Tire Pressure - Open Corsa Evo CXII & Latex Tubes
While I haven't splurged for good race wheels (snagged some off eBay a few years back) or an aero helmet (afraid of cooking my noggin' and I am too slow) I did splurge for the seemingly preferred race-day set-up of Vittoria Open Corsa EVO CXII tires and Vittoria latex tubes.
Did my last 2 hour ride this weekend and a shorter ride Monday and they do feel good but can't be certain what it will yield me on race day.
I believe the suggested pressure range is 115-145 psi. I have always rode towards the lower end of the pressure range and never have gone over 120. On my Rubino Pro or Zaffiro pro training tires I generally run 115 front and 120 rear.
I guess it is important to add that I am 6'3" and 185# and not sure if I should be going higher than 120 psi.
Appreciate some wisdom from the group - keep on doing what I have or add some pressure?
THANKS!!!
Comments
No need to go over 120 psi.
Found this about 20 minutes after I posted. My weight suggests 115/120 on 320 TPI tires. I might try running lower on my training tires for a smoother ride.
Thanks!
Based on what you shared and that chart (assuming you are running standwidth with 19mm rims) I would go with 120 front and rear if the roads and conditions at great. If either are not ideal go down to 115, and if the roads are rough or it's wet out go with 110.
Also, no worries at all in running lower pressure in training. I don't generally train on my race tires but even when I di I run more like 90-95 psi vs 110 on race day. It makes for a very smooth ride in training an all 135 lbs of me usually won't pinch flat a 90psi tire.
In general I think tire pressure is one of the most common areas where people commit the "if some is good, more is better" logical fallacy. I used to always ride 120 when I first started riding, and probably would sneak in an extra few PSI here or there for good measure. These days I ride a lot closer to 105 / 110, and have definitely been trending downwards for training since I'm less concerned with max speed and more concerned with comfort and durability.
Regardless, what I race at is usually based upon the manufacturer's guidance for that specific tire based upon my weight, adjusted for anticipated road/race conditions, and when in doubt, I think going a few PSI lower is better than going higher.
@Trevor - Heard the same comment on the TdF coverage as well and wasn't sure how tubies influence tire pressure as I am more of a clincher riding bike n00b.
I love his voice and his long historical knowledge base, but I don't trust anything he says anymore. He gets riders' names wrong, makes wrong assumptions about stragtegy he never used to, and just seems to be slowing down. I heard that comment and said to myself , "Hmmm, does he mean 110 or 120?"
(I'd like to hear Paul and Gogo do the in race commentary, and let Phil and Bobke do the PM re-cap schtick - give him a chance to catch his breath, so to speak.)
Kind of like the last couple of years of Pat Summerall doing NFL broadcasts. There were times it seemed he was calling a different game.
Funny I heard that comment too and laughed. 100psi is extremely high! I bet the light guys still ride 110-120 range and the heavier guys at bit more.
Still love the commentary and I'm amazed these guys can hold our attention for hours a day for almost a whole month. I do want Craig Hummer back on the desk, not in the field - did he get demoted or something?
All good stuff.
@All
Ha I'm glad I'm not the only one that scratched their head and say wait, did he just say that? I didn't mean to offer that as actual advice, was more just trying to figure out where he came up with those numbers.
Only other thing I'll add, clinchers vs tubies was also mentioned in here. I don't believe this changes the guidance at all. Yes, tubulars are *capable* of being inflated to a much higher pressure than clinchers, but that certainly doesn't mean that you should. In the AFM Crr tests you will see some high pressure tubular tests where the Crr actually drops nicely when you go past 120, but it's important to remember that these tests are performed on a roller which presents an unnaturally smooth surface. Under real world conditions on rougher roads, Crr increases (bad) as you add pressure.
Not that anyone explicitly asked that question, but just in case anyone was wondering, the ideal pressure for tubies is pretty close to that of clinchers, unless anyone here just happens to be heading out to do some track pursuits in a velodrome, then just maybe you can up the pressure.