Ease the pressure

Want to be faster and comfier? Let some air out

Talk to any expert on compliance and they’ll highlight tyres as one of the biggest factors in creating a comfortable ride. In some cases they can provide most of a bicycle’s dampening capacity. Along with reduced rolling resistance, it’s one of the reasons tyres have ballooned in size over recent years.

While racers once routinely competed on tyres 19mm wide, it’s not uncommon now to see tyres as wide as 30mm. And while sticking on wider tyres and running them at lower pressures shouldn’t be a catch-all solution, experimenting with tyre pressures is a simple way to enhance the performance of your bike.

The most efficient pressure will depend on several factors, including rider weight, the width of the tyre and rim, and whether you’re running a tubeless or inner tube setup. Several brands have online calculators – a more scientific solution than pumping tyres up to a nice round 100psi.

Sram’s online calculator (axs. sram.com/guides/tire/pressure) suggests a 70kg rider with 28mm tyres should be looking for a number somewhere between 6070psi. If this sounds improbably low, chances are your tyres are too hard. Try it, and see if it helps.