Mountain biking is a tremendous activity that allows you to connect with nature and enhance your physical fitness. It is also a social activity as friends can organize weekend trips to exotic trails. One of the most critical elements to ensuring you have a great ride is to make sure you have the correct mountain bike tire pressure for the conditions of the day. If you do not set off on the day’s ride with the correct mountain bike tire pressure, it will only be a matter of time before you find yourself alone on the trail struggling to catch up.
Mountain bike tire pressure is one of the most basic, yet most important things to consider before you ride. The good news is that it’s easy to adjust your tire pressure. No rider should ever go on a ride without bringing along a portable pump to adjust tire pressure.
There is nothing worse than being stranded in the middle of a ten-mile ride and being forced to walk your bike back to your car. We highly encourage all riders to experiment with different tire pressures as they ride so they are adequately prepared for group rides and can get the most out of the day.
What Is the Ideal Mountain Bike Tire Pressure?
Every trail is different as are the riding conditions on every day so you must consider your mountain bike tire pressure every time you go on a ride. There are advantages and disadvantages to both high and low pressure, and the rider has to find the pressure that is the best balance for the day.
Riders also must consider the surface they are riding on. Mountain bikers ride on everything from asphalt to snow or sand and understanding how these surfaces interact with the tires is critical to picking the ideal mountain bike tire pressure.
High Pressure
The advantage of high pressure is extreme efficiency. If your aim is speed and the most efficient transfer of force into your drivetrain, then you should inflate your tires as high as possible. All tires are different so check the label on the sidewall of your tire before inflating.
Typically, the maximum mountain bike tire pressure is between 50 and 80 psi. If you are doing a road ride, you can choose maximum pressure, but remember that high pressure means the tire will be more rigid and less able to absorb road shock.
Pros
- Fast and efficient
- Rigid
Cons
- Won’t absorb bumps from the trail
- Less traction
- Tires will spin out on steep climbs
Low Pressure
The advantage of low pressure is extreme traction and high absorption of road imperfections. Again, always check the label on the sidewall of your tire to find the maximum and minimum range. You never want to ride on a flat tire as that can irreparably damage your rims. However, some tires such as fat bike or snow bike tires, run at pressures as low as 3 psi. The standard low pressure for a typical mountain bike is around 20 psi.
Pros
- Good absorption of road and trail imperfections
- Smooth ride
- Good traction on steep climbs
Cons
- Less efficient
- Slow
How to Find the Right Tire Pressure for You
To select the proper mountain bike tire pressure for the day, you must consider several factors. The two most critical factors are the surface you’ll be riding on and the changes in elevation. It’s also important to consider that the trail conditions can change throughout the day and that there is no law against stopping and making an adjustment to your mountain bike tire pressure while you’re out on the trail.
If you are in a competition, it is not ideal to stop and change your tire pressure. However, sometimes the time lost fixing tire pressure is more than regained because of greater efficiency after the change.
Mountain bikers will encounter a large variety of surface conditions on their various rides. It is essential to know how your tires will respond to different trail conditions. It is also possible that riders will traverse different trails with different surface conditions all in the same ride.
If you expect to begin your ride on asphalt before changing to a dirt trail, we recommend you select a pressure based on the dirt conditions rather than the paved conditions. Paved trails are flat and easy to navigate, so a less than ideal pressure is not as big of a disadvantage.
Snow or Sand
The trail conditions that require the lowest mountain bike tire pressure are snow and sand. High pressure in these conditions will cause the tire to spin out and fail to engage with the trail. Also, it’s recommended that you use 4 inch or wider tires under these conditions as the greater surface area will provide more tread in the loose surface.
Tire pressure for snow or sand should be in the 3 to 7 psi range for a fat bike, and at the lowest recommended pressure for a standard mountain bike with 2-inch wheels. With a standard bike, the tire pressure should be around 20 psi.
Mud
Mud is another slick condition that requires a specific mountain bike tire pressure. High pressures will again cause the tire to slip and spin out and the rider to capsize. Riders should set their tire pressure to at or near the lowest manufacturer recommendation for riding on mud surfaces.
However, keep in mind that local enthusiast groups maintain most trails, and riding in soft or muddy conditions can damage the trail. Riding in mud leaves ruts susceptible to filling in with water which causes washouts. It is better not to ride on muddy trails. If it’s unavoidable, use 20 to 25 psi.
Hard Packed Dirt
Hard packed dirt represents the ideal riding conditions for mountain bikes. If the aim of the rider is pure speed, choose 40 to 45 psi. If you wish to maximize control, grip and shock absorption, choose 30 to 40 psi. Note that a lower tire pressure provides a noticeably smoother ride even on bikes equipped with suspension.
Pavement
For pavement, make your mountain bike tire pressure the maximum manufacturer recommendation. This will increase efficiency and also help to minimize wear on the tire’s treads. Mountain bike tires are less efficient on pavements, and to ensure a long lifetime of your tires keep riding on pavement to a minimum.
Extremely Steep Conditions
If you are riding a trail that has huge climbs or descents no matter what the trail conditions, use a slightly lower pressure unless you’re already running the lowest factory recommended mountain bike tire pressure. If you find your rear tire spinning out on steep climbs, a slight reduction of pressure can increase ride efficiency. We recommend 5 to 10 psi lower than in standard conditions, never going below the manufacturer’s minimum to prevent rim damage.
Rough Conditions
Some trails have roots, rocks, and large dips. With these trails, you should again adjust your mountain bike tire pressure to lower than what you’d normally use on the standard surface. Slightly lower pressure allows your tires to absorb the impact of roots, rocks, and dips and helps the rider maintain control of the bicycle. We recommend 5 to 10 psi lower than in standard conditions, never going below the manufacturer’s minimum to prevent rim damage.
Tips for Maintaining Proper Tire Pressure
Riders should always check their mountain bike tire pressure before heading out on a ride and be sure to have a portable pump and tools to fix a flat on every ride. Hard impacts on trails with rough conditions can cause drops in tire pressure, but it is usually unnecessary to inflate your tire during a ride unless you have a catastrophic puncture.
Mountain bike tires usually will not puncture because of branches or rocks. Improperly fitting the tube inside the tire can cause a pinch flat. Avoid nails and glass on the trails as they may cause punctures.
Capping your tire valve is also a key to maintaining proper mountain bike tire pressure. Mountain bikes come with either Presta or Schrader valves. Schrader valves are what you have on your car and require only a cap to protect them from trail conditions. Presta valves have a stem that unscrews for inflation. It is crucial to tighten this screw back up before riding and then further protect the stem with a cap.
Conclusion
Mountain bike tire pressure is one of the most important factors to consider before heading out on a ride. The large variety of trail surfaces and trail conditions make tire pressure selection something of an art form.
Riders must make their own conclusion on how much speed and efficiency they wish to sacrifice in favor of superior tread and control. They should check the manufacturer’s tire pressure limit recommendations printed on the sidewall and always use a tire pressure within these limits.
The final step of finding the perfect mountain bike tire pressure is to determine the preference of the rider. Some riders prefer the speed and efficiency of higher pressure and will accept the decreased control and rougher ride. Other riders prefer control and grip above all other considerations.
The final adjustments are always up to the rider but always begin within a reasonable pressure range that ensures your safety. Take a pump with you on a ride and experiment. The quest for the perfect tire pressure is just one more excuse to have a fun and enjoyable ride.