# Bontrager tires-what pressure do YOU ride on?



## dave_gt (Jul 25, 2008)

I think this has been covered before, but my LBS said to inflate the tires to what is on the sidewall....in this case 120psi. I weigh 172 #, is this reasonable or what?

What do YOU use for tire pressure?

dave


----------



## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

I am 220lbs and put 120psi into mine as well. The rear tube definately does not hold it under weight though. It is a Race X Lite or whatever the super skinny one is. Could be my weight but as soon as I get on the bike it loses some pressure.


----------



## immerle (Nov 6, 2007)

I always put 120 in my race lite X hardcase because I thought harder tires rolled better.
I also thought the ride of my bike was harsh.
I read some where on the forums that there is only minimal loss of rolling resistance with lower pressures while comfort, traction and handling can improve.
I started putting 105 to 110 in my tires, and feel that my bike rides much, much better.
I weigh somewhere between 210 and 220.

I think that tire pressure is a function of your weight and riding style. I could swear I saw a chart some where that listed tire pressures by tire width and rider weight. I looked for it and could find it.

I'm thinking, if you weigh 172, 120 psi might be too high for you.
You may want to experiment with lower pressures.


----------



## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

Play around with the pressures, but try not to exceed the rated sidewall pressure. On the 23mm Bontys it is 120psi. See what you like, see how the tire holds, how it skips, how harsh it is. You will find a pressure/tire/road/riding style that suits you.

Also try not to go too far below 90 psi, as you will start to get pinch flats.

I weigh in the mid 150s and ride between 100 and 114psi depending on the roads and what I am doing, this is pretty much true for any 23mm clincher tire that I run.


----------



## dave_gt (Jul 25, 2008)

zac said:


> Play around with the pressures, but try not to exceed the rated sidewall pressure. On the 23mm Bontys it is 120psi. See what you like, see how the tire holds, how it skips, how harsh it is. You will find a pressure/tire/road/riding style that suits you.
> 
> Also try not to go too far below 90 psi, as you will start to get pinch flats.
> 
> I weigh in the mid 150s and ride between 100 and 114psi depending on the roads and what I am doing, this is pretty much true for any 23mm clincher tire that I run.



Okay, sounds like a plan...

Now, when I ride over a concrete bridge on the parkway in my subdivision, the approach has a fairly harsh gap between the asphalt and the edge of the bridge approach that really bangs when I hit it. So, now, when I approach, I sort bunny-hop the front tire and the only harsh bang is to the rear...hoping this will be easier on the carbon frame if not my body.

Is there a better way to cross something like this? Can you really bunny-hop both tires?

I think the 120psi is definitely harsher on that bridge but I like the lower rolling resistance as opposed to when I went out at 60psi by mistake!!!:blush2: 


dave


----------



## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

dave_gt said:


> Okay, sounds like a plan...
> 
> Now, when I ride over a concrete bridge on the parkway in my subdivision, the approach has a fairly harsh gap between the asphalt and the edge of the bridge approach that really bangs when I hit it. So, now, when I approach, I sort bunny-hop the front tire and the only harsh bang is to the rear...hoping this will be easier on the carbon frame if not my body.
> 
> ...


If you have sufficient speed you can easily bunny hop both tires, over a fairly significant gap. For instance on one of my rides, there is a section of busy road that had a "repair" done to it several years ago. Well said "repair" left a square section of surface about 8' wide and 3' long, with a 3-4" depression. It is a concrete surface, so the edges are fairly sharp. It extends enough out into the travel portion of the road that I usually have to hop over it when traffic is in the lane, and that is usually the case on this road. So jumping big gaps is very doable.

Bridge expansion joints are another story. Those things eat tires for lunch. Be careful. They are usually diagonal to your direction of travel, are slick wet or dry, and often times have metal shards and glass that stuck in the rubber padding between the metal sections.

Last year, I was up a my LBS restocking tires and tubes. After my purchases, and on my way back home I have to cross a bridge with expansion joints with the metal edge fairly well flush with the road surface. Been over this bridge 100s of times, no issues. Well not this time...Bam! Flat front. I stop change out the front tube and have to do the tire too (one new tire down), which was also cut; getting ready to go on my way and...%$#@...the rear is flat too...Double f'n flats...$%^&!!! And the rear was cut too. Two tires and two tubes! I walk back up to the expansion joint and look around, There was a raised crack in the road a couple of feet before the joint, It was fairly sharp (looked like a snow plow strike) so I figured that was the cause, and I didn't see it, as I was focused more on the expansion joint. I figured that was the cause, so with 2 brand new tires and tubes, I head back to the LBS to re-resupply and get another set of tires and a couple more tubes. Same route home, same bridge, I avoid the crack, roll over the expansion joint and...psssssssss...my rear tire goes again. F'n A. I am ready to hurl my bike over the bridge. I walk back, I purposely avoided the crack, but what the heck. As I am looking I finally see imbedded, in the rubber gasket between the metal joints, probably about where I had crossed it, a razor from one of those utility knives. That was a fun day. Three trashed tires and tubes, one of the tires being brand spanking new.

zac


----------



## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

There is some testing out there that indicates for paved surfaces, rolling resistance actually starts to increase again once you go past a certain pressure/for a particular tire. I personally cannot feel any significant difference in RR when at my nominal pressures. I do notice a bit more grab when wet at lower pressures, but when dry, I can't really tell. But what I do notice is when pressure is too high, I get a lot of bounce/skip/skitishness and general diminished traction especially when hard climbing/sprinting.


----------



## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

135lbs and I run my tubulars at 95psi. 

My clinchers go at 100psi.


----------



## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

uzziefly said:


> *135lbs* and I run my tubulars at 95psi.
> 
> My clinchers go at 100psi.


----------



## Klein_man (Jan 24, 2003)

*...*

I weigh 190 and run my 23mm Bonty Race X-lites at 105psi front and 110psi rear. The ride is much more smooth than when I ran them at 120 psi. I am also not as fatigued at the end of a ride, I find my tires last longer and my average speed hasn't dropped.


----------

