The perennial topic of tyre pressure: How much air should be in the tyres?
Laurin Lehner
· 23.01.2026
Tyres are the number one tuning part on a mountain bike - and at the same time the only point of contact with the ground. They have a decisive influence on the riding experience and can either significantly improve or noticeably restrict the performance of a bike.
The perfect air pressure - a myth?
As a general rule, low tyre pressure provides more comfort, greater traction and therefore more safety. With less air pressure, the tyre adapts better to the ground. However, if you ride your mountain bike aggressively or frequently ride on blocked trails or root passages, you should choose a slightly higher tyre pressure. This reduces rolling, prevents punctures and increases both puncture resistance and rim protection.
Low tyre pressure ensures more comfort, greater traction and therefore more safety. More pressure reduces rolling, prevents punctures and increases both puncture resistance and rim protection.
So can there be such a thing as the perfect air pressure for mountain bike tyres? It depends. The best compromise always depends not only on the rim-tyre combination but also on individual preferences, the rider's weight and the nature of the trail. As a rough guide: With an operating weight of around 80 kilograms in a tubeless set-up, sensible values are 1.4 - 1.7 bar at the front and 1.5 - 1.8 bar at the rear.
Tips for trail and all-mountain use & suitable tyre combinations
On tame trails in the forest, I run 1.3 bar at the front and 1.4 bar at the rear. This way, my Pirelli Scorpion Enduro M interlocks perfectly with the ground and I have maximum grip. However, punctures are not an issue. - Max Fuchs, BIKE editor, 72 kilos
I ride the E-Thirteen Grappler on the front of my Santa Cruz Bronson, with DH casing on the rear for more damping and puncture protection. I pump 1.7 bar into both tyres. - Jasper Jauch, Youtuber and ex-racer, 75 kilos
The air pressure on my Canyon Spectral is 1.9 bar at the front and 2.0 bar at the rear. Yes, that's a lot, but it provides enormous support when you're on the ground. On technical climbs, I let the air down to 0.8 bar - for example on the tricky sections of my video project The whole Enchilada. - Braydon Bringhurst, professional biker, 75 kilos
Tips for enduro use & suitable tyre recommendations
My go-to tyre of choice is the Magic Mary Gravity Ultrasoft 2.5 from Schwalbe. Depending on the route, I pump between 1.3 and 1.5 bar at the front and between 1.4 and 1.7 bar at the rear - I tend to pump more because of my carbon wheels. - Raphaela Richter, professional enduro racer, 60 kilos
Over the years, I have lowered the tyre pressure more and more. Why? Because I don't ride flat with powerful enduro tyres anyway and experimentation has paid off. 1.4 bar at the front and 1.6 bar at the rear is my go-to tyre pressure on the Enduro. - Dimitri Lehner, BIKE editor, 75 kilos
I ride the Magic Mary in Super DH casing with Ultrasoft rubber compound - front and rear. My standard air pressure in tubeless set-up: 1.5 bar at the front, 1.7 bar at the rear. - Christian Textor, Enduro racer, 79 kilos
Tips for bike park and downhill & suitable tyre combinations
Excuse me? Some drive at 1.5 bar? Never! I need grip, especially when cornering in the park, otherwise it pulls the tyres off my rims. I run 2.1 bar at the front and 2.3 bar at the rear. - Brage Vestavik, professional biker, 95 kilos
Our standard air pressure for big bike tests in the park is 1.6 bar at the front and 1.7 bar at the rear. No matter whether tubular or tubeless. With solid downhill tyres, you generally don't have to worry about flats. - Laurin Lehner, BIKE editor, 75 kilos
I ride Schwalbe Big Betty in soft at the front and Tacky Chan in ultrasoft at the rear - tubeless, of course. I pump 2 bar into both tyres. Everything works with that. - Korbi Engstler, professional biker, 80 kilos
Interview: Suspension & tyre expert Marcus Klausmann
BIKE: Has the development of MTB tyres already come to an end, or is the enduro tyre for all terrains still to come?
MARCUS KLAUSMANN: There will always be improvements, but usually only in nuances. A mountain bike tyre for every terrain remains a dream. Grip, puncture resistance, rolling resistance, weight - you can never combine everything at the top level. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement. Many bikers ride bikes that are too downhill-heavy and, above all, tyres that are too heavy.
Which MTB tyres should hobby bikers choose and when is a change necessary?
Hobby freeriders don't need a super-soft rubber compound. More grip comes at the price of less durability - expensive and bad for the environment. I often ride enduro tyres quite low, especially at the rear. If the grip is slightly reduced, it doesn't bother me in normal everyday use.
Foam inserts like Cush Core - only for enduro racers or also useful for hobby freeriders?
More for racers. Because in racing, a flat tyre means: game over! To prevent this, tyre inserts are fitted. However, this comes with more weight and wheel inertia. What is more important to you - puncture protection and rim protection or agile riding behaviour? Everyone has to answer this question for themselves.
What is your perfect tyre pressure?
My tyre pressure: 1.75 bar at the front and 1.85 bar at the rear for enduro use. For me, this is the best setup to combine rim protection, grip and lateral support.
Laurin Lehner
Editor
