Wider road tyres have changed the pressure conversation. Riders who once pumped 23 mm tyres to 100 psi or more now run 28–32 mm tyres at far lower pressures, often tubeless and often on hookless rims. Getting the number right makes your bike more comfortable, gives you more grip and, on real roads, can make it faster. Getting it wrong can mean pinch flats, a vague-feeling bike or, on hookless rims, a tyre that exceeds its safe limit.

This guide uses manufacturers' own published figures, checked in October 2026: Schwalbe's pressure recommendations by rider weight, ETRTO hookless limits as published by Schwalbe, Zipp's wheel-specific maximums and the calculators that tyre and wheel brands provide. Treat every number as a starting point, then fine-tune.

Start with the safety limits

Before you look at any recommendation, check the maximum pressures for your rim and your tyre. Always use the lower of the two.

This matters most on hookless (Tubeless Straight Side, TSS) rims. Schwalbe publishes the ETRTO maximum pressures for its TLE/TLR tyres on hookless rims:

Zipp's road wheel manual gives the same pattern for its hookless wheels: 72 psi / 5.0 bar for 28–29 mm tyres and 65 psi / 4.5 bar for 30–32 mm (30–34 mm on some models) tyres. So the commonly quoted "72.5 psi hookless limit" applies only to tyres up to 29 mm. Wider tyres on hookless rims have a lower ceiling.

Schwalbe also notes that only TLE/TLR (tubeless-ready) tyres should be used on hookless rims. Many wheel brands also set a minimum tyre width (often 28 mm) for their hookless rims. Check your wheel's manual.

Weigh the whole system

Pressure depends on load, so start with the total weight the tyres carry: you, your bike, bottles, bags and kit. Calculators such as Zipp's and SILCA's ask for weight and tyre width, and SILCA's asks for the measured inflated tyre width rather than the size printed on the sidewall.

Two practical points:

• The rear carries more weight than the front, so the rear tyre usually runs higher. Schwalbe's table below shows rear pressures 0.2–0.5 bar higher than the front.
• Labelled width isn't actual width. Schwalbe's compatibility table shows that a 28 mm Pro One can measure anywhere from about 27 to 30 mm depending on rim width. Measure your inflated tyre with callipers if you use a calculator.

Starting pressures by rider weight: Schwalbe's table

Schwalbe publishes pressure recommendations by rider weight for its Pro One TLE tyre, mounted on a rim with a 19 mm internal width. We've converted bar to psi (rounded):

How to use it:

• Schwalbe's table is by rider weight, on a 19 mm rim. Wider rims make a tyre bigger, so you'll usually need slightly less pressure.
• Check the hookless limits. Several values in the table exceed the hookless maximums above. For example, an 81–85 kg rider's 28 mm rear figure of 6.0 bar is above the 5.0 bar hookless limit, and the 30 mm rear figure of 5.0 bar is above the 4.5 bar limit for 30–34 mm. On a hookless rim, you must stay at or below the limit. Consider a wider tyre so you can run a lower pressure safely.
• Schwalbe doesn't list 32 mm in this table. For 32 mm, use a calculator, or start a little below the 30 mm values and adjust.

Worked example

A 78 kg rider has a bike with hookless rims and 28 mm tubeless tyres. Schwalbe's table suggests 5.3 bar (77 psi) front and 5.8 bar (84 psi) rear for 76–80 kg. Both figures are above the 5.0 bar (72.5 psi) hookless limit for 25–29 mm tyres. This rider has two safe options:

1. Stay on 28 mm and keep both tyres at or below 5.0 bar, accepting a slightly softer setup; or
2. Switch to 30 mm tyres. Schwalbe suggests 4.6 bar (67 psi) front and 4.8 bar (70 psi) rear for this weight, but the 30–34 mm hookless limit is 4.5 bar (65 psi), so they would run at or just under 4.5 bar.

The wider tyre gives the same support at a lower pressure, which is exactly why wheel makers set lower limits for wider tyres.

Use a calculator for your exact setup

Brand calculators take more variables into account than any single table:

• SRAM/Zipp tyre pressure guide (axs.sram.com/guides/tire/pressure): Zipp's wheel manual points riders here for suggested front and rear pressures by tyre width and rider weight.
• SILCA Pro Tire Pressure Calculator (silca.cc): asks for system weight, measured tyre width, wheel size, tyre type, surface and speed.

Use the calculator's result as your starting point, then fine-tune on the road in small steps of about 2–3 psi.

Tubeless vs inner tubes

Tubeless tyres can usually run at lower pressures than tubed setups because there's no inner tube to pinch against the rim. Lower pressure gives more grip and comfort without the same pinch-flat risk.

Practical rules:

• Start from the tyre or wheel maker's recommendation for tubeless, not your old tubed numbers.
• Never exceed the hookless limits above, regardless of setup.
• Use the right tyres. On hookless rims, use tyres the rim and tyre makers approve for that rim, which for Schwalbe means TLE/TLR models.
• Recheck pressure more often in the first days after setting up tubeless, as sealant settles.

28 vs 30 vs 32 mm: which width?

Tyre makers keep adding wider sizes. In March 2026, Continental added a 35 mm Grand Prix 5000 S TR and a 30 mm Grand Prix 5000 TT TR, saying the 35 mm size enables lower pressures for less vibration and more comfort.

Choose by measured width and check your frame's clearance. Many current race frames clear 32 mm, but not all.

Why lower pressure can be faster

On a perfectly smooth surface, a harder tyre usually rolls with less resistance. Real roads aren't smooth. When a tyre is too hard to absorb bumps, the bike and rider are bounced around, which wastes energy. As pressure drops, a tyre absorbs more of that roughness. Below a certain point, though, the tyre deforms too much and rolling resistance rises again. The fastest pressure for a given road and load sits somewhere in between.

SILCA's calculator, for example, asks about road surface for this reason: rougher surfaces call for lower pressures. In practice:

1. Start from a calculator or manufacturer recommendation.
2. Ride a familiar loop. If the bike feels harsh and skips over bumps, drop 2–3 psi.
3. If it feels vague or squirmy in corners, or you feel the rim on sharp edges, add 2–3 psi.
4. Stop when the bike feels both comfortable and precise, and note your numbers.

Fine-tuning for conditions

Wet roads. Many riders drop a few psi for extra grip and compliance in the rain. Stay above the point where the tyre feels unstable.

Temperature. Air pressure changes with temperature. A tyre pumped up in a warm room will lose pressure on a cold morning. Check pressure where you ride, not just in a heated garage.

Altitude. Pressure readings shift with altitude. If you drive to a high mountain start, check your tyres there.

Gauges. Floor-pump gauges vary in accuracy. Use the same gauge consistently, or a dedicated digital gauge, so your numbers mean the same thing each time.

Quick checklist

1. Find the maximum pressure for your rim and tyre; use the lower one.
2. On hookless rims, stay at or below 5.0 bar (25–29 mm) or 4.5 bar (30–34 mm).
3. Weigh yourself with your bike and kit.
4. Measure your inflated tyre width.
5. Get a starting pressure from Schwalbe's table or a calculator.
6. Run the rear slightly higher than the front.
7. Fine-tune in 2–3 psi steps and write down what works.

Frequently asked questions

What pressure should I run in 28 mm road tyres?

Schwalbe recommends 4.6 bar (about 67 psi) front and 4.8 bar (about 70 psi) rear for a 66–70 kg rider on its Pro One TLE (19 mm rim), rising to 5.3/5.8 bar for 76–80 kg. Adjust for rim width and conditions, and respect hookless limits.

What pressure for 30 mm tyres?

Schwalbe recommends 4.0 bar (about 58 psi) front and 4.2 bar (about 61 psi) rear for a 66–70 kg rider on its Pro One TLE. On hookless rims, 30–34 mm tyres have a 4.5 bar (65 psi) maximum.

What's the maximum pressure on hookless rims?

Under ETRTO guidance published by Schwalbe: 5.0 bar for 25–29 mm tyres, 4.5 bar for 30–34 mm and 4.0 bar for 35–39 mm. Some wheel makers set lower limits, so check your wheel manual and use the lowest figure.

Should the rear tyre be higher than the front?

Yes, usually. The rear carries more weight. Schwalbe's recommendations run the rear 0.2–0.5 bar higher than the front.

Does a tubeless tyre need less pressure?

Usually, yes, because there's no inner tube to pinch. Start from the tubeless recommendations for your tyre and wheel, and never exceed the rim's maximum.

How often should I check tyre pressure?

Before every ride is ideal, especially with tubeless tyres and lightweight inner tubes, which lose air faster than heavier tubes.

The bottom line

Respect the safety limits first, especially the lower hookless maximum for 30 mm and wider tyres. Then start from a manufacturer's table or calculator, run the rear slightly higher than the front and fine-tune on the road. For most riders on 28–32 mm tubeless tyres, that means far lower pressures than the 100 psi era, with more comfort and grip as a result.

Sources

• Schwalbe road bike technology: Pro One TLE pressure recommendations and compatibility table
• Schwalbe: hookless (TSS) requirements and ETRTO maximum pressures and Schwalbe hookless info (PDF)
• Zipp road wheels user manual (maximum tyre pressures) and SRAM tyre pressure guide
• SILCA Pro Tire Pressure Calculator
• Continental: Grand Prix 5000 S TR 35 mm and TT TR 30 mm (10 March 2026)

Equipment mentioned in this guide

• SILCA Pista Plus floor pump
• Digital tyre pressure gauge for Presta valves
• Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR 30 mm

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