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New Bike Day: Tyre Pressures and Tubeless Setup

It’s new bike day, either you’re waiting for it to turn up, or you have it in your front room.

Whether you’re a seasoned rider wanting a reminder or a new cyclist who needs some help, we are here to support you. In that vein, we’ve written a few guides to get you started. It’s not meant to be a comprehensive guide, just to get you moving and comfortable on your new bike.

As always if we’ve missed something or if you need any further help, give us a call or an email on the contact form which you can find here and one of our team will be happy to help.

Continuing from our New Bike Guide, which you can find here. In these articles, we’re going to take a deep dive into some of the more important topics.

In this article, we're going to talk about tyres. Getting your tyres set up properly is one of the core factors in making any bike ride and feel good. Whether you've got a downhill bike or a track bike, it's something you can endlessly obsess over.

So you've got a new bike from Biketart, what do you need to know?

If you've bought a mountain bike, well done! It's a good move.

The first thing to know is not all bikes come with tubes. If you buy a Kona hardtail it'll certainly come with tubes in it, if you buy a Yeti it'll be set up tubeless out of the box. This is because some brands ship the bikes with tubes and some just send a box of parts.

If you're not sure then give our bike sales team a message and ask, if it's not already we can set it up before you even see it, no mess, no faffing around.

Road, gravel and hybrid bikes will all come with tubes in them as standard. Not all are tubeless compatible but if you fancy it we'll do it before it goes in a box.

What pressures do they come with?

As a general rule, over-inflated. So that the bike gets to you as safely as possible without sealant soaking everything or broken rims we put around 30psi in your MTB tyres, 40 for gravel and hybrids and around 90psi for road bikes.

There are some great guides online but as a general rule of thumb:

  • MTB and Ebikes: 25psi 
  • Gravel bikes: 40psi
  • Hybrid bikes: 35psi
  • Road Bikes 80psi

How to Adjust for Terrain

  • For Smooth, Fast Surfaces (Road & Gravel): You’ll want slightly higher pressure for lower rolling resistance. Think 80-90psi for road bikes and around 40psi for gravel bikes. This helps keep the bike rolling quickly on flat, paved paths.
  • For Rough Trails (Mountain & Enduro): Lower pressure gives better traction and comfort on technical trails. 25-30psi is often ideal for mountain bikes, but this will vary depending on the terrain. If you’re hitting rough, rocky tracks, dropping the pressure even further can help the tyre absorb bumps and give more grip but can lead to rim dings.

Comfort vs. Speed

  • Comfort: Lower pressures allow the tyre to flex more, smoothing out the ride on rough terrain and absorbing vibrations. However, too low, you'll lose efficiency.
  • Speed: Higher pressures give you less rolling resistance, which makes the bike faster on smooth, hard-packed surfaces. But, again, too much pressure can make the ride feel harsh and slippery when you need traction.

The Science Behind It

While high pressure was once thought to reduce rolling resistance, recent tests show that lower pressures can actually improve efficiency by allowing the tyres to absorb vibrations and deform more evenly over rough surfaces. This means better comfort and control without sacrificing speed, just as long as you’re not running them too soft.

Fine-Tuning Your Pressure

You can adjust your tyre pressure based on rider weight, bike type, tyre width, and trail conditions. Lightweight riders may be able to run a bit lower pressure than heavier riders, and bigger tyres (like those on enduro bikes) tend to need lower pressure than skinnier ones.

  • For Rider Weight: If you’re heavier, you’ll likely need slightly higher pressure to avoid bottoming out your tyres.
  • For Trail Conditions: Wet or muddy trails often require firmer pressure to keep the tyre from sinking too deeply, while loose, rocky trails benefit from lower pressures to give you more grip.

Start with the Manufacturer’s Recommendations

Most tyres will have a recommended PSI range printed on the sidewall. Use this as your starting point and adjust based on how your bike feels when riding. Try making small adjustments (1-2psi) to see how the pressure affects your ride.

For a more personalised pressure chart, check out this calculator from Silca or Wolftooth Components.

The Silca Tyre Pressure Calculator

The Wolftooth Tyre Pressure App

How do I know what pressure I've got in my tyres?

For that, you'll need a pressure gauge. For convenience, a good track pump with a gauge is the best move. 

We'd recommend the Topeak Joe Blow Sport III or JoeBlow Sport Digital.

For on the move or in the car park in the woods, we use the Topeak Smarthead Gauge D2. These are great because you can flip the valve and use it on your car tyres too.

The Key Takeaway

Tyre pressure is an easy, effective way to tweak your bike’s performance—and it doesn’t cost a thing. Whether you're chasing comfort on a trail or trying to shave off seconds on a road ride, a little experimentation goes a long way. Keep a good tyre pressure gauge handy, and don’t be afraid to make adjustments as conditions change. Your bike (and your ride) will thank you.