Tyre pressure??????

jod1983

Hi folks,
New to road cycling and have only taken delivery of my first road bike this evening (Giant Defy 4).
Dont want to seem a fool by asking this (but have to!!!) and apoligies in advance for its stupidness but how hard should the tyres be. These have arrived rock have and are breaking my back on these irish roads. Can I let a small bit of pressure out like an off road bike for comfort or just something to get use off??

C3PO

If you let pressure out you are much more likely to get punctures! I would always run 100psi+ to avoid this!

Alanstrainor

I ride 100psi+, usually 120. Maybe i would lower it to 90psi in winter.

Tbh, you'll just have to get used to it. It's going to be a shaking ride no matter what!

Keep_Her_Lit

Without knowing all the details, my advice would be not to reduce the pressure. Hopefully, the shop which sold you the bike hasn't overinflated the tyres. They are 700x25mm (correct me if I'm wrong), so they should be at fairly high pressure. If you reduce the pressure much below 100psi, you risk damaging the rim on the next pothole you hit, especially if you are a heavier rider.

If you have a pressure guage, check the pressure yourself and compare it to the markings on the tyre sidewall, which should provide some indication of the min/max pressure. Don't go below the min.

Did the shop carry out a proper bike fitting for you? On a road bike, the relationship between the height of the saddle and handlebars is important. A reasonable proportion of your weight should be taken by the bars, to give good weight distribution. If your riding position is too upright it will feel harsh and a lot of road shock will be transmitted up your spine.

Really, it's a brand new bike and you've only just thrown your leg over it. Give yourself a chance to get used to it. If it's still giving you grief in a couple of weeks, say, bring it back to the shop and ask them to check the fit. Or if you're really stuck, come back here for some more free and dodgy advice.

Khannie

jod1983 wrote: »

These have arrived rock have and are breaking my back on these irish roads.

Are you wearing cycling shorts? I wore normal shorts for the first while (before I owned cycling shorts). They make a big difference.

jod1983

Thanks for the replies folks.
To answer your questions:
Got a proper fitting alright, but done in a nice smooth car park. Will check pressures tomorrow.
Havent got shorts yet but will try and get over the weekend.
Always been a guy who wanted to run before i could walk, so ill give it a go.

Any recommendations on non clip cycling shoes. Ankle and foot were all over the place.
And any good apps for the iphone 4 in gps terms for cycling??

morana

I would say go to the max recommended on the tyre. Look on the wall and it says it there.

BTw on my tubulars for racing I get about 170psi in but they can do 200psi....I just dont have a pump that can that...

If you are a leisure cyclist then I would recommend every week inflate to the correct pressure

triggermortis

jod1983 wrote: »

Any recommendations on non clip cycling shoes. Ankle and foot were all over the place.
And any good apps for the iphone 4 in gps terms for cycling??

Not sure on the shoes but I have mapmyride on my iphone. My battery is on the way out so I've only got it working for an hour, but a few people use it here and it does a good job.

smacl

The padded shorts make a huge difference, as does putting the miles in and getting used to it. I also got one of these which has saved me plenty of ass and back pain on longer rides, and ride a wider tyre (32mm at 60psi) on a hybrid, but this all comes at the expense of significant speed loss, and more work going up hills. Dead comfy for long spins, but slower than a snail having a slow day.