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[Cycling] Tyre Pressure

Admin

Administrator. Graeme
Staff member
What is tyre pressure?
Tyre pressure refers to how much air is used to inflate a tyre.

What is the PSI rating on written on the tyre?
This is the series of numbers written on the sidewalls of every tyre, it indicates how much air you should pump into your tyre.

What pressure should I pump my tyres upto?
You should always pump you tyres upto the recommend PSI rating written on the tyre sidewall, its there for a reason. Never pump your tyres up more than the recommended PSI rating, the inner tube can handle extreme PSI readings but a tyre has a maximun PSI rating on it for a reason and that is the sidewalls are only desinged to take so much before they explode or pop off the rim.

Advantages and disadvantages of high tyre pressures

Pros

1. Decrease in rolling resistance.
2. Increased puncture protection.
3. Increase in stabilty.
4. Decreased chance of destroying your rim.
5. Even tyre wear.

Cons

1. Decrease in grip.
2. Decease in shock absorbtion.

Advantages and disadvantages of low tyre pressures

Pros

1. Increased grip.
2. Increased shock absorbtion.

Cons

1. Increased chance of pinch flat or snake bite punctures. This is where the innertube digs into the rim sidewalls and pinches the innertube where it comes into contact with the rim sidewalls. Tis type of puncture is easily identified by two adjacent pin prick sized holes in the innertube.
2. Increased chance of damaging your rim through ovalisation. With low tyre pressures the innertube and tyre are able to fully compress on harsh landings and the rim wil take a more direct it from the landing rather than the innertube and tyre absorbing the impact.
3. Increase in rolling resistance, meaning more effort is required to acieve the right speed and the bike won't roll as far.
4. Decrease in stabilty due to the tyre being able to squirm at speed or under harsh cornering.
5. Uneven tyre wear leading to premature wearing of the tyre.

How often should I check the pressure in my tyres?
Tyre pressures must be checked regularly becasue they are affected by various factors. about once every two weeks is advisable.

1. The natural leakage of air through the walls of a tyre,
2. Drops in ambient temperature,
3. Small perforations that, in a tubeless tyre, may not lead to immediate deflation but rather deflation over time, (a slow leak!). This in turn can lead to irreversible damage due to the tyre running in an under inflated condition.

At the end of the day tyre pressures is all common sense.
 
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