What pressure for your bike tires?

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Tire Pressure Calculator

Advanced settings Rim, casing and load
Hookless rim
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Tire pressure is a key setting for comfort, performance… and the fun of riding. Overinflated, your tire loses grip and comfort. Underinflated? You risk flats, a vague feeling, or worse: rim strikes.

That is why we created this simple, fast bike tire pressure calculator, based on several key criteria:

  • Total weight (bike + rider + any bags)
  • The actual tire width, measured in millimeters
  • Terrain type (road, smooth gravel, rough trails)
  • Tire type: tubetype, tubeless or tubular

With this tool, you get a recommended pressure for the front and rear tire, expressed in bar. The calculation is based on Gravel Passion’s field recommendations, combined with a pressure table from real-world testing.

How to use this calculator?

How to set your gravel or road tire pressure properly?

👉 In gravel, too high a pressure hurts comfort and grip, especially on rocky tracks.
👉 On the road, too low a pressure increases the risk of pinch flats.

💡 General rule:

  • The wider the tire, the lower the pressure.
  • The higher the total weight, the higher the pressure should be.
  • The rear wheel carries more load, so pressure is slightly higher at the rear.

 

5 tips to inflate your gravel tires to the right pressure

Check the manufacturer’s manual or the tire label: the manufacturer often lists a recommended pressure range on the tire sidewall (in PSI or bar). It’s a good starting point.

Terrain type: on rougher ground, a lower pressure can offer better traction and a more comfortable ride. On smoother surfaces, a higher pressure can roll more efficiently.

Rider weight: if you are heavier, you will generally need a higher pressure to avoid pinch flats (also called “snakebite”).

→ Weather conditions: a slightly lower pressure can offer better traction on wet or slippery surfaces.

Tire type: tubeless tires can generally be run at slightly lower pressures than tires with inner tubes.

Why use a calculator rather than a fixed chart?

A pressure chart is useful but often too general. Our tool lets you combine several criteria and adapt to your real setup. It is also perfect for comparing your settings between two bikes, two tire setups or two rides (asphalt vs technical gravel).

In short

  • 📏 Enter your weight, tire width and terrain
  • ⚙️ Choose your tire type
  • 🎯 Get a personalized pressure for front and rear

But above all… Test, ride, adjust! Nothing replaces real-world feel, but this calculator gives you a reliable starting point.