The air pressure in electric bikes and regular bikes is one of the most important things that can affect your cycling experience, not only this but also the air pressure can affect your safety while riding an electric bike.
The tires are the first point of contact between the ebike and the ground & The air pressure inside the tire is one of the most important and controversial topics as well.
In fact, reaching the sweet spot of the air pressure inside the tire depends on several factors and also depends on your personal preferences.
In this post, we will explain how the air pressure inside the tire affects your cycling experience? and what are the factors that affect the change in the air adjustment? as well as the recommendations for air pressure according to the type of electric bike you own.
How the air pressure inside the tire affects your cycling experience?
When the air pressure in the tire is high, the contact area between the ground and the tire is small, which means less friction, higher speed, and also less battery consumption, and a greater range.
But what are all these advantages that you get from the increase in air pressure in the bike frame, some disadvantages, the first of which is the lack of grip and also the lack of comfort while riding and the feeling of all the rocks on the road?
On the other hand, when the air pressure in the tire is low, the contact area between the ground and the tire is larger, which means less speed, greater friction, and also a lower range as a result of the higher battery consumption.
From what we mentioned earlier, both high and low pressure have advantages and disadvantages, and to be more precise, each of them has specific uses and times.
Now let’s get into in detail how air pressure affects your cycling experience.
1-GRIP.
Controlling the electric bike is one of the most important points when riding a bike, because with the speed of the electric bike, which averages about 25 km per hour, you will definitely need to have full control over the bike, and the air pressure strongly affects this point because the higher the air pressure, the less friction The less grip.
2-Comfortable.
The comfort factor while riding an electric bike is one of the most important factors that make people want to own an electric bike.
The air pressure greatly affects the comfort factor because if the air pressure in the tire is high, you will feel all the rocks and potholes on the road, especially if you are riding your bike in an unpaved area.
And vice versa, if the air pressure in the tire is low, you will be more comfortable while riding.
3-Range
The range you travel with your electric bike will be clearly affected by the air pressure. The higher the pressure, the greater the range due to the friction of the tire with the ground, thus reducing battery consumption.
4-Speed.
The speed of an electric bike is directly proportional to the air pressure. The more air, the lower the coefficient of friction with the ground and the higher the speed.
As can be seen from the previous information, getting the right air pressure for your bike and your needs is a necessary matter, but the important question now is how do I choose the right air pressure.
What are the factors that affect choosing the correct tire pressure?
Tire manufacturers put a range of air pressure on the tire and it is placed on the side of the tire.
Air preasure is measured by PSI, which means pressure square inch.
You will find that the range varies according to the type of tire and the purpose of the tire and also the factors that we will explain later in this section.
This means that there is no fixed measurement for the tire’s air pressure.
Therefore, in this part of the post, we will explain what are the factors that affect determining the right air pressure measurement for you.
1- What is your daily use of your ebike?
The first factor that helps you choose a suitable air pressure is to ask yourself what is the daily use of your electric bike.
For example, if you ride your bike to go to work and mostly use the bike in the city, you will most likely need high air pressure to give you the highest range.
But if you ride the bike once or twice a week and like to ride it in unpaved terrain, you will need to reduce the air pressure inside the tires to get comfort and the ability to control.
2-Do you carry staff on your ebike?
Loading heavy things on the electric bike increases the weight of the bike and this means that you may need high air pressure inside the tires so that the bike can move properly.
Tip: If you are carrying a lot of items on the rear tire, increase the air pressure for this tire and adjust the front tire to about 5 PSI lower to get balance.
3-Are you a heavy rider?
If you are a heavyweight Rider, you must take into account that your weight will be added to the weight of the bike, which may require you
to increase the air pressure in the tires in order to be able to obtain the required performance.
4- How is your city road looks like?
This point is one of the most important points in determining the level of air pressure inside the tires, as the quality of the roads in your city greatly affects the extent to which you need high or low pressure in the tires of your electric bike.
For example, if you live in an icy area and ride your bike on snow on a daily basis, you will most likely need to reduce the air pressure
inside the tire in order to obtain high control.
But if you ride your bike in the city, high air pressure is the best choice for you.
5- What is your ebike tire type?
One of the most important factors that affect determining the appropriate air pressure for your bicycle tire is the quality of the tire itself. A city tire needs different air pressure than racing tires and mountain tires.
For this, you will need to adjust the air according to the manufacturer’s recommendations with the small adjustments that we will explain later in this post.
6- What is your riding style?
The way you ride your electric bike is one of the factors that affect determining the appropriate air pressure for your ebike tire.
If you are a fan of speed and maneuvers on the bike, increasing the air inside the tire will help you with this, but it should be noted here that the increase in the air does not mean exceeding the recommended limit for air pressure so that you can control the bike and also to maintain the tire.
But if you are one of the people who prefer comfort while riding, reducing the air pressure in the tire will be better for you.
7- Are you using tubes or tubeless?
You should take into account whether your ebike tire has a tube or is tubeless because tube tires will need to increase the air pressure in it
about 3 or 4 PSI in order to get the desired performance from it.
How Much Air Should I Put In My Ebike Tires?
Giving a specific number for ebike tires’ air pressure is illogical because it is all subject to personal preferences and the factors that we mentioned earlier.
Therefore, in this part, we will define some ranges through which you can start choosing the right air size for you.
As a general rule for electric bikes for city and cargo, the appropriate air pressure is between 40 to 80 PSI
As for mountain electric bikes, the air pressure suitable for their tires is between 25 to 30 PSI.
When you should inflate your tire?
Inflating the electric bike tire and checking the air volume is an important and necessary thing, but the most important question is when to do it.
This question depends on how you rely on an electric bike. If you ride a bike on a daily basis, you should at least check the tire air every two to three days.
If you are a recreational rider, you should check the air pressure every time you ride a bike.
Read Also, Why Is My Ebike Tire Losing Air Overnight? (Explained)
How to inflate your ebike tire?
The method of inflating the tire in an electric bike is not very different from ordinary bicycles, but what may be different is the type of valve. Generally, there are two types of valves, namely Presta Valve and Schrader, and most electric bikes have a Presta Valve.
Read Also, How to Use a Presta Valve Adapter On ebike? (Explained)
Check out this video for the correct way to inflate your bike tire.
Conclusion:
Finally, what I would like to say is that choosing the right air pressure must depend on your personal experience and preferences. There is nothing right or wrong in this matter.
All you have to take care of is that the air measurement inside the tire is within the same range specified by the tire manufacturer and can be slightly more or less
