What PSI should my mountain bike tires have?
Mountain biking is an entirely different experience from taking a casual bike ride on a smooth road. When riding on a road, you’ll want to limit the surface area of the part of your tires that touch the ground. This helps ensure a smooth ride. But in mountain biking, you’ll want more surface area rather than less. The increase in surface area creates a better grip on the terrain — an important element when you’re tackling a steep climb or navigating along an uneven path. That means you’ll need to use less air in your tires. You can monitor this by measuring the air pressure within each tire, expressed in pounds-per-square-inch (psi). Tire manufacturers mark the psi range recommended for their tires. There is no standard psi range for all mountain bike tires — it varies by manufacturer and tire model. If you inflate your tires toward the upper limits of the psi range, riding on uneven ground could be an uncomfortable and bumpy experience. A rider of average weight should aim for the l
