Check out our mountain bike tire pressure calculator to find out what adjustment suits your needs.
IMPORTANT: For your safety, it is imperative that you never exceed the inflation pressures indicated by the manufacturer on the rim or the tire. If our calculator indicates a pressure higher than the pressure limit indicated by the manufacturer, stay below this limit.
Our mountain bike tire pressure calculator is a tool created to help you in your cycling practice. It consists in giving you a clear base from which it would be ideal to make adjustments, depending on the frame size, weight of your frame, tire model, the condition and adjustment of the suspensions. From this base, it is up to you to experiment during your outings to find the tire pressure that suits you best.
Other calculators
How is our MTB tire pressure calculator made?
As there is no general pressure that works for everyone and every need, we used data shared by different manufacturers and combined them to obtain an efficient calculator covering a wide range of scenarios
We have tried to cover the widest spectrum, so our bicycle tire pressure calculator takes into account the rider’s weight, experience, type of terrain, terrain conditions, wheel diameter, tire width, and whether the tires are tubeless or with an inner tube.
Do not forget to adapt, experiment, and adjust the pressure to your practice, because for reasons of comfort and safety, it is indeed important to inflate your tires differently.
Mountain bike tubeless tire pressure calculator
Our pressure calculator takes into account the type of tire you are using. Compared to a conventional tire, a tubeless tire will be less susceptible to punctures and can be set at a lower pressure without compromising performance. Obviously, the pressure of a tubeless tire should not be too low, as a minimum is required for the tire to be properly mounted on the rim.
Mountain bike tire pressure chart
In order to provide you with more information, you will find below a table associating the weight of the cyclist with the tire pressure of his mountain bike according to his type of activity.
As for our bike tyre pressure calculator, we distinguish here between 4 areas, cross country, enduro, trail, and gravity/downhill.
The table below was made from the MTB Pressure Prof provided by Schwalbe.
To obtain these results, we considered that the rider was equipped with a 30mm rim for a 2.4″ tire width (a common tire size).
| XC | XC | Enduro | Enduro | Trail | Trail | Gravity / Downhill | Gravity / Downhill | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rider weight (Lbs) | Rear (PSI) | Front (PSI) | Rear (PSI) | Front (PSI) | Rear (PSI) | Front (PSI) | Rear (PSI) | Front (PSI) |
| 88 | 27 | 25 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 21 |
| 110 | 28 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 22 |
| 132 | 29 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 23 | 24 | 23 |
| 154 | 29 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 28 | 25 | 25 | 23 |
| 176 | 32 | 29 | 28 | 25 | 29 | 26 | 26 | 23 |
| 198 | 35 | 32 | 30 | 28 | 32 | 29 | 29 | 26 |
| 220 | 36 | 33 | 33 | 30 | 35 | 32 | 32 | 29 |
If you’re looking for a more aggressive riding style, we recommend adjusting the pressure of your front and rear tires so that it is the same for both.
Please remember that the data provided here is for information purposes only and is not intended to be interpreted as absolute and definitive truth. To find the ideal pressure for your profile, you can start from this base and experiment to adjust to what suits you best.
Do you have tubeless tires and are not concerned by the above table? No problem, we got you.
Mountain bike tubeless tire pressure chart
In this table, find an indication of the MTB tire pressure according to the rider’s weight and activity. As for the previous table, we cover the cross-country, enduro, trail, and gravity/downhill.
The table below was made from the MTB Pressure Prof provided by Schwalbe.
To obtain these results, we considered that the rider had a 30mm rim for a 2.4″ tire width (a common setup).
| XC | XC | Enduro | Enduro | Trail | Trail | Gravity / Downhill | Gravity / Downhill | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rider weight (lbs) | Rear (PSI) | Front (PSI) | Rear (PSI) | Front (PSI) | Rear (PSI) | Front (PSI) | Rear (PSI) | Front (PSI) |
| 88 | 24 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 16 |
| 110 | 25 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 17 |
| 132 | 26 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 18 |
| 154 | 27 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 25 | 22 | 22 | 19 |
| 176 | 29 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 26 | 23 | 23 | 20 |
| 198 | 32 | 29 | 28 | 25 | 29 | 26 | 26 | 23 |
| 220 | 33 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 32 | 29 | 29 | 26 |
If you’re looking for a more aggressive riding style, we recommend adjusting the pressure of your front and rear tires so that it is the same for both.
As with the previous table, this data here is not intended to be considered an absolute reference for your tire pressure. It is a base that we give you so that you can have a starting point in your adjustments to find the right tire pressure for your profile.
What is a mountain bike tubeless tire?
Tubeless mountain bike tires (or even all tubeless bicycle tires) work on the same principle as car tires. They do not require an inner tube. So, without this very specific element, the risk of a puncture is eliminated.
However, to use them, it is essential to have a suitable rim, which differs slightly from a conventional rim. In fact, a rim for tubeless tires has a double wall that allows the tire to be held in position only by the pressure of the air trapped inside.
What are inner tubes made of?
Generally, inner tubes are made of butyl (black inner tubes) or can sometimes be made of latex (pink inner tubes).
The major difference between the two materials is their porosity. Butyl has a maximum seal while latex is much more porous, a latex inner tube will lose pressure over a day.
Are all inner tubes the same?
No, there are several different models.
First, the diameter of your bike wheel will influence the size of your tube.
Secondly, there are different weights possible for your inner tube. Indeed, depending on the weight of the tube, your performance can change. The rotating weight is an important factor in your acceleration, naturally, a heavier weight will be more difficult to move.
On the other hand, decreasing the weight of the tube is not without disadvantages, because the lower the weight, the less resistant the tube is to puncture. The idea is to find the right compromise between weight and puncture resistance.
Our advice: it is better to privilege the resistance to shocks and punctures even if it means being heavier (in any case, this kind of optimization is not for beginners).
