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what is the proper tire inflation for a adult mountain bike?

Public Comments

1. It depends on your tires. Look on the side of the tire and it should be imprinted along side the tire size.
2. It should tell you on the tire
3. Like vehicle tires look on the side, it should give you the PSI
4. It depends on the tire. Usually the max is 80-85 psi.
5. Well, I've never seen MTB tires with an 85 PSI rating. Not that there aren't any, I've just never seen them. Most I've ever seen or ridden are rated at 65. The real answer depends on a few factors. your weight, your application, and the max pressure rating of the tire. If you do moslty smooth roads and just ride casually, pump 'em up. The heavier you are, the closer you want to the max rating. If you ride real trails, you'll want to drop the pressure, only for comfort. Riding a hard tire over rough terrain can actually slow you down, as well as beat the snot out of you. Heavier riders might drop the pressure as much as halfway between the min and max ratings, while lighter riders can go as low as 5 psi above the minimum. The min - max ratings are on the tire. If you drop the pressure _too_ low, you will get what are known as 'pinch flats' or 'snake bite' flats. This is when the rim bottoms out against a hard surface and actually cuts a slice in the tube. There will be two slices as the tube gets pinched between the rim and the ground. Thicker tires can help avoid this as will 'flat protector' strips.
6. It depends on the tires you have. The pressure rating will be embossed on the sidewall of the tire.