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Tire
Pressure
Road bikes have narrow tires while mountain and all-purpose
bikes have wide tires. A mistake often made is in inflating
the tires. Many factors contribute to inflating to the correct
pressure. Certainly do not go beyond the minimum or maximum
as printed on the sidewall of the tires. Often times the
mistake is to overinflate wide tires and underinflate narrow
tires. Road bikes are meant for long rides, and the goal
is to expend as little energy as possible to last the whole
ride. Underinflating the tires provides a larger contact
surface area with the ground therefore creating more friction
and requiring unnecessary energy from the rider. Overinflating
wide tires is bad for mountain bikers because it transfers
every obstacle on the ground to the rider. Deflating the
tires a little allows the tire to conform to the terrain
and provide a more comfortable, less bumpy ride. Inflate
the tires according to the terrain conditions. For flat
surfaces inflate to nearly maximum pressure and deflate
accordingly as the surface conditions get more harsh.
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