# tire pressures



## akexpress (Dec 19, 2010)

Just curious as to what people are running for tire pressures. We are riding on WTB Mutanos in the 2.4 size and riding weight is about 330 lbs? We have been riding with about 45 lbs of pressure on our ECDM. We are going to Moab Saturday and just curious what the consense was if any.


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## clj2289 (Jan 2, 2010)

No clue for Moab, but if it helps we run anywhere from 28 to 35 lbs in the southeast. We run 2.2 and 2.4 29er tires.


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## ds2199 (Sep 16, 2008)

We run 40 lbs here in Colorado including some riding out in Fruita, CO (similar terrain to Moab. We're probably around 280-290 riding weight.


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

Fandango with 29 Ramapges 2.35" 45 frt / 50 rear

ECDM with Rampages 2.35" (the ones that look like white letter stock car tires) 50 frt / 55 rear

Bike / Riders / Camelbacks / waterbottles /gear / tools / spares, guessing 360 rolling weight

PK


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## Okayfine (Sep 7, 2010)

ECdM, 360lb+ rider weight, 2.5 WTB Dissents at ~40psi for SoCal conditions.


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## Rorschach1 (Sep 19, 2011)

ECdM, Maxxis Advantage 2.4 with slime tubes, no reason for these tires, but they are heavy with these tubes, 300lb rider weight, plus usual gear, 35/40psi for looser and 40//45 for a harder rougher trail. I keep the pressure just above where the tire moves, or feels squishy against the rim. Whether this is right or not I don't know.


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## giff07 (Jun 7, 2010)

26" ECDM running WTB Moto Raptors this time of year with 45 psi front and rear. Also run Mutanos during the dry months with the same tire pressure. Team weight is 325 pretty evenly distributed. We did run 50 psi F&R but found 45 gave much better traction and no noticable down turn in speed.
Ed and Pat Gifford
the Snot Rocket tandem


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

giff07 said:


> 26" ECDM running WTB Moto Raptors this time of year with 45 psi front and rear. Also run Mutanos during the dry months with the same tire pressure. Team weight is 325 pretty evenly distributed. We did run 50 psi F&R but found 45 gave much better traction and no noticable down turn in speed.
> Ed and Pat Gifford
> the Snot Rocket tandem


FWIW, when we ran the WTB tires, they did not like the higher pressures we typically run. The rocks would destroy the tire by peeling off many of the knobs, exposing the tires casing.

PK


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## giff07 (Jun 7, 2010)

Where we typically ride locally its some sand, some hardpack, a fair amount of roots and few rocks. If we travel North there are more rocks. We haven't noticed the loss of any knobs but have seen a fair amount of scuffing on the sidewalls. That seems to be typical of all the WTB tires we have used. Not to hi jack the thread but what tires do you like on the ECDM Paul?
Ed


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## giff07 (Jun 7, 2010)

Sorry I see you are running 2.35 Rampages on the Ventana. How are they in the mud?
Ed


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

giff07 said:


> Sorry I see you are running 2.35 Rampages on the Ventana. How are they in the mud?
> Ed


They work ok. I'm sure if I had true full ride mud conditions and dropped some pressure they would be better. Getting an even better grip, I would probably look for some softer rubber (lower durometer value) for better grip in the serious wet.

As a team, we don't get along well with the lower pressures others run. Too often when the pressure is dropped we can feel the rim bang and it squirms too much with high grip. We tested by adding a few pounds of pressure over several laps or rides until both riders were content.

If I thought it would hold up for the riding we do, I would consider a Ritchey WCS Zmax running opposite the direction arrow on the rear. Those tires hold very well and don't let loose unexpectedly. Don't last either whether on a single or when on our Cannondale MT3000. Sounds like about any serious race tire.

PK


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## clj2289 (Jan 2, 2010)

Even though I didn't start this thread, I find it interesting that we are running the lowest pressure out of everyone. We are running a 29er, so that does make a difference, but why would there be such a a big discrepancy in pressure? I know there are differences between team weights and terrain, but I do not think I have ever put 40 lbs of pressure in our ties, not matter where we were riding. I like to run about 25-30 lbs in my single 26 wheel hardtail with 2.1 inch tires, 30 lbs seems bouncy to me. I am wondering if anyone can articulate the advantages of running these high pressure. I know that it is not puncture resistance, b/c we have only had one flat in 2 years (knock on wood).


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## Trails4Two (May 12, 2008)

We also run lower than the norm shown here. we usually set up some where around 30-35 lbs front and rear. This is on a 26" el conq with 2.4 Motoraptor rear (tubeless) and 2.3 IRC trailbear (tube) front. I just changed to a 2.2 Maxxis Ignitor (tubeless) front, but haven't ridden it yet. We have accidentally run as low as about 22lbs with no mishaps. I like the traction and smoother rolling over rocks that lower pressures provide - we have LOTS of rocks. The only time I run more pressure is when we loan the bike out to newbies as I don't trust them to handle the tandem the same way I do.


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## giff07 (Jun 7, 2010)

clj2289 said:


> Even though I didn't start this thread, I find it interesting that we are running the lowest pressure out of everyone. We are running a 29er, so that does make a difference, but why would there be such a a big discrepancy in pressure? I know there are differences between team weights and terrain, but I do not think I have ever put 40 lbs of pressure in our ties, not matter where we were riding. I like to run about 25-30 lbs in my single 26 wheel hardtail with 2.1 inch tires, 30 lbs seems bouncy to me. I am wondering if anyone can articulate the advantages of running these high pressure. I know that it is not puncture resistance, b/c we have only had one flat in 2 years (knock on wood).


Hi Chris and Monica,
Pat and I tend to pinch flat at lower pressure.Are you running tubeless?? Some of us hope that by next years AORTA you and Monica will be down to running no air pressure in your tires so that some of us older folk can keep us with ya!
Ed and Pat Gifford
the Snot Rocket tandem


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

Yes we run higher pressures, mainly to make the tire squirm less. For me, less squirm feels more planted.

While we have had a few times where grip was lost, the tradeoff never seems worth it.

Our most common lack of grip is in slower climbing sections when the tire spins on a wet root or something similar. When we have run less pressure, be it on either Cannondale we owned, the Fandango, or ECDM, even my singles, if I can feel the rim, or notice the rear squirm I just keep bumping up pressure until the bike settles.

Yes, we run less air in the hardtail. My thought in regards to why the difference in pressures between our two current bikes, is that the hardtail Fandango is typically on the better groomed portion of trail, the ECDM often finds different lines that carry much more momentum through the turns, and will have the wheels slammed over stuff we avoid with the Fandango.

PK


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## dutchman59 (Sep 27, 2011)

I am running Maxxis Ikon at 40 psi. Both front and rear tubeless, 29er.
I ride a lot of hard pack.


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## She&I (Jan 4, 2010)

Interesting thread...

Hardtail Fandango: We've been running ±35-45 psi, with slime tubes. 40 seems like a reasonable compromise between puncture resistance and traction (if a bit on the hard side) for the standard DH trails here. If we're on a up-the-mountain-and-down type ride we'll usually bleed off at the top. Otherwise we run at 38-40 on 2.3s. We're a 290 lb team geared up.

In our experience, rough patches greater speeds are the main flatting concern. Tire/tube systems seems pretty reliable on any terrain at lower speeds.

I'd love to push the low pressure envelope and maybe try tubeless for local riding. You guys are making me think.

Mike


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## malaclemys (Oct 22, 2010)

I am in the same camp as PMK. We run higher pressures (45-50psi) in the 29x2.2 Nevegals on our Fandango. If I had to guess I would say our team weight is 310-315. Knock on wood we haven't experienced a flat in the 10 months we have been riding.

I prefer a stiffer sidewall and find a "squishy" tire to be disconcerting especially when cornering. We don't ride a lot of rocky trails here (north Florida) nor do we have a lot of traction issues. Many of our trails, most of which are fairly tight singletrack, are fast rolling and hard packed to sandy. I did use the same setup at AORTA this year and things seemed to work fine in Asheville area too.

J


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## Teamburney (Nov 21, 2010)

Ok, we are a fairly new team (340 lbs) on our ECDM since Dec. almost one year now. We have since worn out a Kenda- Nevegal 2.35 on the rear. Kenda, up at Sea Otter,advised us to run a Blue Groove due to the harder compound.But now we are finding out that the sidewalls on both do not hold up. Blow out twice now on both models and one front and one rear....Any advice on better tires or at least sidewalls that will hold up? Oh, our tire pressure has been 45-50....


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## Trails4Two (May 12, 2008)

What kind of terrain? Are the blowouts due to rock cuts, big hits, other? The pressure seems a bit high to me. I would try lowering it 5-10lbs. If you get some pinch flats, you have gone too far.


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## Teamburney (Nov 21, 2010)

The first blow out looked like a rock abrasion on the sidewall that possibly took away integrity. The second had no signs of weakness on the sidewall and we were mainly on a smooth trail. The type of riding is mostly OC (Chino Hills and Saddleback area). I will try lowering pressure. I now have a tubeless tire on the rear, hoping the sidewall is stronger.


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## CaptainHaddock (Mar 3, 2012)

I'm glad to have stumbled across this thread as my wife and I just bought our first tandem. It's a cannondale RT2 (year 2010/11) and there's enough clearance for cross tires (haven't experimented with proper 29'r mountain yet), so I've mounted the tires and am scratching my head over tire pressure. 

With all my background being a single rider, I'm used either riding my road bikes at like 120psi, or my mountain at 30 - 40psi. But with the tandem, I worried about running to low on the cross tires and getting snake bit. The team weighs in at 310, and the bike at about 38. What does the wisdom of the crowd have to say?


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## Trails4Two (May 12, 2008)

*questions*

what surfaces are you riding on? generally I would look at the recommended pressure range on the tire then go somewhere just below the top end of the range.


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## CaptainHaddock (Mar 3, 2012)

Trails4Two said:


> what surfaces are you riding on? generally I would look at the recommended pressure range on the tire then go somewhere just below the top end of the range.


We'll primarily be riding gravel, maybe some dirt single track, not sure as of yet. They're rated around 80 psi, so you'd say somewhere in the 75 area?


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