TKC tyre pressures for off road ?

[anton88]

I run my tyres at around 30 psi front and back for everyday road use, but just wondering on peoples opinion for lowering pressures for longer stints of green lanes ???????????????

The problem i have is lack of control of the front tyre - if conditions are slippery / muddy off road, it sometimes just seems to go where it wants

Would it be worth dropping pressures to low 20's for these conditions off road - would i notice a difference / improved grip ?

Ive always ridden my bikes 'using the front' for feel, and sit as far forward as possible in these conditions, but still struggle occasionally with front grip ?

All thoughts gratefully appreciated

Ant.

[Mudwiz]

I used to go quite extreme on the 'alp, ish 15 front and 10-12 rear, both with tkcs and the enduro/t63 combo.

Have you got a rim lock in the rear? It increases confidence on low pressures quite a bit!

.

[barftone]

I run em at 26psi when off the tarmac. You could probably drop the front down to 16psi if you were keen and it would make a big difference on mud but it is the old risk of a puncture on a heavy bike that keeps the pressures on the higher side. And also the bike would feel crap back on tarmac and risk tyre creep back at 90mph on the motorway!

[stanbloke]

24 front and 20 rear settled my Vara down abit, tho i run 20 front and 15 rear on the KTM.

Try different pressures on a muddy track (back and forth) it may be worthwhile just to find the right pressures to suit you..

Another thought is the suspension tho if it's Sha**ed that wont help with the bikes handling.

[YEN_POWELL]

It'd be nice if you could lower them at the start of the first lane, put up with the softer tyres on the in between bits and then use a plug in pump to inflate for the long journey home.

Someone on here bought one of those car/cigarette lighter pumps and stripped off all the plastic outer to expose just the bit he wanted which wasn't very big at all.

ps, I always leave my DR tyres on 15psi (no rimlocks). I ran the Michelin Deserts on my last AT at 15 psi too (motorway speeds up to about 65mph) and the things still didn't seem soft, everyone else ran theirs at 30psi and you couldn't tell the difference by looking at the different bikes.

[steveR]

It'd be nice if you could lower them at the start of the first lane, put up with the softer tyres on the in between bits and then use a plug in pump to inflate for the long journey home.

I still carry a mountain bike pump, light and cheap!

After getting some advice here and a touch of playing, I reckon the TKC seem about right at about 20 rear and similiar front, maybe a tad more, say 22-4psi.

As Mudwiz suggests, a tyre security clamp is a good thing with low pressures to avoid tyre creep. The other trick I was taught a generation ago, is to make sure you slacken off the valve security nut, take it off even, this stops the valve ripping out if you do get some creep.

Impact punctures are always a hazard, but if you are on rocky tracks, you do not need such low pressures?

[anton88]

I used to go quite extreme on the 'alp,
.

Why doesnt that surprise me

also no rim locks fitted, so i cant go too low.

[anton88]

Cheers for the other replies guys

Ive got a small plug in compressor, so will try dropping pressures to mid 20's for my next ride off road and work from there - then i can pump back up gain when i hit the black stuff

[boboneleg]

I used to run my RD04 at 22psi front and rear when riding off-road (TKC's)

[Rubberchicken]

I had mine at 15 psi or so on the dommie, no rim lock, rocky ground.

(Bilstain in the Ardennes. Lovely place.)

Do be careful on that first roundabout though.