View comments by: Most Recent - first / last | Most Popular - first / last | Replies - hide / show

The REAL tyre pressure numbers

IMHO, the guidance on tire pressures is often inaccurate because it does not account for the total weight on the bike. With the prevailing science recommending lower tyre pressures the metric for setting them is the rider's body weight. I have recently opted to Gross Vehicle Weight GVW, by including the bike, helmet, water bottles, Wahoo, tools, etc that I actually ride with. All of that equipment, including the bike weighs 24 lbs.


I'm adding that to my body weight and using this gross total when referencing the many charts and recommendations for tire pressures. I've ridden 4 times with this updated calculation and it "feels" good. I don't know what the performance detriment is for under inflated tires. All the research these days is about avoiding over inflated tires and the watts, power loss therein.


If my logic is correct, I am under inflating my tyres if I don't account for the additional 24 lbs of "stuff". What do you folks think?


Created By on 02/08/2020

Not a member?

You need to be a member to interact with Silversurfers. Joining is free and simple to do. Click the button below to join today!

Community Terms & Conditions

Content standards

These content standards apply to any and all material which you contribute to our site (contributions), and to any interactive services associated with it.

You must comply with the spirit of the following standards as well as the letter. The standards apply to each part of any contribution as well as to its whole.

Contributions must:

be accurate (where they state facts); be genuinely held (where they state opinions); and comply with applicable law in the UK and in any country from which they are posted.

Contributions must not:

contain any material which is defamatory of any person; or contain any material which is obscene, offensive, hateful or inflammatory; or promote sexually explicit material; or promote violence; promote discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age; or infringe any copyright, database right or trade mark of any other person; or be likely to deceive any person; or be made in breach of any legal duty owed to a third party, such as a contractual duty or a duty of confidence; or promote any illegal activity; or be threatening, abuse or invade another’s privacy, or cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety; or be likely to harass, upset, embarrass, alarm or annoy any other person; or be used to impersonate any person, or to misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person; or give the impression that they emanate from us, if this is not the case; or advocate, promote or assist any unlawful act such as (by way of example only) copyright infringement or computer misuse.

Nurturing a safe environment

Our Silversurfers community is designed to foster friendships, based on trust, honesty, integrity and loyalty and is underpinned by these values.

We don't tolerate swearing, and reserve the right to remove any posts which we feel may offend others... let's keep it friendly!