Gravel bike tyre pressure guide
Gravel pressure is a balance between grip on loose terrain, comfort over chatter and resistance to pinch flats and burping. The right number depends on tyre volume, surface and your weight — not the sidewall's printed max.
How gravel differs from road
Gravel tyres are wider (38–50 mm typical) and run far lower pressures than road. Lower pressure increases the contact patch, which improves grip on loose surfaces and absorbs vibration so the tyre tracks the ground instead of skipping across it.
Starting-point pressures (tubeless, mixed gravel)
| Rider weight | 38 mm | 40 mm | 45 mm | 50 mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 kg | 32 / 36 | 29 / 33 | 24 / 28 | 21 / 25 |
| 70 kg | 36 / 40 | 33 / 37 | 27 / 31 | 24 / 28 |
| 80 kg | 40 / 44 | 37 / 41 | 31 / 35 | 27 / 31 |
| 90 kg | 44 / 49 | 41 / 45 | 34 / 38 | 30 / 34 |
| 100 kg | 48 / 53 | 44 / 49 | 37 / 42 | 33 / 38 |
Values are front / rear PSI for tubeless on mixed gravel. Add ~3 psi for hardpack/fire road; drop ~3 psi for chunkier loose terrain or singletrack.
Surface adjustments
- Hardpack / fire road — run on the higher end for efficiency.
- Loose gravel — middle of the range; prioritise grip.
- Singletrack / rocky — drop pressure for traction, but watch the rim.
- Mixed tarmac + gravel — bias slightly higher to avoid squirm on road sections.
Avoiding burps and pinch flats
Going too low risks the tyre breaking its seal on hard cornering (burping) or pinching the casing against the rim on square-edged hits. If you're hearing rim strikes, add 2–3 psi. If the tyre feels like it's pinging off rocks, drop the same amount.
Get your exact PSI
Plug in your weight, tyre width, casing and surface and the calculator returns interpolated front and rear pressures tuned to your setup.
Open the gravel tyre pressure calculator →