# Tire pressure for big guy 250 lbs?



## tmotz (May 16, 2002)

I currently commute on a old Fuji that has 27 inch tires but want to switch over to my Jamis with 700x 25c tires. I get flats on the Jamis so much I don't ride it much. My tires say to inflate to 120 psi which I wonder about. What pressure should I be aiming towards ?


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

there are tons of threads on tire pressure, but there isn't much input from guys your weight. my feelings are that most riders should aim for something in the range of 95-105rr and about 10psi less in the front. what you need to do is find the tires that allow you to do this...maybe 25mm, maybe 28mm. it really depends on how and where you ride, and the road conditions. for most riders (100 or so, up to your weight) this pressure works well if you're on the correct size tire to handle your weight. light riders would use 23mm tires, mid weight (160-200) on 25mm and larger riders on the bigger tires. 
obviously there is some wiggle room and each rider should experiment to see what works best for them, but i see no reason for anyone to pump a road tire above 110psi.


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## Money D (Mar 9, 2002)

6'5 255 here. Conti Gran Prix 4 season 700x28, 95 psi. No flats, I like em.


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## AwfulQuiet (Mar 21, 2004)

I'm a bit over your weight and use Michelin Pro 3 Race 700 23c at 8 bar, as recommended by the rider weight / tyre pressure chart on their packaging. The idea is the harder the tyre, the less rolling resistance, the easier it is to pedal and the faster you can go.

Note: usually the thinner the tyre, the higher the pressure they can take. This does vary by manufacturer, the packaging usually gives the max pressure for the tyre.

That being said, have you thought of switching your tyre on the Fuji to something like Schwalbe Marathon Plus? They're pretty bombproof in my experience.


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## paule11 (Jun 11, 2011)

Same weight I run 120psi


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## dcgriz (Feb 13, 2011)

21mm rim with 25mm tire: 102f. 112r
23mm rim with 25 mm tire: 100f. 110r
23mm rim with 23mm tire: 105f. 115r

Tires are Conti GP 4season or 4000S.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

AwfulQuiet said:


> I'm a bit over your weight and use Michelin Pro 3 Race 700 23c at 8 bar, as recommended by the rider weight / tyre pressure chart on their packaging. *The idea is the harder the tyre, the less rolling resistance, the easier it is to pedal and the faster you can go.
> *
> Note: usually the thinner the tyre, the higher the pressure they can take. This does vary by manufacturer, the packaging usually gives the max pressure for the tyre.
> 
> That being said, have you thought of switching your tyre on the Fuji to something like Schwalbe Marathon Plus? They're pretty bombproof in my experience.


jesus...have you been in a cave for the last few years? this is completely false and the opposite of the truth.


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## dookie (Oct 1, 2007)

> have you been in a cave for the last few years? this is completely false and the opposite of the truth.


At >250lbs he's on 23s...clearly not up on current tire tech.


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## davez26 (Nov 15, 2010)

I am 250 and on 23's, I am just not independently wealthy where I can afford to run out and buy new tires every time there is a new favorite. I have money invested in these and I won't die a horrible death with the 'wrong' width. When I wear them out, then I change.
Anyway, I've been experimenting with pressure on 23's and am looking for the perfect pressure as well.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

davez26 said:


> I am 250 and on 23's, I am just not independently wealthy where I can afford to run out and buy new tires every time there is a new favorite. I have money invested in these and I won't die a horrible death with the 'wrong' width. When I wear them out, then I change.
> Anyway, I've been experimenting with pressure on 23's and am *looking for the perfect pressure as well.*


it would be hard for someone of your weight to ride the 'perfect' pressure on 23mm tires. i'd say your 'ideal' pressure would be just slightly higher than the pressure at which you'd pinch flat on your normal rides. that's the whole idea behind bigger tires...you can run them at lower pressure so they roll well because they have more air volume and won't pinch flat under your weight. you need to have more pressure in smaller tires because of the smaller air volume.


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## AwfulQuiet (Mar 21, 2004)

dookie said:


> At >250lbs he's on 23s...clearly not up on current tire tech.


So enlighten us you two, instead of making useless comments such as that.


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

dookie said:


> At >250lbs he's on 23s...clearly not up on current tire tech.


You mean tire fads..... He can ride 23s. When I was 245 lbs, I rode 23s and still do. I went the 25s route a few times (do to sales, discounts,etc) and couldn't tell the difference. I think most of it is mental but that's just my experience. A test tells you something so in practice it must be true. This is an industry is probably filled with as much BS as the best of them, and most riders are sold on the ideas. I suffer from upgaditis like most riders but I'm not sold on that. Maybe if you went to 28s, there would be a difference but I couldn't tell the difference using Conti 4000s between 23s and 25s. Now, I'm 52 lbs. lighter. I might be able to tell the difference but I haven't tried it again. I used to (and still do) run 110 in the rear and 100 in the front. Ride is supple enough for me. So to answer your question OP, go with what feels best to you. I wouldn't recommend going under 100 on the rear though at your size. There are some riders lucky enough to pull off less at that weight but that's not everyone.


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

People go a little wild with the tire pressure thing. 

On narrower rims, I would much rather run more pressure than "ideal". Any added rolling resistance is really irrelevant. 

I like 25's and I like them at 110psi, at 190lb. Ive ran them down to 80 and everywhere in between. Its really not a huge difference... especially on shorter rides.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

TomH said:


> People go a little wild with the tire pressure thing.
> 
> On narrower rims, I would much rather run more pressure than "ideal". Any added rolling resistance is really irrelevant.
> 
> I like 25's and I like them at 110psi, at 190lb. Ive ran them down to 80 and everywhere in between. Its really not a huge difference... especially on shorter rides.


the rolling resistance isn't the 'big' thing. sure, it's very slightly less at 'correct' pressure than it is at 'high' pressure. the real benefits of 'correct' pressure are increased traction and better ride quality. 
most riders will never notice the very slight decrease in rolling resistance, but who wouldn't want more traction in corners and a more comfortable ride? or you can inflate your tires hard as a rock and think everything is just peachy. personal preference.


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## King Arthur (Nov 13, 2009)

tmotz said:


> I currently commute on a old Fuji that has 27 inch tires but want to switch over to my Jamis with 700x 25c tires. I get flats on the Jamis so much I don't ride it much. My tires say to inflate to 120 psi which I wonder about. What pressure should I be aiming towards ?


120 is what you need.


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## dookie (Oct 1, 2007)

terbennett said:


> You mean tire fads..... He can ride 23s...


Fair enough, and yes.

The current 'wide' road tire(/rim) trend is probably not the end-all, be-all...but fad is a bit dismissive. Have you tried a 25mm tire on a 23mm rim? You should. Possible is not the same as ideal.

A decade ago I was a 'pump it to the sidewall max' kinda guy, but I listened to enough low-pressure praise that I gave it a try...can always pump it back up again, right? The difference was there...less chatter (& fatigue), more stick (esp. wet), and no slower (specifically, I went from ~120/120 to ~95/105, @175lbs w/23mm tire on std rim). So, new standard for me. Did that until a couple years ago, when I started using 25mm tires at just barely lower pressures (no pinch worries, but on the narrow rim they started to lay over in the corners a bit too much for my liking).

So, I read all the hype and bit on a set of wide rims (the Kinlin) about a month ago...can always resell, right? I have maybe 500mi on them so far, using 25mm tires @ 85/95. All I can say is, try the Kool Aid. There is data out there (don't ask me to find it) discussing the aero and rolling benefits of the wide system. Is it 'true'? You tell me. IMHO, stiffness and speed seem awfully close to the Edge 65s they replaced, with comfort and grip off the chart...immediately apparent in the first 5min test romp around the block. Placebo? A whole lot of equipment changes over a couple decades of riding has me thinking no.

All of which is to say, I think the high-volume/low-pressure trend is gaining momentum for a reason. Wider tires are a step in the right direction, and an easy one to take. The wide rim is (unnecessary) gravy, but I like gravy. I think this would be an ideal setup for a heavy rider with 25/28mm tires (depending on frame clearance).

(Obvious question, not yet posed to the OP: you're asking about pressure, so these flats are pinch flats from impact and not punctures, yes?)


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

King Arthur said:


> 120 is what you need.


stop it. please.


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## AwfulQuiet (Mar 21, 2004)

Did the research, will stick with my 8 bar on 23s.

Enjoy the fad.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

AwfulQuiet said:


> Did the research, will stick with my 8 bar on 23s.
> 
> Enjoy the fad.


and you enjoy the crap ride, sketchy traction and increased wear on your tires. maybe you can enlighten those of us that fell for the fad about the 'research' you did...


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

He weighs more than 250lb, and hes on 23c's at 116psi. Thats very much a reasonable pressure for a rider like that on 23's.


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## dcgriz (Feb 13, 2011)

120 psi = 8.3 bar
116 psi = 8 bar
120 psi is not 8 bar

You are arguing about a difference of 6 psi (116 vs. 110). The difference is small enough to be subjective.


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

OP, I can't tell you what you should ride.

I can tell you that at 240lbs myself, I ride 100psi on my 23s, 95psi on my 25s, and 90psi on my 28s (with rack and panniers) I've never had a problem with pinch flats.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

TomH said:


> He weighs more than 250lb, and hes on 23c's at 116psi. Thats very much a reasonable pressure for a rider like that on 23's.


i'm saying he should be riding bigger tires. i KNOW he needs that kind of pressure in 23mm tires.


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

I agree with that completely... maybe even bigger tires than 25 if selection wasnt so limited. 

If he has to work with what hes got, thats the right track though.


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## jonshonda (Oct 23, 2011)

I am 280 and run a 25f 28r Gatorskin at 120 front 125 rear. Never any issues.


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## Cjcc67 (Jul 8, 2012)

I'm 6'2 @ 222. I've always had 23 vittoria tyres rated to 145 psi. I ride them at 125 no problems for the last eight years.
What am i missing out on?


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## jmorgan (Apr 13, 2012)

A smoother ride from needing less pressure if you had 25mm tires. Who doesn't want a smoother ride and better handling from more tire in contact with the road?


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## Cjcc67 (Jul 8, 2012)

Do you mean smooth or soft? Vittoria are smooth. I've always ridden on hard tires since i was a kid so my preference must be to feelthe surface i am riding on..


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Cjcc67 said:


> Do you mean smooth or soft? Vittoria are smooth. I've always ridden on hard tires since i was a kid so my preference must be to feelthe surface i am riding on..


not soft, but appropriate. choosing the proper size tires for your weight and inflating those tires to the proper pressure will give you optimum traction, good ride, and less rolling resistance than overinflated, undersized tires. why would someone your size use the same size tires as a 115lb woman? 
do you really need to 'feel' the road surface? what does that get you? all that 'feel' that you're experiencing is rolling resistance. not that it's slowing you down much, but why wouldn't you want a better ride, and increased cornering traction?


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## dcgriz (Feb 13, 2011)

Cjcc67 said:


> Do you mean smooth or soft? Vittoria are smooth. I've always ridden on hard tires since i was a kid so my preference must be to feelthe surface i am riding on..


No sense in riding both tires at the same pressure. If you like your rear tire at 125psi, your front could easily be at 115psi. You will still feel the road and will not miss anything but jolts and vibration.
At your weight you could reduce the pressure all around by at least another 5 psi to 110/120. If you have never tried it you may be pleasantly surprised. If you don't like it, the fix is simple enough.


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## Cjcc67 (Jul 8, 2012)

I'll try 115 on the front next ride then 120 on the rear. As you said.the fix is easy enough


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Cjcc67 said:


> I'll try 115 on the front next ride then 120 on the rear. As you said.the fix is easy enough


that's a pretty small change, doubtful you'll notice much. when you wear out your 23mm tires try some 25mm of the same type if available. drop the pressure down to around 100 for both. maybe 105rr/95-90 front and see what you think. trust me...you don't _really_ need to actually feel the road surface. your eyes will tell you what you need to know, but there can still be things on the road you won't see or feel that will limit your traction. using a larger tire will put more rubber on the road, increasing traction. inflating them to the proper pressure will give you a nicer ride. whether or not you ever are able to confirm it, they will roll faster. the tread will wear longer w/ the correct pressure. why would you not want to try this?


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## vagabondcyclist (Apr 2, 2011)

cxwrench said:


> that's a pretty small change, doubtful you'll notice much. when you wear out your 23mm tires try some 25mm of the same type if available. drop the pressure down to around 100 for both. maybe 105rr/95-90 front and see what you think. trust me...you don't _really_ need to actually feel the road surface. your eyes will tell you what you need to know, but there can still be things on the road you won't see or feel that will limit your traction. using a larger tire will put more rubber on the road, increasing traction. inflating them to the proper pressure will give you a nicer ride. whether or not you ever are able to confirm it, they will roll faster. the tread will wear longer w/ the correct pressure. why would you not want to try this?


I agree. I don't think you'll feel any difference from a 5 psi reduction. I went from 120 to 110 and then 105 on 25 tires and did feel a difference. Didn't feel any difference in terms of road buzz from 120 to 115. Then I went to some HED 23cm wide rims. I dropped the pressure a bit and the road buzz was back. HED recommends a 10-12% drop and I fudged it thinking it wouldn't be that much. The new wheels rode with the same buzz at 105 that the old ones did at 120. I'm now down to 100 and might even go down to 95 on the front. 

I ride on some rough roads and at 105 I could feel the bike bouncing over stuff that the old wheels would float over at 105 so a lot of it depends if you're running the "new" wide rims or the old "narrow" rims. Tire pressure interacts with the tires, the width of the rims, and your weight. The bigger the tire and the wider the rim, the lower tire pressure you can and should run.


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## psycleridr (Jul 21, 2005)

Wow this thread is heated!
IMO CXwrench is correct in that you will get a smoother ride, and better traction (wet or dry) with 25mm tires around 110psi than the current 23's at 120psi. 
Sure you can ride the 23's but you will probably feel more confident in handling and less fatigue with the 25's with the same effort. 
I am between 165-175 and really felt a difference going to the 25mm. Much more comfortable and definitely more confident cornering as I got a larger contact patch in road. I run the 25's at 90-95 and used to run the 23's at 110
Both tires were the same. Conti 4000s so it wasnt a change in tire


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## AtomicMoose (Aug 15, 2012)

I too am a Clydesdale and run a 25c Vittoria. I run anywhere between 110-115psi in the rear and usually about 100psi in the front.

I'm currently 240lbs, but last year this time I was 280. I've never had pinch flat issues at this pressure. Sure, I could go down lower for a smoother ride, but I'll sacrifice that to not be the guy on the side of the road changing flats all the time.


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## redvespablur (Aug 23, 2011)

6'4'' 255 ish on my 23 run 135 psi rear and 130 front with gatorskins/ultremos dd - I have had trouble pinch flatting so I like to run them hard. On my tubeless set I run my 23 and 25s both at 110.

My ass hurts after an hour at 135 psi compared to the 110 psi tubeless with same bike and wheels where 3 hour rides are pretty ass pain free.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

redvespablur said:


> 6'4'' 255 ish on my 23 run 135 psi rear and 130 front with gatorskins/ultremos dd - I have had trouble pinch flatting so I like to run them hard. On my tubeless set I run my 23 and 25s both at 110.
> 
> My ass hurts after an hour at 135 psi compared to the 110 psi tubeless with same bike and wheels where 3 hour rides are pretty ass pain free.


that should tell you something, shouldn't it? right?


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