Bike PSI Calculator
The only calculator that covers every bike type in a single tool — from 20 PSI kids' bikes to 130 PSI road racing setups — with precise front and rear PSI based on your exact weight and tire width. Also see the road bike PSI guide and mountain bike PSI guide for full width tables. Riding gravel specifically? Our gravel-only tire pressure calculator narrows this tool down to just the four gravel surface categories for a faster, more focused result.
Quick Reference — Bike Tire Pressure by Type
Pre-calculated results for common setups — use the calculator below for your exact inputs.
| Rider & Setup | Front (PSI / Bar) | Rear (PSI / Bar) |
|---|---|---|
| Road bike — 700×28mm tubed, 180 lb (82 kg) rider, smooth tarmac | 76 PSI (5.2 bar) | 80 PSI (5.5 bar) |
| MTB trail — 29×2.4" tubeless, trail casing, 165 lb (75 kg) rider, mixed | 25 PSI (1.7 bar) | 27 PSI (1.9 bar) |
| Gravel — 700×40mm tubeless, 165 lb (75 kg) rider, mixed gravel | 39 PSI (2.7 bar) | 42 PSI (2.9 bar) |
| Hybrid / commuter — 700×40mm tubed, 165 lb (75 kg) rider, pavement | 60 PSI (4.1 bar) | 64 PSI (4.4 bar) |
| Fat bike — 4.0" tubed, 165 lb (75 kg) rider, pavement | 16 PSI (1.1 bar) | 20 PSI (1.4 bar) |
Results shown for 75 kg (165 lb) rider. Adjust ±5 PSI (±0.35 bar) per 10 kg weight difference.
Rider only
Typical road bike: 16–22 lbs
Tire width
Rim type
Tire setup
Typical Scenarios
Bike PSI by Type: Real Examples
Road bike — 180 lbs (82 kg) rider, 700×28mm tubed tires
A 180 lbs rider on a road bike with 700×28mm tubed tires on hooked rims should run 76 PSI (5.2 bar) front and 80 PSI (5.5 bar) rear on smooth tarmac. Switching to tubeless reduces both values by 5 PSI to 71 PSI (4.9 bar) front and 75 PSI (5.2 bar) rear. In wet conditions, subtract a further 6 PSI (0.4 bar) from both wheels for improved grip.
Kids bike — weight matters more than you think
A 60 lbs child riding a 20-inch wheel bike on smooth pavement should inflate to 28 PSI (1.9 bar) front and 30 PSI (2.1 bar) rear — significantly lower than the maximum PSI printed on most 20-inch kids bike tires (typically 65 PSI), which represents a structural safety ceiling, not a riding recommendation.
Cargo bike — total system weight drives the rear tire
A 175 lbs rider on a 45 lbs cargo bike carrying 80 lbs of cargo has a total system weight of 300 lbs. With 70% concentrated on the rear axle, a 26×2.0-inch rear tire requires 55 PSI (3.8 bar). The front tire, carrying only 30% of the load (90 lbs), needs just 38 PSI (2.6 bar) — a 17 PSI front-to-rear split that no static chart accounts for.
Quick Reference
Universal Bike PSI & Bar Chart
180 lbs (82 kg) rider · dry surface · tubed setup · hooked rims · 1 Bar = 14.504 PSI
| Bike Type | Typical Tire Size | Surface | Front (PSI / Bar) | Rear (PSI / Bar) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road Bike | 700×28mm | Smooth Tarmac | 76 PSI (5.2 bar) | 80 PSI (5.5 bar) |
| Gravel Bike | 700×40mm | Mixed Gravel | 39 PSI (2.7 bar) | 42 PSI (2.9 bar) |
| Mountain Bike (Trail) | 29×2.4" | Dirt Trail | 25 PSI (1.7 bar) | 27 PSI (1.9 bar) |
| Mountain Bike (XC) | 29×2.2" | Hardpack | 28 PSI (1.9 bar) | 30 PSI (2.1 bar) |
| Hybrid / Commuter | 700×40mm | Pavement | 60 PSI (4.1 bar) | 64 PSI (4.4 bar) |
| Beach Cruiser | 26×2.35" | Pavement | 30 PSI (2.1 bar) | 34 PSI (2.3 bar) |
| Cyclocross (Tubed) | 700×33mm | Mixed CX | 35 PSI (2.4 bar) | 37 PSI (2.6 bar) |
| Cargo Bike† | 26×2.0" | Pavement | 38 PSI (2.6 bar) | 55 PSI (3.8 bar) |
| Kids Bike (60 lbs) | 20" wheel | Pavement | 28 PSI (1.9 bar) | 30 PSI (2.1 bar) |
Road/Gravel tubeless: subtract 5/4 PSI (0.3–0.35 bar). MTB tubeless: subtract 3 PSI (0.2 bar). Wet surface: subtract 4–6 PSI (type-specific). † Cargo row: 175 lb rider + 45 lb bike + 80 lb cargo = 300 lbs total system weight.
Bike Tire Pressure Quick Reference Guide (PSI & Bar)
Universal baseline pressure charts for road, gravel, mountain, and commuter bikes. All values are listed in dual units (PSI and Bar) across exact rider weight brackets (kg & lbs).
Tire Pressure by Rider Weight (kg & lbs) & Discipline
Tubeless baseline (Dry / Mixed terrain)| Rider Weight | Road 700×28c (Front / Rear) | Gravel 700×40c (Front / Rear) | MTB Trail 29×2.4" (Front / Rear) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lbs) | 58 / 62 PSI 4.0 / 4.3 bar | 31 / 33 PSI 2.1 / 2.3 bar | 17 / 19 PSI 1.2 / 1.3 bar |
| 65–66 kg (143–146 lbs) | 65 / 70 PSI 4.5 / 4.8 bar | 35 / 37 PSI 2.4 / 2.6 bar | 19 / 22 PSI 1.3 / 1.5 bar |
| 72–75 kg (159–165 lbs) | 71 / 76 PSI 4.9 / 5.2 bar | 38 / 41 PSI 2.6 / 2.8 bar | 21 / 24 PSI 1.4 / 1.7 bar |
| 85 kg (187 lbs) | 78 / 83 PSI 5.4 / 5.7 bar | 42 / 45 PSI 2.9 / 3.1 bar | 23 / 26 PSI 1.6 / 1.8 bar |
| 93–95 kg (205–209 lbs) | 84 / 89 PSI 5.8 / 6.1 bar | 45 / 48 PSI 3.1 / 3.3 bar | 25 / 28 PSI 1.7 / 1.9 bar |
| 105 kg (231 lbs) | 89 / 94 PSI* 6.1 / 6.5 bar | 49 / 52 PSI 3.4 / 3.6 bar | 27 / 30 PSI 1.9 / 2.1 bar |
*Note: For hookless road rims, the ETRTO maximum pressure is 72.5 PSI (5.0 bar). Riders over 80 kg on hookless rims should use 30mm or 32mm tires to stay safely below the pressure ceiling.
Road Bike Pressure by Tire Width (75 kg / 165 lb Rider)
| Tire Width | Tubeless (PSI / Bar) | Inner Tube (PSI / Bar) |
|---|---|---|
| 23mm | 80–85 PSI (5.5–5.9 bar) | 90–95 PSI (6.2–6.6 bar) |
| 25mm | 72–78 PSI (5.0–5.4 bar) | 80–85 PSI (5.5–5.9 bar) |
| 28mm | 65–72 PSI (4.5–5.0 bar) | 72–78 PSI (5.0–5.4 bar) |
| 30mm | 58–65 PSI (4.0–4.5 bar) | 64–70 PSI (4.4–4.8 bar) |
| 32mm | 52–58 PSI (3.6–4.0 bar) | 58–64 PSI (4.0–4.4 bar) |
MTB Pressure by Tire Width (Tubeless, 75 kg / 165 lb Rider)
| Tire Width | Front (PSI / Bar) | Rear (PSI / Bar) |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1"–2.25" | 23–25 PSI (1.6–1.7 bar) | 26–28 PSI (1.8–1.9 bar) |
| 2.3"–2.4" | 20–22 PSI (1.4–1.5 bar) | 23–25 PSI (1.6–1.7 bar) |
| 2.5"–2.6" | 18–20 PSI (1.2–1.4 bar) | 21–23 PSI (1.4–1.6 bar) |
| 2.8" (Plus) | 15–17 PSI (1.0–1.2 bar) | 17–19 PSI (1.2–1.3 bar) |
🌍 International Cycling Pressure Standards: PSI, Bar & kPa
Conversion formulas: 1 Bar = 14.5038 PSI = 100 kPa | 1 PSI = 0.0689 Bar.
In European and international cycling, tire pressure is routinely measured in Bar rather than PSI. Across search engines and forums:
- German (Reifendruck): Fahrrad Reifendruck Tabelle or E-Bike Reifendruck Rechner refer to Bar settings.
- French (Pression des pneus): Pression pneu vélo de route / VTT uses Bar increments (e.g., 2.0 bar MTB, 5.0 bar road).
- Dutch (Bandenspanning): Bandenspanning racefiets / mountainbike calculator typically targets 2.5–6.0 bar.
- Italian (Pressione gomme): Calcolatore pressione gomme bici da corsa aligns with European ETRTO standards.
All BikePSI calculators support both imperial and metric systems natively to give exact decimal recommendations.
Step-by-Step
How to Use This Calculator
- 1
Select your bike type
Choose from 9 bike types: Road, MTB, Gravel, Hybrid, Kids, Cruiser, Cargo, Cyclocross, or Touring. MTB shows a sub-type selector inline — pick XC, Trail, Enduro, or Downhill. Each type uses a completely separate research-validated PSI table.
- 2
Enter your weight
Road and Gravel ask for both Rider Weight and Bike Weight (the total is used for the lookup). Cargo and Touring ask for Rider Weight, Bike Weight, and Cargo/Luggage Weight — cargo PSI depends entirely on total system weight, not rider weight alone. All other types need rider weight only.
- 3
Select tire width or wheel size
Road and gravel tires are listed in millimeters (23mm–50mm). MTB and cruiser in inches (2.1"–2.8"). Hybrid in width groups (32–35mm, 36–40mm, 41–45mm). Kids bikes show wheel diameter (12"–24") — the calculator factors in both wheel size and child weight simultaneously.
- 4
Choose tubed or tubeless setup
Tubeless reduces road PSI by 5, gravel and MTB by 3–4 PSI. Cyclocross defaults to tubeless because CX is almost always run tubeless — the table baseline is already tubeless, so selecting Tubed adds 4 PSI. Cruiser and Kids do not show the tubeless toggle.
- 5
Select surface condition
Options are type-specific: Road offers Dry/Wet (−6 PSI wet). MTB offers Dry/Wet/Mud. CX offers Dry/Wet Grass/Deep Mud. Cruiser adds Sand/Beach (−6 PSI). Touring adds Unpaved/Rough (−4 PSI). Always match the condition to your actual terrain.
- 6
For Road/Gravel: select rim type, then click Calculate
If you have hookless rims — common on modern alloy and carbon wheels — select Hookless. The ETRTO safety standard caps hookless rims at 72 PSI regardless of rider weight. The calculator enforces this automatically and shows a warning if your inputs would have exceeded it.
Methodology
How Bike PSI Is Calculated
Lookup table approach — not a formula
This calculator does not apply a single formula to all bike types. PSI physics are too different between a 23mm road tire at 80 PSI and a 2.6-inch enduro tire at 22 PSI for any single equation to produce correct results across all types. Instead, each bike type has its own research-validated table, and the calculator selects or interpolates your result from that table.
Lookup method per bike type
- Road and Gravel — linear interpolation: Tables are indexed by Rider + Bike total weight in 20 lbs increments. The calculator interpolates between the two nearest rows. A 198 lbs total on a 28mm road tire lands 40% of the way between the 190 lbs and 210 lbs rows — producing 76 PSI front and 80 PSI rear.
- MTB, Hybrid, Cruiser, CX, Kids — weight band lookup: Five weight bands cover Under 130, 130–154, 155–174, 175–199, and 200+ lbs. Kids uses child weight and wheel size simultaneously, producing different results for a 60 lbs child on a 16-inch wheel vs a 20-inch wheel.
- Cargo and Touring — total system weight bands: Rear PSI is driven by Rider + Bike + Cargo combined. Front PSI is calculated independently from the front-wheel load percentage (28–38% of total depending on cargo amount) multiplied by a tire-specific pressure factor.
- CX tubeless inversion: Cyclocross tables list tubeless baseline values. Selecting Tubed adds 4 PSI to prevent pinch flats on hard barriers and run-ups — the opposite of every other type where tubeless subtracts PSI from a tubed baseline.
Worked example — road bike, 180 lbs rider
180 lbs rider + 18 lbs bike = 198 lbs total · 700×28mm · tubed · dry
Table rows: 190 lbs → [74 front, 78 rear]
210 lbs → [78 front, 82 rear]
Interpolation: t = (198 − 190) / (210 − 190) = 0.40
Front PSI: 74 + 0.40 × (78 − 74) = 76 PSI
Rear PSI: 78 + 0.40 × (82 − 78) = 80 PSI
Tubeless: 76 − 5 = 71 PSI front · 80 − 5 = 75 PSI rear
FAQ