevent pinch flats you either need wider tires or better riding skills.


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## PJ352

bjh1776 said:


> New road biker here - What is the ideal pressure for my 700 x 23 mm tires? Sidewall says min 94 psi (6.5 bar) and max 131 psi (9 bar)


They're merely guidelines, so experiment. The guide below should help get you started - the text basically a rewording of what Kerry has touched on, but IMO worth a read.

Michelin Bicycle USA - A better way forward®


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## SFTifoso

Look up the manufacturer's website; sometimes they have guidelines for their tires specifically. Also, if you're a bit on the heavy side think about getting something wider 700x25 or even 28. I'm about 200 lbs, and I have no evidence for this, but I swear the 700x25 tires have less rolling resistance than the 700x23 set the bike came with.


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## Ibashii

SFTifoso said:


> Look up the manufacturer's website; sometimes they have guidelines for their tires specifically. Also, if you're a bit on the heavy side think about getting something wider 700x25 or even 28. I'm about 200 lbs, and I have no evidence for this, but I swear *the 700x25 tires have less rolling resistance than the 700x23 set the bike came with.*


This is, all things being equal, true. You can accelerate faster on narrower tires, you can pump them up higher and they have less wind resistance, but the idea that they provide less rolling resistance is a widely-believed mistruth.

I still use 23s, though. Just habit, I guess. As if I'm concerned about acceleration...:wink:


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## Camilo

Just a big FWIW, since we don't know OP's weight or the tires he uses.

I use Michelin Pro Race tires (2's and 3's), 23mm. I weigh 165 lbs give or take 3-4 pounds, and use 185-190 lbs as my total "package" (bike + rider + etc.). I've looked at various tire pressure guides, brand specific and generic.

For at least 3 seasons I've pumped my 23mm tires up to ~100 rear and 95 front. I have not had a pinch flat since I can remember. I've had a couple of inner tube failures in that time (defects around valve and leaky valves themselves), but no pinch flats.

When I first started trying to minimize my tire pressure (being one, like many, who just pumped them up to 110+ on general principles), I forgot to pump up the tires for several days - at least 4 or 5, and I got a pinch flat. I have no idea what the pressure was, but after two days, if I check, it's often down to ~80, so I'm thinking in the 70s.

I'm happy with the comfort and rolling of the 23's at the above pressures, so I probably won't experiment with lower pressures, but I wouldn't be surprised if I couldn't get by with 5 lbs less on both.

I've used 25's in the past and liked them. I don't use them now because I'm happy with the 23's at those pressures, and the 25's were just enough of an additional hassle to get past the brakes when I take off the front wheel to make it not worth it (I take off the front wheel frequently for transport).


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## Erion929

I weigh 148 lbs., run 95 front and 100 rear on Michelin Krylion 23mm....no probs, feels good


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## grabtindy

I run 100 f and r because it's the exact mid point of my pump gauge. And performance characteristics, mftr recommendation, etc.


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## Guest

Ibashii said:


> This is, all things being equal, true. You can accelerate faster on narrower tires, you can pump them up higher and they have less wind resistance, but the idea that they provide less rolling resistance is a widely-believed mistruth.
> 
> I still use 23s, though. Just habit, I guess. As if I'm concerned about acceleration...:wink:


Thing is the tire manufacturers don't recommend you run wider tires like 25's "all else equal" -- they recommend progressively lower tire pressures for a given weight as the size of the tire increases. 

The tire contact patch area with the road is directly related to the weight of the load, and the air pressure of the tire. 100PSI average inflation, with 150lb of rider + bike + other crap means 1.5 square inches of contact patch on both tires. 

In the case of the wider tire at the same pressure, there won't be as much deformation of the rubber away from a round shape to achieve the same contact patch area, you'll get a wider, shorter contact path, but this probably won't give the handling properties the tire was designed for either. 

FWIW I run 100psi rear, 95PSI front (sidewall minimum) on 23s. I weigh 130, my bike and clothing/other crap is probably a fraction of 20. The last time I got a pinch-flat was due to me bottoming out a pedal in the middle of a corner, lifting my rear wheel several inches off the ground then slamming it onto the road wihle banked over at a ~45 degree angle. Straightening out from the ensuing fishtail resulted in my blowing out the tube and ripping a 3" long gash in the tire sidewall.


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## Trower

I weigh 175 and run 115 to 120psi. The roads here are not the best and I'de rather not have to slow down, "just to be sure" all the time. Steel helps smooth out the rest


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## brucew

http://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/200903_PSIRX_Heine.pdf


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## Naixed

I don't quite understand that chart you posted. I weight 140lbs and run a 24mm tire

Weight distribution on my Front would be 56lbs and Rear 84lbs
So according to that chart my front wheel should be <50psi, Rear 80psi ?


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## cxwrench

Naixed said:


> I don't quite understand that chart you posted. I weight 140lbs and run a 24mm tire
> 
> Weight distribution on my Front would be 56lbs and Rear 84lbs
> So according to that chart my front wheel should be <50psi, Rear 80psi ?


140lbs, 24mm tires...i'd recommend 65/70psi frt, 80psi rr if pinch flatting isn't normally a problem for you. 
i use 22mm conti sprinter tubulars at 85psi frt, 95psi rr and i weigh 165. my hutchinson road tubeless tires are 10psi lower frt/rr.


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## ScottsSupersix

I run 115 lbs front and rear, on 23mm HED Belgian C2 Rims with Conti GP4000s. I weigh 187 lbs, and this works well for me.


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## kmak

What do people think of this article? Creates a large gap in tire pressure front to back (like for me, 70 front 110 back). I had been riding at 120 both, tried the lower pressure today and it definitely felt way smoother, not sure it made a measurable difference in my performance though (of course having the temperature on the road at 98 degrees didn't help).

http://www.adventurecycling.org/resources/200903_PSIRX_Heine.pdf


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## ScottsSupersix

For me, I can't see running a pressure of 70 front, even on my 25mm tires. Update from my 5-12 post: I now weigh 180 lbs and run 95 front and 110 rear. That is probably as low as I will go.


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## BostonG

I have 23's, am 126ish lbs (I'm not anorexic, just short at 5'4"). I do between 90 and 95 front and around 100 rear. I also have a bike with 25's and I run those with slightly lower pressure.


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## Ibashii

ScottsSupersix said:


> For me, I can't see running a pressure of 70 front, even on my 25mm tires. Update from my 5-12 post: I now weigh 180 lbs and run 95 front and 110 rear. That is probably as low as I will go.


I don't have an opinion on your PSI, but congrats on the weight loss! Thread dredge can be an interesting time marker...


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## Drew Eckhardt

bjh1776 said:


> New road biker here - What is the ideal pressure for my 700 x 23 mm tires? Sidewall says min 94 psi (6.5 bar) and max 131 psi (9 bar)


Depends on weight. Could be 70 psi, could be 150 psi.

More than the pressure at which you're likely to pinch flat or the tires that feel slow.

Less than the pressure at which the tires become uncomfortable.


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## Patty

*O .*



bjh1776 said:


> New road biker here - What is the ideal pressure for my 700 x 23 mm tires? Sidewall says min 94 psi (6.5 bar) and max 131 psi (9 bar)


Zero psi. Install a 25 or 28 and ask again.


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## ecub

I like using the last calculator here...
http://www.dorkypantsr.us/bike-tire-pressure-calculator.html


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