What should be your mountain bike tire pressure

Not an easy question to answer, behind the pressure of a tire, especially a MTB, there are a lot of considerations to make.

The first thing to know, however, is the minimum and maximum pressure accepted by your tire. You will find this information on the side of it and it will be useful for you not to make sensational mistakes.

The second thing to know is that the pressure, especially in MTB, varies according to the weather and the track you are going to tackle. Usually with warm temperatures and dry conditions, the tire pressure is increased slightly, as the ground will be more dusty and therefore more slippery. A slightly higher pressure will allow you to have more grip and smoothness on the ground.

But beware of the possible presence of excessive dust, the cause of many falls on the dirt road. A very swollen tire slips easily or is more sensitive to bumps in the terrain. Conversely, in wet conditions, the pressure can drop slightly in order to penetrate the mud with the blocks and have more grip.

But be careful, a tire with too low a pressure can cause you to puncture on rocks or roots. So let's add the path variable here too, since there is a huge difference between a path with a lot of mud and one with many stones. Assuming that most MTBs today have tubeless tires, a starting pressure could be around 1.6 / 1.8 BAR for the front and 1.8 / 2 BAR for the rear.

Here we have to explain another thing: the front wheel must be inflated less than the rear because it is what keeps us upright. It is the wheel that directs the bike and that we need to be stable on the bike.

The rear wheel, on the other hand, is used for traction, that's where we unleash our power and therefore it must also be smooth. The discipline you do is another factor to take into consideration: if you practice Cross Country, your pressure will be higher than if you are going downhill. In the first you need smoothness, in the second you need more grip and less risk of cutting or pinching the tire.

The weight of the rider also affects the pressure of the tubeless tire, which causes the inflation to vary considerably. Lightweight cyclists may inflate their wheels less, while a heavier weight requires more air volume.

The secret to finding the right pressures is to always try them on the same trust track. Each product has characteristics and works differently than another; therefore, you must at least have a path that is always the same on which to understand their behavior compared to other products previously had. Basically the inner tube must be inflated more than a tubeless wheel since the risk of puncturing is higher and therefore you need more pressure.

Example with 2.35 ′ Tires MIN value 1.6 Bar Max 3.5 bar, Rider with an average weight of about 75 kg.

- Light asphalt / dirt road, refined speed and smoothness.
With Air Chamber: Front 2.6 Bar; Rear 3.0 Bar
With Tubeless: Front 2.4 Bar; Rear 2.8 Bar

- Mixed terrain, need for grip and smoothness.
With Air Chamber: Front 2.2 Bar; Rear 2.4 Bar
With Tubeless: Front 2.0 Bar; Rear 2.2 Bar

- Rough terrain, necessary grip and sealing.
With Air Chamber: Front 2.0 Bar; Rear 2.2 Bar

With Tubeless: Front 1.8 Bar; Rear 2.0 Bar

- Technical rough and descent, maximum grip and grip.
With air chamber: front 1.8; Rear 2.0

With Tubeless: front 1.6; Rear 1.8.

For featherweight riders up to 65 kg it is possible to lower the previous values by 0.2 Bar (minimum tire value permitting). For riders with massive weight and muscles above 75kg, you can instead add 0.2 Bar to the previous values. Tires with higher air volume and higher quality allow lower minimum values such as 1.6 / 1.4 bar (indicated on the shoulder).

To safely go below this threshold it is necessary to use special protective inserts available for tubeless tires.

So to conclude, consider whether you have an inner tube or a tubeless set, think about what terrain you are riding on and inflate with a pressure that never exceeds the minimum * or maximum values, considering your body weight. The front wheel should be slightly less inflated than the rear, about 0.2 bar difference.

Test the bike and see if the configuration suits your needs, experiment with different combinations and take note of the pressures used during each test to find the best solution.

In conclusion, never forget to consult the information provided by the various manufacturers. The companies that produce these materials often release indicative tables on tire inflation. Start with their indications and try to adjust the inflation each time according to your sensations.

The MTB Tubeless Tire Pressure Charts You Can Refer To