# Best tire pressure for Michelin Pro 4 SC 25 mm



## strohman (Apr 7, 2006)

Just got a pair of Michelin Pro 4 SC 25mm tires for my Synapse, but I'm not sure about the best tire pressure. I want the benefit of the comfort of the 25mm tires, but I'm not sure about the pros/cons of the various pressures. I weigh about 160 lbs.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

strohman said:


> Just got a pair of Michelin Pro 4 SC 25mm tires for my Synapse, but I'm not sure about the best tire pressure. I want the benefit of the comfort of the 25mm tires, but I'm not sure about the pros/cons of the various pressures. I weigh about 160 lbs.


I weight 150, have the 23mm Micheln Pro 4 endurance. The recommended tire pressure for me is between 90-115. I've put in as little as 90 and as much as 105. Honestly within that range I don't notice much difference.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

Way too high.

try 75 front and 90 back.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

bikerjulio said:


> Way too high.
> 
> try 75 front and 90 back.


I rode with one of the top bike shops in NY for week in Europe. They told me I was under-inflating and should be inflating at 100 PSI front and back. I used to fill to 80. I find I ride a little faster now. Seems to make sense to inflate to at least the manufacturer recommended pressure.


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## LVbob (Mar 24, 2014)

Trek_5200 said:


> I rode with one of the top bike shops in NY for week in Europe. They told me I was under-inflating and should be inflating at 100 PSI front and back. I used to fill to 80. I find I ride a little faster now. Seems to make sense to inflate to at least the manufacturer recommended pressure.


This seems to provide something more than anecdotal experience of riding faster at a higher pressure:
Science and Bicycles 1: Tires and Pressure | Off The Beaten Path

Or you could try this:
Interdependent Science: Bicycle Tire Pressure


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## Enoch562 (May 13, 2010)

I'm 163 and I'm running Pro 4 in 25C @ 80 psi with 23 mm wide rims. @ 85 they were way harsh.


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

I'm just a hair over 180 pounds right now and am running Pro 3 ... 25c tires on my training wheels. What I've Found best for me is 85-90 psi front and 90-95 psi in the rear.

That gives me a good ride, good speed and good protection from pinch flatting ... any pressure higher than that defeats the purpose of running 25c tires (better ride) as the ride gets harsher fast.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

Wookiebiker said:


> I'm just a hair over 180 pounds right now and am running Pro 3 ... 25c tires on my training wheels. What I've Found best for me is 85-90 psi front and 90-95 psi in the rear.
> 
> That gives me a good ride, good speed and good protection from pinch flatting ... any pressure higher than that defeats the purpose of running 25c tires (better ride) as the ride gets harsher fast.


I ride 23 mm. Apparently 25 mm work with lower pressure.

Michelin recommend inflating the 25mm Pro4  Endurance to between 5 and 7.5 bar (73 to 109 PSI), compared to 6 to 8 bar (87 to 116 PSI) for the 23mm tyre. Michelin offer ‘pressure advice’ on the Endurance’s packaging, according to rider weight.
Read more at Michelin Pro4 Endurance tyre – first look | Road Cycling UK

Michelin Pro4 Endurance tyre – first look | Road Cycling UK


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

@trek

OP's question was about 25mm tires.

your answer wrt 23mm was thus meaningless


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

Trek_5200 said:


> I rode with one of the top bike shops in NY for week in Europe. They told me I was under-inflating and should be inflating at 100 PSI front and back. I used to fill to 80. I find I ride a little faster now. Seems to make sense to inflate to at least the manufacturer recommended pressure.


So where do you find this "manufacturer recommended pressure"? Michelin has published a tire pressure chart that disagrees with your "top bike shop" recommendation. If you think the pressure on the tire side wall is the "manufacturer recommended pressure" then you are sorely confused.

To the OP: experience teaches that 25 mm tires can/should be run 10-15 psi lower than 23 mm tires.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

Kerry Irons said:


> So where do you find this "manufacturer recommended pressure"? Michelin has published a tire pressure chart that disagrees with your "top bike shop" recommendation. If you think the pressure on the tire side wall is the "manufacturer recommended pressure" then you are sorely confused.
> 
> To the OP: experience teaches that 25 mm tires can/should be run 10-15 psi lower than 23 mm tires.


They list the pressure range right on the side of the tire.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Trek_5200 said:


> They list the pressure range right on the side of the tire.


Just stop while you're ahead...ermmm...or not too far behind.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

Trek_5200 said:


> They list the pressure range right on the side of the tire.


Those numbers are in a sense meaningless. The top number is the lawyer-recommended "don't go higher than this or all bets are off" combined with the marketing department saying "higher is better, right?" The lower number assumes a bunch of things about rider weight and road conditions that certainly don't apply to everyone.

If you have a 100 lb. rider then those "minimum" numbers are useless. The lowest pressure you should ride combines the need to resist pinch flats and possibly contain too much tire flex, but for most people "too much tire flex" really means "I like my tires hard because they feel faster."

This is why cxwrench suggested you quit now. First rule of holes: when you're in one, stop digging.


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## Mr645 (Jun 14, 2013)

I like 110psi in the 23mm P4 and about 100 in the 25mm versions. The 25mm is certainly smoother with these pressures


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

Trek_5200 said:


> I rode with one of the top bike shops in NY for week in Europe. They told me I was under-inflating and should be inflating at 100 PSI front and back. I used to fill to 80. I find I ride a little faster now. Seems to make sense to inflate to at least the manufacturer recommended pressure.


Please share the name of this "top bike shop". I want to make sure I never go there. They sound pretty inept. 
Forget for a minute all the science, facts, theories, and anecdotal recommendations of tire pressure. Why in the world would they tell you to run the same pressure front and back? Weight distribution on a bike is roughly 60% rear and 40% front.

I would think a "top bike shop" would know this.


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## Duncan.E (Jan 2, 2012)

tlg said:


> Weight distribution on a bike is roughly 60% rear and 40% front.
> 
> I would think a "top bike shop" would know this.


Perhaps they have developed a revolutionary new bike fit philosophy to synergize with their tire inflation advice.


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## rcb78 (Jun 15, 2008)

I run them at 80-85 in the rear and 70-75 up front, depends on how closely I watch the pump. I'm 210lbs and have them mounted on 23mm rims. FWIW, after a few weeks of being mounted, they actually measure 29.5mm on my setup. No pinches and a super smooth ride.


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