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Tyre pressure

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rec.sport.unicycling
Published
21 June 2006
Last activity
11 July 2006
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Into the blue
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  1. While I was on my lunch break today, I remembered that my uni was in the
    boot of the car, so I thought I would have a quick half an hour blast
    around the Marina. When I pulled the uni out, I gave the tyre a squeeze
    and realised that it was quite soft.
    Hmm, time to nip over to Sainsbury's and make use of their free air
    pump at the petrol station.
    I mounted, and whilst leaning on a post, looked down at the tyre. Boy,
    that -was- low! I'm not exactly a twinkle toes, and if I'd gone off a
    small kerb I may well have punctured the tube with the rim.
    Anyway, once at the petrol station, I first checked the tyre pressure.
    15 psi.
    I run my mountain bike tyres at around 45-50 psi, so I'll play it safe
    with the uni and go for 30 psi.
    Valve cap back on, and off we go!

    Whoah!

    What the hell's going on?
    I UPD three times in the first twenty yards.
    I am -SO- wobbly you wouldn't believe!
    It's like I've gone back a month progress wise. I get back to the car
    but feel very shaky (physically, not emotionally).
    I let some air out and go for another spin. Not so bad this time.
    A little more air takes me back to around 20 psi and I'm back in my
    comfort zone.
    That's better.

    Now I understand the concept of the lower the tyre pressure, the more
    the tyre is in contact with the floor, and the higher the pressure the
    less rubber is in contact with the floor. This is why roadies pump
    their tyres up to a gazzillion psi.

    So what does everyone feel comfortable with here?
    Should I gradually increase my psi and work on my skill level, or is
    there any point and I should leave things as they are?
    Just wondering.
    Blue.

    --
    Into the blue

    "Now listen up, you primitive screwheads...See this?...This is my -BOOM-
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  2. I think you should leave it like it is. I ride my trial uni at about 18
    psi, and once when I got it back from my LBS it was at like 50, and I
    couldnt ride at all it wasso wobbly.

    --
    mornish

    Quoted message said:

    <>UNICYCLING FOR MYSLELF TOO<><

    "LX seats are as comfortable as bricks." lildude2
    "CX seats are bricks."
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  3. I run my freestyle around 50-60psi and my trials sits nicely at
    22-23psi.

    --
    trials_uni

    TRIALS 4 LIFE !

    Quoted message said:

    <>UNICYCLING FOR MYSLELF<><


    'Check Out The Newbie Guide' (http://tinyurl.com/99yez)

    koebwil said:

    I'm too hardcore to type. I just punch the keyboard and delete the
    letters I don't want

    w00t...i got reply # 60666 in MR
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  4. I run my freestyle around 50-60psi and my trials sits nicely at
    22-23psi.

    --
    trials_uni

    TRIALS 4 LIFE !

    Quoted message said:

    <>UNICYCLING FOR MYSLELF<><


    'Check Out The Newbie Guide' (http://tinyurl.com/99yez)

    koebwil said:

    I'm too hardcore to type. I just punch the keyboard and delete the
    letters I don't want

    w00t...i got reply # 60666 in MR
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  5. You don't mention what tyre you're using, what size it is, and what
    colour it is. They type and size of tyre will make a big difference as
    to what tyre pressure range will work well.

    --
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  6. You don't mention what tyre you're using, what size it is, and what
    colour it is. They type and size of tyre will make a big difference as
    to what tyre pressure range will work well.

    --
    john_childs

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  7. I Run my trials at 30, my freestyle uni at 45 or 50, I have had both of
    the tires at extremelow, where I was almost riding on the rim, it was
    sluggish, but I got used to it quickly. I have also had both of the
    tires pumped to the max PSI and I like it, I have lots of control,
    seems faster, turns are sharper, but I like them to be about in the
    middle, so I can have some boune while jumping around.

    --
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  8. If it's a fat muni tyre, 15psi isn't that low, at least for off-road. I
    run mine at somewhere between 15 and 20. For road riding, a higher
    pressure would be better, for lower rolling resistance.
    As for why road cyclists run high pressures, the narrower the tyre the
    higher pressure you need to support the weight without the tyre
    squashing too much (because there is a smaller contact patch). Road
    bikes have narrow tyres (mostly for weight saving and aerodynamics), so
    have to run very high pressure. I run my road tyres at just over
    100psi, mountain bike tyres at about 35-40 (1.9" cross-country tyres on
    a hard-tail and rough trails - full-sus bikes could probably get away
    with slightly more) and muni (3"😉 at 17ish.

    Rob

    --
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  9. I wouldn't trust the pressure gauges on the tire pumps at gas stations
    they are notorious for being badly calibrated.

    jim

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  10. Jim said:

    I wouldn't trust the pressure gauges on the tire pumps at gas stations
    they are notorious for being badly calibrated.

    ...and also illegal to use for cycle tyres.

    --
    rob.northcott

    'Dartmoor Muni Weekend'
    (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46116) - Last
    weekend in May 2006
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  11. i ride my trial tire ( creep crawler) with 25-30 psi and my freestyle
    tire ( primo the wall ) with 100 psi

    --
    picado
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  12. Into the blue said:

    This is why roadies pump their tyres up to a gazzillion psi.

    haha, that made me laugh..

    i run at around 25-30 psi for trials with my maxxis holy roller
    (20x2.25 i think)

    --
    unisteez
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  13. Apologies, I should have given the spec for the tyre.
    It's a 24" semi-slick no-name tyre.
    Nothing fancy.

    ROB.NORTHCOTT said:

    ...and also illegal to use for cycle tyres.

    I presented myself at the local police station and explained my law
    breaking activites and was told by the desk sergeant to "Eff off, and
    stop wasting my bleedin' time."

    --
    Into the blue

    "Now listen up, you primitive screwheads...See this?...This is my -BOOM-
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  14. rob.northcott said:

    If it's a fat muni tyre, 15psi isn't that low, at least for off-road. I
    run mine at somewhere between 15 and 20. For road riding, a higher
    pressure would be better, for lower rolling resistance.
    As for why road cyclists run high pressures, the narrower the tyre the
    higher pressure you need to support the weight without the tyre
    squashing too much (because there is a smaller contact patch). Road
    bikes have narrow tyres (mostly for weight saving and aerodynamics), so
    have to run very high pressure. I run my road tyres at just over
    100psi, mountain bike tyres at about 35-40 (1.9" cross-country tyres on
    a hard-tail and rough trails - full-sus bikes could probably get away
    with slightly more) and muni (3"😉 at 17ish.

    Rob

    that's pretty much exactly how i run my tires,high for road, and 15-20
    for Muni. But usually at 17psi

    --
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  15. my appoligies, I run my trials at 6 to 8 psi.

    --
    mornish

    Quoted message said:

    <>UNICYCLING FOR MYSLELF TOO<><

    "LX seats are as comfortable as bricks." lildude2
    "CX seats are bricks."
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  16. mornish said:

    my appoligies, I run my trials at 6 to 8 psi.

    are you being serious?

    --
    unisteez
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  17. Reading through the various responses the thread induced, I suspect we
    relative novices would benefit from some sort of table of recommended
    pressures produced by the experts here.

    Obviously a number of factors are involved: tyre size, wheel size,
    rider weight, ground conditions and riding style amongst them.

    I admit to having little idea (None) of the actual pressure in my tyre.
    When my thumb makes little impression on it, I go with that. But I
    am something of a "Sunday Driver" unicyclist, so my knowledge is very
    limited.

    From the original post I would say that my instinct, on going from 2
    wheels to one, given similar tyres, would be to double the tyre
    pressure, rather than the reverse. I would guess few tyres we use are
    designed for unicycles, and I suspect some of us significantly exceed
    the manufacturer's specifications when we use them.

    Nao

    --
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  18. i run my uni, depending on what i am doing on it from anywhere between
    25-40 psi

    --
    tomtrevor

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  19. Naomi said:

    Reading through the various responses the thread induced, I suspect we
    relative novices would benefit from some sort of table of recommended
    pressures produced by the experts here.

    Obviously a number of factors are involved: tyre size, wheel size,
    rider weight, ground conditions and riding style amongst them.

    That is a really nice idea, I am newbie, but with 'knowledge' of years
    of mountainb*king....😉.

    I knew from my two wheel experience where I am feeling comfortable, but
    I figured out I could not simply transfer it to my muni. The pressure
    is really connected to the above factors, hence it would be best if
    these are all known. Everybody could then evaluate for themself the
    statements postet. So, I am picking up Naomi's suggestions

    tyre size: 3''
    wheel size: 24''
    rider weight: 132 pounds (60 kg)
    riding style: muni riding
    ground conditions: sandstone, woods with roots

    pressure: 15 psi (1 bar)

    I know ground conditions is not easy to describe, but I hope I gave you
    some idea.

    --
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  20. For a 3" muni tyre, ridden off-road, a good general starting point is
    1psi per 10lbs of rider weight. Then adjust it either way depending on
    your riding style and the type of trails (if you're bottoming out,
    raise the pressure a bit, if you're bouncing off roots/rocks as you
    ride over them, lower it a bit). Obviously lower pressure means more
    rolling resistance, so if it's a smooth trail you could raise pressure
    a bit to go faster/save energy.

    Rob

    --
    rob.northcott

    'Dartmoor Muni Weekend'
    (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46116) - Last
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