Pure Mountain BikingGet the latest mountain biking tips, tricks, news and equipment.

by KirkOls

Tire pressure is a very important facet of riding any kind of bike, including mountain bikes. By learning how to set the tire pressure, you can give yourself more control and help to make the ride down the mountain smoother. If the tire pressure is too low, then you will find that it is much harder to cycle and it can increase the chance of a flat, too. Tire pressure that is too high can make your ride very bumpy and out of control, as well.

Tire pressure can vary from person to person, because it is dependent upon the personal preference of the bicycler, the tire’s condition, and the terrain that you will be riding on. The tire pressure can be easily modified simply by using a high quality pump on the tires. A tire pressure gauge is also an essential part of keeping your tires at the optimum pressure.

The manufacturer of the tire will have a recommended tire pressure for your particular tires and this is where you can start. You can then adjust the tire pressure as needed from there. It is best to use the same tire pressure gauge and pump when you check your tires, because you may get different readings depending upon the tire pressure gauge that you choose.

A good rule of thumb is to start with a higher tire pressure for your bike. This means that you want to be around 40-50 psi (3-3.5 bar), and then lower the tire pressure a little at a time to find which tire pressure is best for your particular bike, terrain, and yourself. If you are a little heavier, then you will want to use a higher tire pressure for sure.

Taking a test bike ride is the best way to check the tire pressure. You will want to notice how the tire behaves, how it rides on the terrain, how it slides down the mountain, and how it hooks in the corners. If you have too much tire pressure, then drop it in increments of 5 psi in both tires. If the bike gains grip and is more stable at this tire pressure, then you will want to keep it at this standard pressure. If not, then you will continue dropping the tire pressure in small increments and redoing the test until your bike rides the way you want and need it to.

If you want to determine the lowest possible tire pressure, then gradually decrease the tire pressure until you see how it feels when you ride on almost flat tires. This will help you to learn how it feels so that you can keep your tubes from getting damaged.

If your mountain bike tires are tubeless, then you will want to stay with a lower tire pressure. The advised tire pressure for tubeless tires is between 30 and 40 psi. This is because tubeless tires experience fewer pinch flats and even rim contact occasionally is okay. This is why you can ride on tires with a much lower tire pressure than normal. If the tire pressure is too low, you will find that if you are cornering hard that the tire will roll under the rim.

Another thing that you need to be on the lookout for is rolling resistance. The increased rolling resistance will take more effort, but it will offer you greater control and better traction to allow you to climb easier. For racers who race cross-country, they would rather have a more efficient bike versus greater control, so you have to take into consideration what kind of biking that you will be doing.

Using your hand to squeeze the tire will help you determine what the right tire pressure feels like so that you do not have to rely so much on the tire pressure gauge.

Related Mountain Bike Tires Articles

by MoHotta18

One of the most important components on your mountain bike is your tires. They grip the ground and provide the traction you need on different surfaces. Most mountain bike riders look for light weight, strength and traction in a tire and many advanced riders even have multiple sets of tires for different riding conditions.

So what tire is right for your mountain bike and riding style? With so many different manufactures and models to choose from which one is right for you? These are not easy questions to answer so hopefully we can provide some insight to get you moving in the right direction. Mountain bike parts are not cheap and you want to make the right decision.

Tire Construction:

Consider a Kevlar bead or folding tire – A Kevlar tire weighs an estimated 60-80 grams less then a conventional none folding tire. It does not sound like much of a weight savings but multiple that number by two and then consider the rotating weight. For an extra couple of dollar, in my opinion, it is worth spending the extra money.

Terrain and Tread patterns:

Determine where you are going to ride and how you are going to use the bike. As an example will you be riding on the local trails that are hard packed dirt or on slick rock?

For hard packed terrain consider a narrower and smooth tire. As an example a tire that is 1.8 to 2.0 wide.

For hard packed terrain with a good mix of rocks you might want to consider a wider and smooth tire. As an example a tire that is wider then 2.0.

For loosely packed terrain consider a knobby tire. Choose a tire with a really aggressive pattern as this will help you gain maximum traction in the dirt. You might also want to consider tires that are designed for the front and rear of the bike.

For muddy terrain consider a narrow tire. Narrow tires will reach the bottom of the mud and create less resistance when turning making it easier for you to move forward.

For all terrain tires there are so many choices to consider. Many of the major tire manufacturers make very good tires that are great for all conditions.

Riders Body Size:

Consider your body size. If you are heavier you might want to consider a wider tire.

Where to buy:

You can buy your tires at a bike store, order them from an online website or from an individual sell tires posted on a mountain bike classifieds website.

The information above is a rough guide on what to consider when buying new mountain bike tires. Many bikes stores that have bikes for sale and bike parts can also give you their opinion. Talk to your friends and read online forums to see what other riders like and don’t like. The more information you have the better.

See you on the trail.

by pandaposse

Bike tires, unlike car tires, lose their pressure on a daily basis, so its necessary to check their pressure daily and reinflate when necessary.

A few days ago, I was driving happily along the highway, heading home from a run to a bookstore. A passing motorist honked at me and then pointed toward my car as if there were something wrong with it. I nodded and waved and slowed down, and they passed me. However, my car was behaving as it always had… there was no “pull” or rough riding to indicate that I had a flat tire. So, since I was only ten minutes from home I just kept on driving – albeit more slowly.

My mind being what it is, as soon as I pulled into the driveway I forgot all about the reason why I had been driving slowly for the last ten minutes, and just walked into the house.

The next day, I got into the car and had driven out of my apartment parking lot toward the access road for the main drag, before remembering that there was supposedly something wrong with one of the tires. So I returned to the parking lot, got out, and looked at my tires. The rear left was as flat as a pancake.

I couldn’t have driven home with it like that – it surely would have effected the handling of the car. So yesterday the tire must simply have been low, and continued going flat over night.

My dad, who had witnessed my return, asked me if I didn’t check the tires before I got behind the wheel every single time, and I confessed that I didn’t. I’ve been driving for years and years and never had a flat tire before, so why bother?

But I learned my lesson from that little incident, and now I take a few seconds and check the tires before leaving.

And that little story brings me to the point of this essay, which is that before you get on your bike – there are various things you should check to make sure you’ll have a safe ride. Indeed, in spite of my carelessness with my car tires, I always had and always will check my bicycle tire pressure before setting off on a ride.  The more so because I have had a couple of flat tires with that bike over the five years that I’ve owned it.

Tire pressure is important for cars, because if a tire blows while the car is traveling at high speed that’s a heavy piece of machinery that will go out of control. But it’s just as important for bicyclists, because since you have to use your own power to muscle along the bike, flat tires will effect your ride from the very beginning. And if you’re far away from home when the tire gives up the ghost, you could find yourself with a long walk home.

There’s no difficulty in knowing how many pounds of pressure need to be put into your bike tires – the manufacturer puts those specifications on the side of each tire. Get yourself a tire gauge and always use it when you inflate your tires.  However, although you won’t want to exceed the pounds per square inch that they recommend, there are reasons why you’d sometimes want to use less.

With a tire inflated to the correct pressure, your ride will be as smooth as the quality of your frame will allow it. If your tires aren’t inflated enough it increases the chance of getting a flat tire, but more importantly makes it harder to pedal. Too high of pressure will strain the tire itself, not to mention making the ride too bumpy to be comfortable.

Bike tires lose their pressure on a regular basis, so before starting out on your ride, always squeeze both front and back tires to ensure that they are hard. Mountain bikers do like their tires “mushier” than other bikers, and if that applies to you just become familiar with what the appropriate tire pressure for you looks and feels like.

Related Mountain Bike Tires Articles

by mayhem

Okay, so you have a flat tire on your mountain bike.  Funny enough, I started riding a bike as a kid, but I learned to fix my car tire long before I learned to fix a bike tire. So don’t be like me; fixing your bike tire is not a complicated procedure and is something anyone should be able to do.

First you will need a few tools such as:

A plastic tire lever
A bicycle tire patch kit
A replacement tube if your current tube turns out to be beyond repair
A hand pump, or a CO2 cartridge
A bike repair stand (optional but helpful)

Your flat tire is actually a good omen.  It means that you ride often enough to have finally done damage to your two wheeled vehicle and you are being rewarded by learning to fix your trusty bike.  Good job and keep it up. 

If you are fixing your tire at home (as opposed to out on the road), prop your bike up on your bike repair stand if you have one.  If you are on the road, make sure you are completely off the road and in a safe location.  Before you take the wheel off the bike, switch your gears down to your smallest cog and then pop the whole wheel right off.  You can let the remaining air out of your wheel by using your hands to squeeze around the tire.  Use your hands to pull the tire back away from the rim so to break the seal between your tire and the rim, and now stick your tire lever between the metal rim and your tire and then pull the tire lever all around the rim so that the sides of the tire are no longer held by the rim. 

Now with the tire off, look for the stem of your tube which will be inserted into the rim.  It may be held in place by a bolt, in which case will need to take the bolt off and pull the tube right out and off the rim.

At this point it is a good idea to take the time to find out whether or not there are any sharp objects in the tire, including rocks that could be inside.  You can do this by running your hand inside the tire but do it slowly and be careful so as not to cut yourself on anything.

Okay, now pump some air back into your faulty tube and try to find the leak.  You may be able to see the air leaking out, or at least hear it.  If not, you can try running your hand over the tube and feel for leaking air.  If both these methods fail, then you only have a small puncture and you will need to get a bucket of water and dunk the tube into the bucket and watch for bubbles. 

Once you have identified the leak, take your patch kit and read the instructions on how to use it. Follow the instructions accurately so that the patch holds.   If the hole is too big to be patched, then just throw the whole tube away and use your new replacement tube.

Blow a little bit of air into your replacement tube or newly patched tube so that it takes shape.  This is important so you don’t have it lying flat inside the tire after you put it back and it will allow the tube to be inflated easier.

Now with the bit of air inside the tube, begin putting it inside the tire and around the rim as you previously had it before, including putting the stem back in place.  Put your tire back on, and use your hands to tuck the tire’s edges back into the rim, being careful no tubing is sticking out.  You will likely need to use the tire lever to help finish the last part of this job.

Lastly, use your CO2 cartridge or a pump to pump air into your tire and your mountain bike is now ready to hit the trails again.  Great job!  If you feel you need a visual, go to youtube as there are plenty of real life demos out there to watch.

Related Mountain Bike Tires Articles

by That HP Chap

There are materially two sorts of tyre for bicycles, known in many mountain bike tires reviews as ‘clincher’ and ‘tubular’. We’ll get the tubular ones out of the way first because essentially you won’t come across them often. Tubular tires don’t have beads around the edge but are instead sewn together around an inner tube. You shouldn’t use a tubular tyre on just any old rim, you must use a special one and the tyre is held onto the edge using glue. Several riders suppose tubulars to have some advantage over clinchers, such as lighter weight, more comfort and better grasp but contemporary technology has seen the clincher tyre catch up.

The main drawbacks of tubular mtb tires are the fact that if you get a puncture you need to replace the whole tyre meaning you need to carry a spare. The biggest drawback though is the necessity to glue the tyre to the edge . The glue needs to dry for several hours. The above also means that if you are racing and get a puncture using tubulars then you are effectively out of the race as you will not be able to corner at speed etc until the glue is dry. That is unless you have a support crew following you with a reserve rim and tyre ready to go.

You will find clincher type of tyres on almost all rims nowadays and they will be the most familiar to you. Instead of wrapping completely around the interior of tube, the clincher is U-shaped when you cut it in half. The edges of the tire are held in place against the edge of the rim by the pressure of air inside it. This makes it much more easier to repair as you don’t need any glue to hold it in place.

The clincher mountain bike tires are made up of substantially three parts , the bead, the fabric and the rubber. The bead is often a strong steel wire which makes up the tire’s edge and holds it to the rim. Some beads use more up-to-date lightweight materials such as Kevlar which wipes out one of the advantages some riders think that the tubular has. The fabric is what gives a tire its shape and makes up the tire’s profile, get the two beads together. It is often made of nylon cord and is put down in layers with each subsequent layer being placed perpendicular to the next rather than using a firm interweaving process. Tires go with different performance capabilities some of which are defined by the tire’s TPI. This marks the number of Threads Per Inch. A higher number indicates a tire with a thinner and more flexible fabric. Thin walled tires tend to perform better by offering less rolling resistance and a less weight but they are more easily damaged .

The rubber is the part of the tire that everyone sees but it is merely a coating on top of the constructed fabric. The rubber provides no structural advantage to the tire and is just there to protect the fabric from damage . Different combinations of rubber give different performance. A soft compound will give you more grasp but it will wear out quicker. A harder compound will last longer but it will slide around more when pushed to the limit.

When you put all the above together you can see that there are many different combinations that can be achieved and so it is important to choose a tire which is suited to the job. So, if you are a road racer then you have to look for particular road racing tires that suit the rims you have chosen to ride on.

Here is all you need to know when choosing new mountain bike tires.

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by mayhem

As a beginner, it could be very confusing for one to just stroll into a bike shop to buy their very first mountain bike. And what is more confusing is what all accessories one would need to start biking.

Mountain bike accessories and other mountain bike products one would want are available in plenty. A shopkeeper will be looking for a profit and would sell everything he can, but what beginners and customers with a budget need is a bike that has the proper accessories to make the ride safe and pleasant. These accessories given below will give one a good idea of what to buy and what not to buy.

Mountain bike tires are broader and knobbier for more grip and absorption of shock. In modern bikes, suspension for front wheel has become the custom while suspension for the full front and rear is becoming more and more general.

In few mountain bikes, the handlebars are fixed with bar ends, but riser handlebars which are made such that they oppose to a flat straight handlebar are becoming increasingly popular because a very few riders use bars with their ends extended.

These bikes usually have 26 inches or 559 mm wheels, but after year 2002 many bikes are available in the markets, which have 29 inches or 622 mm wheels. This is the diameter universally used for other normal road bikes which is also known as a 700c.

One may have never thought about the parts that are required to make a mountain bike while riding it. But sometimes it becomes important to know the parts. You never know where they will help you.

Tire: they are on the outer part of the rim. They make contact with the road while riding and also provide a grip. The tires have to be selected carefully with care.

A huge variety of tread patterns are being manufactured to suit different needs and for different conditions in the mountain bike tires. The different types of tire patterns available in the market are: slick street tires, snow studded, street tires with a center ridge and an outer tread, fully knobbly, rear-specific, and snow studded, front-specific.

These mountain bike tires can be specially designed to suit the bike in dry weather or wet weather and also according to the terrain whether it is hard, soft or muddy conditions. There are many other designs that are applicable in all kinds of weather and roads. For the same application, there are also light tires that are more expensive and have less or no rolling resistance.

For free rides and downhill descents a new kind of sticky rubber mountain bike tires are available. These tires may wear out very fast but they are extremely useful during cornering. There are tubeless that run at lower air pressure which improves traction and also rolling resistance. Tire manufacturers for mountain bikes are in plenty. A brand may be selected to suit the users’ needs.

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