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Once upon a time, tyres were pumped up as thick as a finger and as hard as a rock. Today, road bike tyres are wider, more voluminous and require significantly less pressure; less than four bar is possible on wide rims. Nevertheless, they roll faster and more comfortably and grip the road better. Here is everything you need to know about road bike tyre pressure
Rider weight and tyre pressure on the road bike
You can read our recommendation from your body weight and your tyre/rim combination. The heavier the rider and the narrower the tyre and rim, the more pressure the tyre should have. The values should be seen as a recommendation, as a starting point for your own testing - to suit the route and riding style, or even the load with luggage. The tyres should bounce, but not jump or feel spongy. Without an inner tube, you can lower the pressure by 0.5 to 0.7 bar. Wider rims allow even lower pressures. The front tyre can be inflated a few tenths of a bar less than the rear. The upper limit is dictated by the limits of the tyre or rim - the lower specification is decisive in case of doubt. The lower limit values, which can be found on many tyre sidewalls, are often no longer practical; manufacturers want to protect themselves with road bike tyre pressures, but it can be worth going lower at your own risk.
Correctly measure road bike tyre pressure
The pressure in a road bike tyre is the excess pressure compared to the ambient pressure, usually specified in the unit bar, sometimes also in PSI (pounds per square inch).
The conversion: 1 bar = 14.5 psi
Rear tyre contact area - independent of tyre width
One and a half or just under two stamps as the contact area with the road? The tyre pressure determines the size of the surface on which we ride the road bike. (Example for 80 kg system weight, 60 per cent of the load on the rear wheel)
At 6 bar and 48 kg wheel load: 7.8 square centimetres
At 5 bar and 48 kg wheel load: 9.4 square centimetres + 20 per cent more space
Goal: More comfort thanks to the right tyre pressure on the road bike
The tyres are an essential part of the road bike chassis, contributing at least half of the suspension travel. In addition, the bike can be easily adjusted to the rider and the route via the tyre pressure - if you resist the temptation to press as much air as possible into the tyres. The tyre pressure values indicated on the tyre sidewalls are often not a good guide, as they are not based on the rider's requirements, but rather describe the limits of the tyre's load capacity. There is a world of difference between tyres that are too hard and tyres that are set correctly; but even half a bar more or less is clearly noticeable.
The lowest possible pressure is reached when impacts cause the tyre to puncture the rim. Inner tubes then burst. Tyres without inner tubes can therefore be ridden with a further 0.5 to 0.7 bar less pressure - the rim sets the limit here, as it should not be dented. The steering also becomes spongy with too little pressure. Wider rims counteract this tendency because they keep the tyres dimensionally stable even under low pressure. Wide tyres bounce more than narrow tyres because they are still safe to ride with less pressure.
Goal: More grip with the right tyre pressure
Racers know: On slippery roads, it helps to lower the road bike tyre pressure by one bar. Less pressure means a larger contact area on which the rubber can interlock with the tarmac, giving the tyre more grip. At the same time, the softer tyre bounces more and follows the ground better, which also improves grip. This also reduces the risk of the tyre bouncing on bumps and then slipping.
Goal: More speed on the road bike
On an ideal, smooth surface - such as a cycling track - harder inflated tyres roll more easily. Not on real roads. The reason for this is that asphalt is not really smooth and tyres that are too hard no longer cushion sufficiently. Instead, they bounce, shake the rider - and the driving resistance increases. This is extreme on cobbled roads. There, just like off-road, the aim is to reduce the pressure as much as possible in order to improve the suspension.
Tubeless road bike tyres: Advantage through low tyre pressure
Interview with Jan Niklas Jünger, Product Manager Road/Gravel at Continental
TOUR: Professionals usually ride tubular tyres, but tubeless tyres are faster on test benches. Wouldn't tubeless tyres be an advantage in many racing situations?
Niklas Jünger: Tubeless tyres offer advantages in most professional cycling applications: Rolling resistance, damping, pressure ranges. Two years ago, we tested with professionals on the classic routes and discovered that a rider with tubeless tyres could gain a six-second lead on a cobbled climb in just one minute.
That's a lot. Why do you still not see tubeless regularly in races?
This extreme advantage is a result of low tyre pressure and better damping, with a slight loss of rolling resistance. The biggest challenge is coordinating the set-up of the tyre, wheel and frame sponsor teams.
Why are tubeless tyres actually so much faster than tubular tyres?
Mainly because we can ride with less pressure, which reduces the real overall resistance. Professionals can ride a 32-millimetre tubeless tyre with significantly less than 4 bar, whereas the minimum pressure for tubular tyres is 4.5 to 5 bar.
Is a 32mm tubeless tyre with less than 4 bar competitive with a harder pumped tubular tyre on normal roads?
The rolling resistance is linear to the system weight and speed; at more than 40 km/h, savings in the double-digit watt range are possible. Even on the finest French country roads, a tubeless tyre with low air pressure is faster than a hard-packed tyre. Road bike tubular tyres.
At Paris-Roubaix 2019, Alexander Kristoff rode 25-millimetre-wide tubeless tyres, had numerous punctures and subsequently complained about the wrong tyre choice. Was he unlucky or was the tyre too narrow for the rough cobbles?
From this observation, I can only conclude that the driver was given the wrong advice. A rider weighing more than 80 kilograms would have been safe on the surface with a 30-millimetre tyre and 4 bar on a flat rim. A narrow tyre on a high rim only increases the risk of a puncture. Tubeless tyres are not completely puncture-free either, but the technology expands the possibilities for adapting the tyre set-up to the specific requirements. Mountain and gravel bikers are already further ahead and are usually already familiar with the advantages of low air pressure.
Questions and answers about road bike tyre pressure
Does high air pressure make every road bike tyre fast?
No. On a smooth surface, every tyre rolls a little more easily when it is inflated more. But the construction and rubber compound have a strong influence on rolling. Very good tyres halve the rolling resistance at the same pressure compared to simple models and roll very well even with low tyre pressure.
Do you have to let air out of the tyres when travelling by air with a road bike?
No. It is often demanded, but is technically nonsensical, as the pressure only increases marginally during the flight. If the bike flies packed, the air can remain in the tyre. But beware: CO2 cartridges are not permitted on the aircraft and will be recognised when your baggage is scanned.
Can the heat during braking or transport in the car cause tyres to burst?
If the tyre was inflated at 20 degrees, the pressure increases by a maximum of 20 percent when heated to 80 degrees. A tyre pressure of 7 can thus become 8.4 bar. High braking heat can cause inner tubes to burst - not because of the higher pressure, but because the tube loses strength.
Does more tyre pressure protect against punctures?
Yes, at least a minimum pressure is required so that the tyre does not pinch the inner tube when an obstacle is driven over. Because then the inner tube tears open. The classic puncture can be recognised by the two small holes that appear next to each other. It looks like a snakebite, which is why the term "snakebite" is often used to describe it.
Can road bike tyres be inflated too hard?
Yes, both tyres and rims are subject to restrictions. At higher pressures, there is a risk of the tyre coming off. The limits are very different. Hookless clincher rims have the lowest limits (and are only permitted with certain tyre types).
How can I tell if there is too little air in the tyre?
If the wheel feels spongy and steers imprecisely, the tyre pressure is too low. The tyre deforms too much and only transfers the steering force to the ground with a delay. The pressure is also too low if the rim punctures on impact.
How often do I need to pump?
From daily to weekly - it depends on the tyre system used (see page 43).
How can I tell that the sealing fluid in tubeless tyres needs to be topped up?
If you have to pump more and more frequently, the milk has aged. In this case, top up with sealant via the valve stem (unscrew the valve insert first).
Ageing valves in road bike inner tubes?
Yes, tubeless valves in particular stick together over time and no longer work properly. Then replace the valve core.
Do road bike inner tubes age?
Yes, butyl lasts for several years, but should then be replaced for safety reasons. TPU hoses deform plastically and should be replaced when the cover is changed. Latex hoses also age and are more susceptible to damage due to their design.
Do road bike coats age?
Yes, UV radiation makes the sidewalls porous and the tread changes its properties. However, as long as there are no major cracks, you can continue to ride the tyre.
