Road Bike Tyre Pressure: Chart for 25 to 32 mm
Road bikes used to run 23 mm tyres at 8 bar (116 psi). Today 28 mm and clearly lower pressure are standard, and for good reason: on real roads a wider tyre at moderate pressure is usually faster, safer and more comfortable. This chart gives you starting values by rider weight and tyre width.
Tyre pressure chart for road bikes
The values apply to tubeless tyres on smooth tarmac, a 21 mm inner rim width and a bike of about 8.5 kg. “Rider” is body weight including clothing and bottles. Pressure is given in bar, front / rear, with psi below.
| Rider | 25 mm | 28 mm | 30 mm | 32 mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 kg | 4.9 / 5.571 / 79 psi | 3.9 / 4.356 / 63 psi | 3.4 / 3.849 / 55 psi | 3.0 / 3.344 / 48 psi |
| 70 kg | 5.5 / 6.280 / 89 psi | 4.4 / 4.964 / 71 psi | 3.8 / 4.355 / 62 psi | 3.4 / 3.849 / 55 psi |
| 80 kg | 6.1 / 6.989 / 100 psi | 4.9 / 5.571 / 79 psi | 4.3 / 4.862 / 69 psi | 3.7 / 4.254 / 61 psi |
| 90 kg | 6.8 / 7.698 / 110 psi | 5.4 / 6.078 / 87 psi | 4.7 / 5.368 / 76 psi | 4.1 / 4.660 / 67 psi |
| 100 kg | 7.4 / 8.3107 / 120 psi | 5.9 / 6.685 / 95 psi | 5.1 / 5.774 / 83 psi | 4.5 / 5.065 / 73 psi |
The rear wheel carries about 58 percent of the load and therefore gets roughly 0.5 bar (7.3 psi) more than the front. The link with width is clear: at 80 kg you need a good 6 bar (87 psi) with 25 mm but only about 4 bar (58 psi) with 32 mm. A wider tyre carries the same load at lower pressure because it holds more air.
Why wider and lower pressure is often faster
Rolling resistance has two parts: the deformation of the tyre, and the vibrations that the bike and your body must absorb. On smooth laboratory surfaces the hard, narrow tyre wins. On real roads with cracks, patches and rough surfaces it loses, because the tyre does not give and the bike and your body vibrate. A wider tyre at the right pressure stays in contact with the surface, offers more grip in corners and in the wet, and tires you less.
The goal is therefore not “as little pressure as possible” but the range just above the point where the tyre still stays stable in corners and on impacts, so it does not squirm and does not touch the rim.
Corrections for tubes, latex and road surface
| Situation | Factor | Example (4.9 bar (71 psi)) |
|---|---|---|
| Tubeless (base) | × 1.00 | 4.9 bar (71 psi) |
| Latex tube | × 1.03 | 5.0 bar (73 psi) |
| Butyl tube | × 1.06 | 5.2 bar (75 psi) |
| Rough tarmac | × 0.95 | 4.7 bar (68 psi) |
| Cobbles | × 0.88 | 4.3 bar (62 psi) |
With a tube you need slightly more pressure, because a tube is destroyed by pinch flats between rim and edge. When you switch to tubeless you can lower the pressure. How that works is in the guide Converting to tubeless. On wet roads, about 0.2 to 0.3 bar (4.4 psi) less noticeably helps grip.
Hookless and pressure limits
Many current road rims are hookless. Under ETRTO they generally have a maximum pressure of 5 bar (72 psi), and many manufacturers only allow tyres from 25 mm. Heavy riders on narrow tyres reach this limit quickly; in the chart the rear tyre at 25 mm is already over 5 bar (73 psi) from 60 kg. In that case choose a wider tyre rather than raising the pressure beyond the limit. Always check both figures, the one on the rim and the one on the tyre sidewall; the lower one is binding. In the tyre pressure calculator you can choose the rim type and it limits the pressure automatically.
Fine-tuning
- Start with the chart value and correct for setup and road surface.
- Too little pressure: the bike feels wobbly in corners, the tyre squirms, you feel the rim on potholes.
- Too much pressure: the bike vibrates and skips on rough tarmac, grip in corners and on wet roads drops.
- Change the pressure in steps of 0.2 bar (2.9 psi). Check it before every ride, because narrow tyres lose air, and latex tubes noticeably so overnight.
- Measure with a good gauge. Hand pumps and mini pumps often show widely differing values.
Frequently asked questions about road bike tyre pressure
How many bar for a 28 mm road tyre?
For an 80 kg rider, tubeless and smooth tarmac, about 4.9 bar (71 psi) front and 5.5 bar (80 psi) rear is a good starting point. With a butyl tube add about 6 percent, with a latex tube about 3 percent.
Is more pressure faster on a road bike?
Only on perfectly smooth surfaces. On normal, rough roads too much pressure costs speed, because the bike skips over every bump instead of absorbing it. Wider tyres at moderate pressure are usually faster and more comfortable.
What pressure applies on hookless road rims?
Hookless rims are usually limited to 5 bar (72 psi), and many manufacturers only allow tyres of 25 mm and wider. The rim and tyre manufacturers' figures apply.
Calculate your road tyre pressure →