TYRES AND TYRE PRESSURES
With so much choice, and so many variables, how can you get the best from your rubber?
Most of the time I have a selection of slicks for dry riding and a pair of wets just in case, with my preferred choice being Dunlop as for the past couple of years I’ve used the GP Racer slick – purely because it’s handy to get away with using the same compound in all conditions! It’s not the same level of grip as the mighty Dunlop KR full race slick, but for my fast track day coaching in the UK and Europe, the Dunlop GP Racer gives me good grip, feel, longevity and is fairly priced (which is bloody important to me).
However, I’m far from perfect and often need to buy tyres on the go, so I’ve used Bridgestone, Pirelli, Metzeler and Michelin, which are all quality products with their own unique selling points – longevity, price, weight, edge grip, front end feel, wet weather grip, the list goes on, and there’s a reason for using each one which is why they’re worth testing so you can make your own mind up... it’s the best way to find your best suited rubber.
Tyre construction, tyre compounds and tyre profiles vary across manufacturers and so do their recommended tyre pressures. As an example, one brand of rear tyre has a hot pressure of 1.6 bar (24psi) and another brand of rear tyre has a hot pressure of 1.3 bar (18psi). This is because of the difference in construction; one clearly has a more rigid construction allowing a softer tyre pressure to achieve the required contact patch, so ask the No Limits tyre support team for recommended HOT running pressures – don’t just run the same as your mate!
You will notice that a front tyre pressure is higher than the rear even though the front tyre is thinner, that’s because your front tyre has to support all the weight from you and your bike under heavy braking. Your rear tyre needs to provide as big a contact patch as possible, so you need the rear tyre to crush/squish under acceleration and drive you out of the turn.
Whether it’s your front or rear tyre, having the correct HOT pressure is essential to getting the most from your tyre life, overall grip and feel. If you’re new or maybe riding a road bike without using tyre warmers, you should set the pressures cold and then check immediately after your first sessions, and the pressure reading should ideally increase by approximately 0.3 bar (4psi). Set again to the recommended HOT pressure and check every couple of sessions if you start to pick up the pace. If using tyre warmers, set pressures cold, then once the tyre warmers have been on for approximately one hour and check again after your first riding session.