Tire pressure - inrormation

The tire is the only part of the bicycle where it touches the road. Therefore, it can be concluded that it contributes more than any other bicycle part to the ride quality of the bicycle.

What tire pressure is correct?
Due to many factors, it is not easy to answer this question. Factors influencing the selection of pressure in bicycle tires include: body weight, bicycle weight, tire size and type, weight distribution, rider preferences, surface type, etc. So you cannot give one universal pressure value or a simple formula for its calculation.

Below are some factors that we should pay special attention to when selecting the pressure:

• Weight - Tire pressure is the force that compensates for the weight of the rider, luggage and bicycle while riding. The greater the weight of the system (bike + rider + luggage), the higher the tire pressure should be.
• Tire width - the wider the tire, the less pressure is needed to keep the rim off the ground.
• Compromises - to choose the right pressure, you need to compromise between high and low pressure taking into account:
• Damage - at lower pressure, the tire has less volume and hardness. In such a situation, when driving over a protruding flat obstacle (e.g. a stone, curb, etc.), there is a probability of damaging the tire (by the rim) in two places, the so-called snake bite. At high pressure, the tire is very hard - in this case hitting a sharp object (e.g. glass, small stone, broken branch, etc.) may result in a rapid puncture of the tire.
• Riding comfort - less air pressure in bicycle tires allows for greater tire deformation and flexibility. As a result, when driving on uneven terrain, such a tire absorbs more energy, which leads to less vibration and a more comfortable ride. With a heavily inflated bicycle tire, which is hard, when driving fast on uneven terrain, the vibrations can be so great that it is better to put the protector on and not only on the teeth;).
• Resistance - high tire pressure results in a smaller contact patch with the road. This results in less friction, resulting in less drag, easier tire rolling, and faster travel with less effort. In the case of even surfaces, a poorly inflated bicycle tire does the opposite - due to a larger contact surface, it will cause more friction, resistance and fatigue, and even faster tire wear.

Each bicycle tire is marked with the minimum and maximum allowable pressure (on the sides of the tire). These values are only approximate guide values which, however, should not be exceeded. The rubber mantle of a tire may be damaged if the actual tire pressure drops below the specified range, as the tire is stressed excessively and the sidewalls burst. On the other hand, a pressure value above the maximum value can even cause the tire to burst. The optimal pressure value is therefore somewhere between these two limits.