Experimenting with tyre pressures
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 6:32 pm
So, the manual for the 4T sez 17psi front, 25-ish for rear.
People here swear that's too low and pump up the front to 25.
Thing is, my PX (which is very similar) also sez 17psi front.
So... I pumped up the front to the 25 psi that so many here recommend and went for a loop.
Next day, changed the pressure to 19 psi and went on the same loop. (waited a day so the tyres would be close to the same temp).
And... at 25 psi the bike was bouncing around all over the place, squirelly on the road.
At 19 psi the bike was planted, much more stable, handled better.
Michelin s33 tyres.
To complete the picture, I weigh 150lbs. But the manual on both the Stella and PX do not recommend increasing psi on the front tyre with an increase in weight, just the back. Due to the weight bias on the bike.
People here swear that's too low and pump up the front to 25.
Thing is, my PX (which is very similar) also sez 17psi front.
So... I pumped up the front to the 25 psi that so many here recommend and went for a loop.
Next day, changed the pressure to 19 psi and went on the same loop. (waited a day so the tyres would be close to the same temp).
And... at 25 psi the bike was bouncing around all over the place, squirelly on the road.
At 19 psi the bike was planted, much more stable, handled better.
Michelin s33 tyres.
To complete the picture, I weigh 150lbs. But the manual on both the Stella and PX do not recommend increasing psi on the front tyre with an increase in weight, just the back. Due to the weight bias on the bike.