Often people think that bike workouts are fast riding on the road or even in a gym, but mountain biking is pretty aptly covered by the term, and this style of biking can really take it out on your body and the bike. One pretty important thing to make it easier for you is to have the right tire pressure, which can influence the amount of control you have over your bike and make a large difference .

 Tire-pressures that are too low in mountain biking  can result in tires pinching and going flat, but a pressure that’s too high prevents good contact with the ground and results in the bike being less controllable. So what you should do is to find the tire pressure for “normal” conditions that’s best for you , and then later-on learn how to adjust the pressure for other terrain and tracks you ride on.

Different riders will nearly all have different pressures and different tire setups  . So here’s how you get the right pressure:

Start by finding a reliable pressure gauge or a pump with a pressure gauge, then make sure that you use the same gauge or pump anytime you are making adjustments. This is because a gauge can be really inaccurate, and you can’t rely on the readings if you use more than one. Learning how the bike tires feel when you squeeze them with your fingers is another method  .  Once you know what your tires feel like you can always get the right air pressure – with any pump.

Now what you’re trying to do is avoid getting pinch-flats, while still getting the lowest pressure that you can.  A pinch flat occurs when your tire rolls over an object then compresses to the point where the tire and the tube get pinched between the object and the rim on the wheel.

If you have tubes then, start with a higher pressure of around 40 – 50 psi. Start lower if you have a tubeless system,  about 30 – 40 psi.  With tubeless tire systems, you can run much lower air pressure because you don’t have to worry about getting pinch flats.  If you start to dent your rims, burp air out along the bead, or feel the tire roll under the rim during hard cornering, you’ve taken the pressure much too low. Also heavier people should start with higher pressures  .

Get a feel for cornering and loose dirt by riding with the pressure you’ve chosen for a while. Then drop the pressure by 5 psi in each tire and get see how this new setup rides and compares to your previous setting.  You should notice some improvement in stability, and if you don’t, drop the pressure by another 5 psi. Once you’ve found a comfortable setting for your tire pressure, note it or learn to recognize it with your fingers. The next step will be adjusting it up or down for the varying types of the surface you’re riding on.  This means testing for stability again, by raising and lowering the pressure in increments – the same way you did for the original tire pressure.