what psi for rock gardens

qclabrat

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
curious what folks are running on their tubeless set ups
I find 15-20 is too low as I'm feeling the rim at times
weighing in at 155 if it matters and mostly at CR
 
I run 20-22 psi and I weigh in at 170 - never seem to have an issue with rim strikes. I find if I run any lower, I do hit the rim and I experience more tire roll in the corners.
 
qclabrat said:
curious what folks are running on their tubeless set ups
I find 15-20 is too low as I'm feeling the rim at times
weighing in at 155 if it matters and mostly at CR
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Like was mentioned in another thread, that depends on tire size and sidewall stiffness. I'm 190 and have 20-22 psi in 2.2 conti trail king and 2.4 conti x-king on my "CR and anything to north" bike. Btw I always use BC / Protection versions of conti tires.
 
Each tire and size variation are going to be different psi. Additionally each pump is going to measure differently. My 200+ psi track pump reads considerably higher than my digital craftsman inflator. The most important is to keep using the same pump for consistent readings as you dial on what works for you.

At 168 I run 19.5/20.5 in my 2.3/2.2 Racing Ralph's regardless of terrain, though if it's wet I'll drop .5 - 1 psi.
 
On my tubless Geax tires (2.3 I think) I run 10 psi on lots of rocks like the sourlands. 15 or so at CR and 20 @ 6mr. Never had a problem burping or hitting rims. I weigh 170
 
Sorry if I am hijacking this thread but is there are huge difference in regards to PSI from tubes to tubeless if everything else equal?
 
C8N said:
Sorry if I am hijacking this thread but is there are huge difference in regards to PSI from tubes to tubeless if everything else equal?
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Yes, tubeless lets you run way lower pressures which gives you better traction. If you try to run tubeless pressures in a tubed setup you'll eventually wind up with a pinch flat.

I run my rear tire just above the "bottom out" pressure. For me, on 2.1 ignitors, with my pump is right around 23-24 psi
 
^ Thank you. I run tubes at @50psi. Even at this pressure, when I look down at my rear tire while riding... looks like its going flat and wondered how others were riding on much lower psi.
Yes, I need to lose more weight :)
 
30 psi with tubes at 198lbs for pretty much everywhere I ride. Ride what feels right just before you feel like you're riding the rim. Instead of riding rock crawling pressures, run a psi you feel good at for the majority of the trails' terrain and just speed up and power through the gardens.
 
should I be feeling the rim on the rear wheel at rock strikes?
first set of wheels with tubeless, and with the low pressure feels like riding on animal balloons

burped it once at Sourlands running 20 psi and thought I tore the sidewalls
 
I'm right there with @rlb on my rigid bike: 20-24 psi, and I smash the rear rim semi-often. I'm 195lbs, the bike doesn't have much rear clearance so it's a smallish tire, and I ride rear-heavy because rigid. Those are my excuses, anyway.
Or I could just be a goon. :D
I run 25 or so on the squish and never bang the rims.
 
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197 phat@$$ lbs this morning and running 29" GC and Purgatory tubeless with 20 psi in back and 18-19 in front. With about 16 miles at Chimney Rock this weekend, I had maybe one very tiny rim strike on the back. Of course CR scares me so much that I ride like a 8 year old girl, so YMMV.


When I have the Fatboy out, I am running much lower, of course.
 
175 lbs I run 2.25 Adrents Front 2.1 Ignitor rear. 20psi in both. Was thinking about dropping the front to 18 and keep the back at 20.
 
I remember Jdog saying you should feel the tire bottom out and feel the rim when going through rock gardens. I've found the best tire performance when my psi is set up this way. It takes some trial and error but when you get it right you know it.

Tire pressures will vary from tire to tire and it depends upon the weight of the rider as to what your psi should be. I can get away with 17-18psi on my Ignitors up front and 18-19 psi with the same tire in the rear. Also I'm 145lbs.
 
that seems against my common sense to let the tires bottom out to the rim
it must be the tubed psychology in me
I'll get the tires to 25 and drop two pounds till I get back to 15 as a trial
 
pooriggy said:
I remember Jdog saying you should feel the tire bottom out and feel the rim when going through rock gardens. I've found the best tire performance when my psi is set up this way. It takes some trial and error but when you get it right you know it.

Tire pressures will vary from tire to tire and it depends upon the weight of the rider as to what your psi should be. I can get away with 17-18psi on my Ignitors up front and 18-19 psi with the same tire in the rear. Also I'm 145lbs.
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Yeah when I get my bike back from Halters after service it's typically set ~ 10 psi. Jay likes to go loooow
 
I think you should bottom out on every hard ride, but not constantly. If you bottom out on every single rock garden, that's a bit too low. When I ride hard I bottom out here & there, sometimes not at all.
 
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