Guides
Bike tyre pressure: the figures that are actually sourced
Manufacturer figures by width and weight, in bar and psi — plus the front/rear rule, tubeless, and the hard limit on hookless rims.
Short answer
Starting points for a rider of about 70 kg: road 25 mm ≈ 6.7 bar (97 psi) · 28 mm ≈ 5.7 bar (83 psi) · gravel 35–45 mm ≈ 2.3–3.5 bar (33–51 psi) · MTB 2.4–2.6″ ≈ 2.0 bar front (29 psi) / 2.2 bar rear (32 psi). Fine-tuning: roughly 1 % of pressure per kilogram of weight difference, 0.1–0.3 bar more at the rear than the front, and about 2 % less with tubeless on road — at 5.7 bar that is around 0.1 bar, not the half a bar often quoted. Never exceed the maximum on the tyre or the rim, whichever is lower.
One thing up front, because both numbers live on this site: the table below reproduces the published manufacturer figures. Our tyre pressure calculator lands about 1 bar lower — it follows the calculation models that SRAM/Zipp and Vittoria use, and those sit below what is printed on the packaging. For an actual number, use the calculator: it knows your weight, your width front and rear and your tyre system. The table is there so you can see where the widely quoted figures come from.
Sourced figures by bike type
| Bike type / width | Rider weight | Guide figure | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Road 25 mm | ~70 kg | ≈ 6.7 bar / 97 psi | Continental |
| Road 28 mm | ~70 kg | ≈ 5.7 bar / 83 psi | Continental |
| Road 28 mm | ~80 kg (system) | ≈ 5.4 bar front / 5.8 bar rear (78 / 84 psi) | Continental |
| Gravel 35–45 mm | by weight | ≈ 2.3–3.5 bar / 33–51 psi | Continental |
| MTB 2.4–2.6″ (all-mountain) | ~70 kg | ≈ 2.0 front / 2.2 rear bar (29 / 32 psi), range 1.8–2.4 | trade sources |
The principle underneath, as Schwalbe put it: the smaller the air volume and the higher the weight, the more pressure the tyre needs. That is why a narrow road tyre runs above 6 bar and a high-volume mountain bike tyre below 2.5.
Fine-tuning: the rules that are documented
| Rule | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Weight adjustment | ~1 % of pressure per kg of difference | Paul Lange (Schwalbe distributor) |
| Front vs rear | front 0.2–0.3 bar (3–4 psi) lower on road and gravel, 0.1–0.2 bar (1.5–3 psi) on MTB | trade sources |
| MTB, per 5 kg of body weight | ±0.1 bar (1.5 psi) | trade sources |
| Tubeless, road and gravel | ~2 % less (at 5.7 bar that is ≈ 0.1 bar) | SRAM/Zipp and Vittoria calculation models |
| Tubeless, MTB | 0.2–0.4 bar (3–6 psi) less; from 25 mm internal rim width down to ~1.2–1.4 bar | trade sources |
For your own starting figure, the BikeCare tyre pressure calculator takes system weight, tyre width separately front and rear, and the tyre system (tube, tubeless, hookless) — no sign-up, and capped at the ISO/ETRTO maximum on hookless rims. Alongside it there are the manufacturers' own tools: SILCA Pro (which asks for the measured tyre width), the SRAM AXS Pressure Guide and Schwalbe Pressure Prof.
Hookless rims: the hard limit
A hookless rim has a straight inner wall with no bead hook — officially „tubeless straight side". Schwalbe name the reasons as more efficient manufacturing and a stronger wall with better pinch protection. The price is a hard pressure ceiling: for road tyres Schwalbe state a maximum of 5 bar (72 psi) under ETRTO, and describe it as binding even where the tyre has a higher maximum moulded into it. That 5 bar applies to tyres 25–29 mm wide. The full scale:
| Tyre width | Maximum |
|---|---|
| 18–24 mm | 5.5 bar / 79 psi |
| 25–29 mm | 5.0 bar / 72 psi |
| 30–34 mm | 4.5 bar / 65 psi |
| 35–39 mm | 4.0 bar / 58 psi |
| 40–44 mm | 3.5 bar / 50 psi |
| 45–54 mm | 3.0 bar / 43 psi |
| 55–64 mm | 2.5 bar / 36 psi |
| 65–74 mm | 2.0 bar / 29 psi |
| 75–84 mm | 1.5 bar / 21 psi |
The bar figure is the one the standard publishes; the psi column is a conversion and is rounded down on purpose. 5.0 bar is 72.5 psi — rounded up it would read 73 psi and sit above the approval. On a hookless rim that is not a rounding error.
Rim makers may differ. Zipp never allow more than 5 bar on their hookless wheels; ENVE state higher figures for some of their own rims. Continental settle it with one rule: always follow the lower figure.
Approved tyres only. Schwalbe approve tubeless tyres (TLE/TLR) from model year 2020 onwards and require the minimum tyre width to be respected. Under the ETRTO table a rim with 25 mm internal width needs tyres of at least 29 mm — Zipp also approve 28 mm there, Continental do not. The lower figure wins again. An inner tube is allowed, but only inside an approved tubeless tyre (Schwalbe, Zipp, ENVE).
How often to check
More often than most people do. A tyre loses pressure through the casing and the valve whether you ride it or not, and a narrow high-pressure road tyre loses a larger share of its pressure than a high-volume one — because the same lost volume is a bigger fraction of a smaller air chamber. Check before a long ride, and make a habit of it weekly rather than monthly.
Common questions
What tyre pressure should I run on a road bike?
It depends on tyre width and your weight. Continental's published figures for a rider of about 70 kg: 25 mm around 6.7 bar (97 psi), 28 mm around 5.7 bar (83 psi). At roughly 80 kg system weight on 28 mm tyres: about 5.4 bar front (78 psi) and 5.8 bar rear (84 psi). Always stay under the maximum printed on the tyre sidewall AND the one stated for the rim — whichever is lower.
What pressure for gravel and mountain bike tyres?
Gravel tyres of 35–45 mm: roughly 2.3–3.5 bar (33–51 psi), depending on weight, surface and whether you run tubeless. Mountain bike tyres of 2.4–2.6 inches: roughly 1.8–2.4 bar (26–35 psi); a starting point at about 70 kg is 2.0 bar front (29 psi) and 2.2 bar rear (32 psi), then roughly 0.1 bar either way per 5 kg of body weight.
Should front and rear be the same?
No. The rear wheel carries around 60 % of the weight, so run more pressure at the back: about 0.2–0.3 bar (3–4 psi) more on road and gravel, about 0.1–0.2 bar (1.5–3 psi) more on a mountain bike.
Why do manufacturer tables show more than the BikeCare calculator?
Because they come from different kinds of source. The tables on this page reproduce what Continental and Schwalbe PUBLISH — conservative figures that date from the inner-tube era with narrow rims. The BikeCare calculator follows the CALCULATION MODELS that SRAM/Zipp and Vittoria use in their own tools, and those land roughly one bar lower (25 mm at 70 kg: 5.6 instead of 6.7 bar). For an actual number use the calculator, which knows your weight, your width front and rear and your tyre system. The table tells you where the widely quoted figures come from.
How do I adjust pressure for my weight?
The established rule of thumb, published by Schwalbe's distributor Paul Lange, is roughly 1 % change in pressure per kilogram of difference from the reference weight. Calculators are more precise: SILCA Pro, SRAM AXS Pressure Guide, Schwalbe Pressure Prof — or the BikeCare tyre pressure calculator, which combines bike type, width and weight.
What is the pressure limit on a hookless rim?
It depends on tyre width. For tyres 25 to 29 mm wide, Schwalbe state a maximum of 5 bar (72 psi) under ISO/ETRTO — and it is binding even if a higher figure is moulded into the tyre. Narrower tyres may go to 5.5 bar (79 psi), wider ones less (35–39 mm: 4 bar / 58 psi). Individual rim makers set their own limits; Continental resolve the conflict with a simple rule — always follow the lower figure.
Why can I run less pressure with tubeless?
Without an inner tube there is no pinch flat to protect against. The pressure difference is smaller than usually claimed: working out what the manufacturers' own calculators actually do (SRAM/Zipp, Vittoria) gives about 2 % — at 5.7 bar that is roughly 0.1 bar, not the half a bar you often read. On a mountain bike the reduction is larger (0.2–0.4 bar / 3–6 psi), for grip and comfort at the same or lower rolling resistance. On wide MTB rims (25 mm internal and up) even 1.2–1.4 bar (17–20 psi) is rideable.
Sources
- Continental – Tyre pressure recommendations, road and gravel
- Schwalbe – TechInfo (volume/weight principle)
- Paul Lange – The right tyre pressure (1 % per kg rule)
- SILCA – Pro Tire Pressure Calculator
- SRAM – AXS Tire Pressure Guide
- Schwalbe – Technical FAQ, hookless (5 bar under ETRTO, binding)
- Schwalbe – Hookless information sheet (ISO/ETRTO pressure scale, PDF)
- Schwalbe – Tyre and rim combinations under ETRTO (PDF)
- Zipp – Hookless tyre compatibility
- ENVE – Tire Compatibility
- Continental – Tubeless Ready (follow the lower figure)
Das rechnet BikeCare für dich
BikeCare reminds you to check your pressure on a sensible rhythm, and the built-in calculator works out a starting figure for your bike, your tyre width and your weight.