Is it ok to run a low tire pressure? *Here is a response from one of our viewrs that yields the answer* I’m a 155lb int level rider in New England. While riding in some real muddy conditions on my Jamis Dakar XTL 2.0, I decided to lower the tire pressure. I didn’t have a guage so I just gave the valve stem a couple of quick blasts. Traction improved dramatically and the rest of the ride was like never before. When I got back to my shop, I checked the air pressure and I had 20 lbs in the rear and 24 in the front (I run 30lbs usually). I have started to run sub 25 lbs in my 2.5 WTB weirwolfs now and the ride and traction are awesome. Does any one you know run these low pressure or am I crazy for even trying? I know that I run the risk of pinch flats but I am a trials rider (MC) also and picking lines is my specialty. Maybe that’s why I like the pressure so low, we run 3.5 – 5 lbs on our trials bikes. Regards, John Dear People How important is Rolling Direction on Hutchison Mosquito Bike Tires? After installation I noticed Mark..... I would not worry about the rolling direction. I like to ride some tires backwards exactly like yours... only switch them it if does not ride well for you, but I'll bet it will be fine... ride on stan I have a giant rincon mtb. The rims say 26 X 1.5. Am I limited to that size tire or can I go bigger. Is the width of 1.5 the lower limit in size? Thanks. Keith Keith, Hello.. the 26 is the rim size in inches, so you can only use a 26 inch tire. However, the width of 1.5 is really quite skinny, and we would recommend going to a 1.9, 2.0, or 2.2 if it will fit on the bike. Using your current tires as a guide, see if you can squeeze out a 1/4 inch of space on each side of the tire and still have the tire fit the chainstay and frame (and clear the front derailluer), etc... if so, you can go to a 2.0 (ie. 1.5 + 1/4 + 1/4 = 2.0). If you go to a larger tire, you will need to readjust your brake cable tension and provice more slack in the cable... hope this helps.. ride on stan My name is Fernando and I ride a 2001 Giant AC1 and I just purchased a pair of 2.65" IRC Kujo DH tires. My problem is installing these bad motherf'ers. I try not to use tire levers because I've made a lot of holes and gone through a few inner tubes using this method. I installed the front tire using the heel of my hand method which wasn't that big of a deal. But now I'm having a real hard time installing the rear tire. My hands are getting blisters and calluses from trying to get this tire in the rim. Please Help. P.S. This is a great site. Fernando Fernando, Hello! I ride the Kujo's DH, but the 2.35 size. I installed by hand with no tire irons, but it is quite a feat... the good thing is that you hardly ever will get a flat with these for a long time because they are so heavy duty. My only suggestion is to use a little soapy water on the rim and the tire bead & also to warm up the tire inside your house or in the sun before you install it. Careful use of a tire iron may be needed... let me know how it goes! thanx stan Hi! I work on a number of bikes for friends and store them away for the winter every year. I notice many tires don't winter well, even covered from the elements, and I was wondering if you could suggest a product or treatment that could help protect them and possibly extend their usable life? Thanks! Ray Ray, Hello... thanx for your question about tire maintenance and storage in the off season. Since we ride year round, we have not thought a lot about this, but a few ideas come to mind. It might be a good idea to remove the tires from the bike, or at least take the weight of the bike off them (maybe by hanging the bike). This will prevent a flat spot on the bottom of the tire if it looses air. Probably best to leave them on the wheels, however. Store them in an area which is climate controlled, and away from direct dry heat sources. Avoid extreme temperature changes or moisture. Inspect and clean the tires carefully before winterizing to identify any problems with the side wall, bead, tread, etc... Use soap and water, and let them dry fully. Apply a tire protectant, or you can use Armor All Protectant, to keep the rubber supple and prevent drying out. If you have any other ideas, please let me know! thanx stan I have a giant DS2 Mountain Bike that has very wide tires that came with it. I want to go to a narrower tire. How do I figure out what tire I can use & how do they rate tire width. Thanks for your Help, Billy Billy, Hello! The size should be labeled on the tire. Here are the most common sizes in order smallest to largest 1.75, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.25, 2.35, 2.4, 2.6...etc... Just get the next size down, or skip a size if you want skinnier... thanx stan hey myke, I am new to mountain biking and just bought a giant but i replaced the tires with something a little more suitable for more road riding than trail although i will be doing both. anyways, i find when i am riding on the highways i get kind of a pulsing bump from the rear tire. there is an almost imperceptible bulge near the valve stem. Do you know of any reasons that this may be? I would appreciate any assistance you can give me as I will be heading to the trails this weekend. Thanks Brad Brad, Hello! It sounds as if you have a defective tire if it is new, or maybe that the sidewall is worn (sometimes this can happen from the brake shoes are rubbing it)... Sometimes, with use, you can develop a weak spot on the side wall that bulges out slightly similar to what you have described... The pulsating feeling while riding on the road may not be as noticeable on the trails, but I would recommend that you eventually replace the tire. If it is new, return it under warranty if possible. If it is used, then just go out and get a new one - as it is only likely to worsen with age, although you may be able to use it for awhile... stan Greetings all, I have a peculiar problem. I was hoping for some help with. I have a trek mountain bike. 5 years old. I cant keep a tube in the tires. I have presta valve stems in the wheels. In a matter of minutes, I pull the valve stem out of the tube. It tears out of the tube. I leave the nut on the valve stem loose or tight and the same thing happens. More on the rear then the front. Both do it though. Any help. It does have several miles on it and the original tires on it. They are Tioga's. Thanks. JW. JW, Hello! There are a few reasons why maybe your tubes fail at the stem, and rip out of the tire. It sounds as if the tube is rotating in the tire, and shearing off the valve stem as it moves. This can happen if the tube is too large for the tire, if the tire is under inflated (try 40 lbs. psi) or if it is a real cheap tube. Make sure that the hole in the rim is the proper size for the presta valve, and not too large. If the hole in the rim is too big, it might be designed for the schrader type valve! Also, tighten the valve securely, as you are probably doing... Please make sure the tube size and tire size are compatible & that you have a high quality tube. Consider widening the hole diameter in the rim carefully and going to schrader valves and see if that helps, if all else fails. I always convert my rims to accept schrader cause I have less trouble with that type valve than presta, although this is just my style, as presta works quite well on most bikes. Let me know if this helps, or if you discover a different cause for your problem! Ride On ~~Stan~~ I'm a, ride to work and back. and on sundays type of bikerider and don't know if i have to replace my tires or not. I am doing my first bike tune up on my own this year and need some advise as to what to look for in trying to establish whether my tires are ready to be replaced. Can you give me a brief lowndown. thanks Christine... Christine, Hello! Thanx for your question about when to replace tires on your bike. Here are some pointers: Examine the tires carefully after cleaning them with soap and water. Look for wear of the tread, and cuts or slashes in the sidewalls. Sometimes your brake shoe can rub on the side bead and cause a thin or worn area, which can lead to a sidewall blowout. Look for this. Rubber tends to dry and crack with age, so look for signs of cracking or dry rotting on the sidewall and rolling surface. Also, tires loose some of their flexibility and pliability when they age, and this stiffness lowers traction and feel.. Usually after 2-3 years or so, tires need replacement even if they have little wear, this is because of aging of the rubber. If the tread appears worn, then it is also time to replace the tire. If you would like new tires, make sure you select the proper ones for your riding style and terrain! If you have any other questions, please let me know! ~~Stan~~ I'm having a problem with keeping air in my tires. I have the small valves, that you have to unscrew and use an adaptor. What could be the problem? It's really annoying having to put air in everyday before I ride... Schebals, Hello. It sounds like you have Presta valves on your tubes. The best way to solve your problem is to remove the offending tube from the tire, and immerse under water to check for leaks. Pump it up a little after you remove it to put it under some pressure and carefully examine it under water in a large sink or tub. You'll see bubbles if there is a leak. It may be leaking on a seam, or from a puncture, or from the valve stem. Occaisionally, the leak will be too slow to show up with this method, but it works 95% of the time. Examine the inside of the tire to check for a thorn, debris, or sharp object that may have caused the leak. If you find a hole, patch it! We prefer Schrader valves (the larger ones without the external stem), and these are overall easier to deal with, and you don't need to tighten them and use an adapter all the time. You can switch to them on your tubes, but the hole in the rim needs to be enlarged to fit the bigger diameter of the stem. Anyhow, we hope we have helped solve your problem. Please let us know what happens. Ride ON ~~Stan~~ Is it okay to patch a tire with a small rip. They're only 2 weeks old (panaracer smoke rear tire) and I just riped a small hole in it the other day riding and hate to replace a brand new tire. The tear is 0.5 cm long tops, right at the edge of a nobbie. I threw a glue and rubber patch on the inside of the tire and am praying it holds. Any thoughts? Thanks, Grant Grant, This technique can certainly be used, although it is usually on a tire near the "end of the road". Yours is new, and it should not have ripped. Unfortunately, the Panaracers are not that tough, and we have seen them tear right on the edge of the knob (in some cases where the two colors meet). Some of the best tires available are from Continental. Go to the dealer you got them from, or call the manufacturer, and claim they were defective as I believe they are.... We have ridden dozens of tires, and they should not rip after two weeks, even if your brake shoe has been rubbing on it... You could expect a shortened lifespan with the patch technique, and it might leave you stuck and force a repair or walkout.... ~~MaNiMaL~~ Great Site - I like the advice sections. I just switched from road bike (20 years) to MTB. Tire inflation was easy on the road - hard-hard-hard - 15% more than the tire was rated for - even my 150 psi Continentals ran at 175+. I am sure 60 psi on MTB tires is good for speed but not traction. Less than 30 psi is certain to be sluggish and may bottom the rim? My bike, a Cannondale F1000 - has IRC Mythos (26 x 2.1) - the sidewall says 40-60 psi, but the guys in the shop tell me 40-45 in the front and 40 in the back. Any recommendations? - I am 6' - 185 lbs. and riding on root infested trails, hard pack and some loose stuff. Thank!!! Jeff : ) Jeff, Tire pressure is an important feature, and you are smart to ask about it!! It is a personal decision for each experienced rider and can vary... The best thing is to know what you are riding by checking it before each ride! Usually on a full suspension bike you can ride a higher tire pressure... The max should really not be over 50 psi. On a hardtail, the lowest you should go is about 30 psi as you mention. The advice you got was good about 40-45 in front and 40 in rear, but I would recommend reversing it. I always run a little higher in the rear. I have found that, on the average, a full suspension bike should go about 42 in front and 45 in rear if you are over 200 lbs., and a little less if you are under 150 lbs. A rigid bike should go about 32-35 in front and 34-36 in rear to allow for some shock absorption, along with your "other" suspension, your seat. But going to 40 or 45 is also sometimes cool... ~~MaNiMaL~~ *How much tire pressure should I ride? This is personal preference, and depends upon conditions, but here are some ideas: If no suspension, 35-40 psi is a good range. Too low and you can bend a rim and it is hard to pedal. Too high and you will have a stiff ride and not as much feel. If you have front suspension, go about 40-45 psi in front. If you have full suspension, go about 40-45 front and rear. It is good to check your pressure before every ride with a pressure gauge! *What kind of tires are best? The fattest tire your bike will accomodate (1.9, 2.1, 2.5) is usually a good choice. Look for a deep tread pattern and thick sidewall. Some riders like a thinner tire on the front. This is an important feature of your mountainbike, so please don't skimp here. |
