🛞 Bike Tire Pressure Calculator

A general starting-point tire pressure adjustment based on rider weight relative to a baseline. Always stay within your specific tire's printed minimum/maximum PSI range.

Always stay within your tire's printed minimum/maximum PSI range, shown on the sidewall.

How the pressure is scaled

The tool takes a base pressure that suits a 150 lb rider on your tyre and moves it linearly with weight:

PSI = base PSI + (rider weight in lb - 150) × 0.2

That is 1 psi for every 5 lb away from the baseline. A 190 lb rider on a base of 80 gets 80 + (40 × 0.2) = 88 psi; a 120 lb rider on the same tyre gets 74. Weigh yourself dressed to ride, with the bike and any loaded bags, since the tyre carries all of it.

Choosing the base pressure

The base is the input that matters, and it is set by tyre width far more than by anything else. Reasonable starting points for a 150 lb rider:

TyreBase PSI
23 mm road, tube90
25 mm road80
28 mm road68
32 mm55
38-40 mm gravel38
2.2 in MTB, tubeless22

Run the front about 5-10% below the rear: weight sits roughly 40/60 over the wheels. Drop pressure for wet or rough roads, add a little for a smooth track.

The sidewall maximum is a containment limit, not a target. Current guidance sits far below it - plenty of 25 mm tyres marked 120 psi roll faster and grip better near 75. Never exceed the lower of the tyre's and the rim's rating; hookless rims are often capped at 72.5 psi (5 bar) whatever the tyre says.

Frequently asked questions

What tyre pressure should a 200 lb rider use?

From a base of 80 psi, 90 psi: 80 + (50 × 0.2). On 28 mm tyres, where a more sensible base is 68, the same rider lands near 78.

Should I pump my tyres to the maximum on the sidewall?

No. That figure is the pressure the casing is certified to hold, not the one that rolls best. Over-inflated tyres skate over rough surfaces and lose grip and speed; the sidewall number is a ceiling to stay under.

Do front and rear tyres take the same pressure?

No. Around 60% of your weight is on the rear wheel, so run the front 5-10% softer - say 84 rear and 78 front - for better front-end grip and comfort.