These pressures come from the same model as our tire pressure calculator, using its city bike defaults: 700c wheels, a 31 lb (14 kg) bike, 2 lb (1 kg) of lock or bag, a rim with a 19 mm internal width, a puncture-resistant reinforced tire, typical pavement and 40 % of the weight on the front wheel. The model aims for the tire to always compress by the same fraction of its height, the idea behind Frank Berto’s measurements, and for city riding it adds a 12 % margin for curbs and potholes. Each cell gives front / rear in psi, with bar in parentheses.
Pressure with butyl inner tubes
| Your weight | 35 mm | 40 mm | 42 mm | 47 mm | 55 mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 lb (50 kg) | 33 / 50 (2.3 / 3.4) | 29 / 43 (2.0 / 3.0) | 27 / 41 (1.9 / 2.8) | 24 / 36 (1.6 / 2.5) | 19 / 28 (1.3 / 2.0) |
| 120 lb (54 kg) | 35 / 53 (2.4 / 3.7) | 31 / 46 (2.1 / 3.2) | 29 / 43 (2.0 / 3.0) | 25 / 38 (1.8 / 2.6) | 20 / 30 (1.4 / 2.1) |
| 130 lb (59 kg) | 38 / 57 (2.6 / 3.9) | 33 / 49 (2.2 / 3.4) | 31 / 46 (2.1 / 3.2) | 27 / 41 (1.9 / 2.8) | 22 / 32 (1.5 / 2.2) |
| 140 lb (64 kg) | 40 / 60 (2.8 / 4.1) | 35 / 52 (2.4 / 3.6) | 33 / 49 (2.3 / 3.4) | 29 / 43 (2.0 / 3.0) | 23 / 34 (1.6 / 2.4) |
| 150 lb (68 kg) | 42 / 64 (2.9 / 4.4) | 37 / 55 (2.5 / 3.8) | 35 / 52 (2.4 / 3.6) | 30 / 46 (2.1 / 3.1) | 24 / 36 (1.7 / 2.5) |
| 160 lb (73 kg) | 45 / 67 (3.1 / 4.6) | 39 / 58 (2.7 / 4.0) | 37 / 55 (2.5 / 3.8) | 32 / 48 (2.2 / 3.3) | 26 / 38 (1.8 / 2.6) |
| 170 lb (77 kg) | 47 / 70 (3.2 / 4.9) | 41 / 61 (2.8 / 4.2) | 38 / 58 (2.6 / 4.0) | 34 / 51 (2.3 / 3.5) | 27 / 40 (1.9 / 2.8) |
| 180 lb (82 kg) | 49 / 74 (3.4 / 5.1) | 43 / 64 (2.9 / 4.4) | 40 / 60 (2.8 / 4.2) | 35 / 53 (2.4 / 3.7) | 28 / 42 (1.9 / 2.9) |
| 190 lb (86 kg) | 52 / 77 (3.6 / 5.3) | 45 / 67 (3.1 / 4.6) | 42 / 63 (2.9 / 4.4) | 37 / 56 (2.6 / 3.8) | 29 / 44 (2.0 / 3.0) |
| 200 lb (91 kg) | 54 / 81 (3.7 / 5.6) | 47 / 70 (3.2 / 4.8) | 44 / 66 (3.0 / 4.6) | 39 / 58 (2.7 / 4.0) | 31 / 46 (2.1 / 3.2) |
| 210 lb (95 kg) | 56 / 84 (3.9 / 5.8) | 49 / 73 (3.3 / 5.0) | 46 / 69 (3.2 / 4.8) | 40 / 61 (2.8 / 4.2) | 32 / 48 (2.2 / 3.3) |
| 220 lb (100 kg) | 59 / 88 (4.0 / 6.1) | 51 / 76 (3.5 / 5.2) | 48 / 72 (3.3 / 4.9) | 42 / 63 (2.9 / 4.4) | 33 / 50 (2.3 / 3.5) |
| 230 lb (104 kg) | 61 / 91 (4.2 / 6.3) | 53 / 79 (3.6 / 5.4) | 50 / 75 (3.4 / 5.1) | 44 / 66 (3.0 / 4.5) | 35 / 52 (2.4 / 3.6) |
| 240 lb (109 kg) | 63 / 95 (4.4 / 6.5) | 55 / 82 (3.8 / 5.6) | 52 / 77 (3.6 / 5.3) | 45 / 68 (3.1 / 4.7) | 36 / 54 (2.5 / 3.7) |
Tubeless pressure
| Your weight | 35 mm | 40 mm | 42 mm | 47 mm | 55 mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 lb (50 kg) | 32 / 48 (2.2 / 3.3) | 27 / 41 (1.9 / 2.8) | 26 / 39 (1.8 / 2.7) | 23 / 34 (1.6 / 2.4) | 18 / 27 (1.3 / 1.9) |
| 120 lb (54 kg) | 34 / 51 (2.3 / 3.5) | 29 / 44 (2.0 / 3.0) | 28 / 42 (1.9 / 2.9) | 24 / 37 (1.7 / 2.5) | 19 / 29 (1.3 / 2.0) |
| 130 lb (59 kg) | 36 / 54 (2.5 / 3.8) | 31 / 47 (2.2 / 3.2) | 30 / 44 (2.0 / 3.1) | 26 / 39 (1.8 / 2.7) | 21 / 31 (1.4 / 2.1) |
| 140 lb (64 kg) | 39 / 58 (2.7 / 4.0) | 33 / 50 (2.3 / 3.4) | 31 / 47 (2.2 / 3.3) | 28 / 42 (1.9 / 2.9) | 22 / 33 (1.5 / 2.3) |
| 150 lb (68 kg) | 41 / 61 (2.8 / 4.2) | 35 / 53 (2.4 / 3.6) | 33 / 50 (2.3 / 3.4) | 29 / 44 (2.0 / 3.0) | 23 / 35 (1.6 / 2.4) |
| 160 lb (73 kg) | 43 / 64 (3.0 / 4.4) | 37 / 56 (2.6 / 3.8) | 35 / 53 (2.4 / 3.6) | 31 / 46 (2.1 / 3.2) | 25 / 37 (1.7 / 2.5) |
| 170 lb (77 kg) | 45 / 68 (3.1 / 4.7) | 39 / 58 (2.7 / 4.0) | 37 / 55 (2.5 / 3.8) | 32 / 49 (2.2 / 3.4) | 26 / 39 (1.8 / 2.7) |
| 180 lb (82 kg) | 47 / 71 (3.3 / 4.9) | 41 / 61 (2.8 / 4.2) | 39 / 58 (2.7 / 4.0) | 34 / 51 (2.3 / 3.5) | 27 / 41 (1.9 / 2.8) |
| 190 lb (86 kg) | 50 / 74 (3.4 / 5.1) | 43 / 64 (3.0 / 4.4) | 41 / 61 (2.8 / 4.2) | 36 / 54 (2.5 / 3.7) | 28 / 43 (2.0 / 2.9) |
| 200 lb (91 kg) | 52 / 78 (3.6 / 5.4) | 45 / 67 (3.1 / 4.6) | 42 / 64 (2.9 / 4.4) | 37 / 56 (2.6 / 3.9) | 30 / 44 (2.0 / 3.1) |
| 210 lb (95 kg) | 54 / 81 (3.7 / 5.6) | 47 / 70 (3.2 / 4.8) | 44 / 66 (3.0 / 4.6) | 39 / 58 (2.7 / 4.0) | 31 / 46 (2.1 / 3.2) |
| 220 lb (100 kg) | 56 / 84 (3.9 / 5.8) | 49 / 73 (3.4 / 5.0) | 46 / 69 (3.2 / 4.8) | 40 / 61 (2.8 / 4.2) | 32 / 48 (2.2 / 3.3) |
| 230 lb (104 kg) | 59 / 88 (4.0 / 6.1) | 51 / 76 (3.5 / 5.2) | 48 / 72 (3.3 / 4.9) | 42 / 63 (2.9 / 4.4) | 33 / 50 (2.3 / 3.5) |
| 240 lb (109 kg) | 61 / 91 (4.2 / 6.3) | 52 / 79 (3.6 / 5.4) | 50 / 74 (3.4 / 5.1) | 44 / 66 (3.0 / 4.5) | 35 / 52 (2.4 / 3.6) |
Tubeless needs about 4 % less than a butyl tube. With latex or TPU tubes, use this chart too.
If you’re not riding on typical pavement
| Surface | Change from the chart | Example: 165 lb, 42 mm, tubeless |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh pavement or smooth bike path | +4 % | 38 / 56 psi (2.6 / 3.9 bar) |
| Typical pavement | 0 % | 36 / 54 psi (2.5 / 3.7 bar) |
| Rough, broken pavement | −6 % | 34 / 51 psi (2.3 / 3.5 bar) |
| Hardpacked dirt path | −10 % | 32 / 48 psi (2.2 / 3.3 bar) |
| Cobblestones or brick | −12 % | 32 / 47 psi (2.2 / 3.3 bar) |
How to read the chart
- Your weight without the bike. Whatever you carry on the rack or in the basket adds to your weight: 22 lb (10 kg) of groceries or panniers moves you two rows down.
- Between two rows, take the value in the middle.
- Child seat or a load on the back. Nearly all that weight sits on the rear wheel: keep the front at the row for your own weight and, for the rear, add about 1.7 times that load to your weight (a child seat with a 33 lb child: about 55 lb more).
- 26” or 27.5” wheels: they need about 3 % more than a 700c tire of the same width.
- E-bikes: the calculator assumes a 53 lb (24 kg) bike instead of 31 lb, and a different weight split. Use the calculator with the e-bike type.
- Sidewall maximum: the higher cells in the 35 mm column, above 87 psi (6 bar) at the rear, may exceed your tire’s maximum. Always respect what’s printed on the sidewall.
Check your pressure often: tubes lose air over time, and a soft tire pinches more easily on curbs (if that happens, see how to fix a flat tire). If your pump head doesn’t fit, check whether your valve is Presta, Schrader or Dunlop in the bike valve chart. We explain it all in the bike tire pressure guide. To hang next to your pump, there’s the printable tire pressure chart, and if you ride gravel, the gravel tire pressure chart.
Frequently asked questions
What tire pressure should I run on a hybrid bike with 42 mm tires?
At 165 lb with inner tubes, 37 / 56 psi (2.6 / 3.9 bar) front / rear on pavement. At 140 lb, 33 / 49 psi (2.3 / 3.4 bar); at 200 lb, 44 / 66 psi (3.0 / 4.6 bar).
Why does the rear tire need so much more pressure than the front?
Because sitting upright on a hybrid or city bike puts about 60 % of your weight on the rear wheel. For both tires to compress the same amount, the rear needs about 50 % more pressure.
What if my tire's maximum pressure is lower than the chart?
The tire wins: never go above the maximum printed on the sidewall. If the chart gives you more, switch to a wider tire or reduce the load on your rear rack.