I keep reading that you should reduce tire pressure for muni, but they don’t say WHY, or how much! I assume by letting SOME pressure out will allow more rubber to contact the terrain, improving traction, and also reduce the possibilty of punctures, right? But too little air also makes for a “sluggish” ride, and that means more energy expended. So, my tire’s pressure recommendation is 30-50 psi. It’s a Kenda 24x2.6. Where I ride allows me to switch from undulating offroad terrain, to a paved, less hilly road, so if the tire pressure is too low, it’s really noticeable in the paved section, and it’s harder to pedal. “squishy” is a good way to put it:) :)So, one LAST time, please chime in with where YOU fall in with air pressure category for muni. Do you fill the tire to the LOWER end of the PSI recommendation, somewhere in the middle, or closer to the max? THANK YOU ALL!!!
Hey, i am in the same boat as u,and this saves me posting another thread, my tire is 24" the same one used on the KH 24, so could u let me know, also i do tricks, so would u want a different tire pressure yet again?
Try starting with the mid pressure that is recommended, then change it depending on your needs.
it really depends on your tire and your preferences. I have my MUni tire at an extremely low pressure, like 21 psi or so, but it’s a 24x3.
the main reason for me to have low pressure is because I ride trials on my MUni, and like low pressure for hops. For MUni, low pressure allows you some suspension, which is good to have.
My new muni will have a 24x3" Duro tire, and I was wondering the same thing! Thanks for making this thread. 
I’m about 150 lbs, and I run at around 15-17 psi on a 24x3.0 Gazz. Any lower and I start get pinch flats. Your weight and riding style both make difference on what pressure to run the tire. My personal experience with low pressure is that it lessens the rebound off of big hops and drops, and minimizes foldover when landing on weird-angled rock. It’s really difficult to stay in the saddle on rocky terrain when the tire has a lot of “spring” to it. And as you also stated, low pressure improves overall traction.
Since you are using a slightly skinnier tire, your equipment may perform differently under similar conditions. You’ll probably want a higher pressure. My advice, as Fuego said, is to play around and see what you like. Also, your preferences may change as your skill grows, or you try different terrain types.
I just checked out what seems to me tobe, so far, the definitive answer(s) to the “tire pressure” question. I found this John Childs quote from http://www.cyclingforums.com/archive/index.php/t-193605.html
HEre it is: (another formula calls for 1psi for ever 10 pounds of body weight, although to me, that seems a bit too low.)
Here’s the quote:
<<The ideal tire pressure for muni depends on a lot of different factors.
It depends on rider weight, stiffness of the tire, what tire you’re
using, how new the tire is, what tube you’re using, what rim you’re
using, your riding style, the terrain on the trail, how rocky and rooty
the trail is, and other factors. There is no set rule for tire pressure
that will hold for everyone for every situation.
I typically ride with something between 16 psi and 22 psi. It all
depends on the trail and whether I remember to check the pressure before
the ride.
The basic concern is that you want enough air in the tire to keep from
getting pinch flats. You also want enough air in the tire so the tire
doesn’t fold over when doing side hops or when pecking up a hill.
Here’s a set of guidelines or a heuristic to help in determining ideal
tire pressure. This is a list that I posted back in 2000 and has been
copied to the ‘tips section of Muniac Manor’
(http://www.muniac.com/tips.htm#pressure)
-
Ride right into a root or a similar obstacle. Don’t try to hop over
it, just ride right into it and try to roll over it. If the wheel
bounces back instead of rolling over the root consider lowering the tire
pressure. If you lose traction on the root consider lowering the tire
pressure. -
Side hop up a hill. If the tire folds over increase the tire
pressure. Wider rims also help prevent the tire from folding over. Tires
with stiffer sidewalls (like the Intense DH tires) are less likely to
fold over than tires with softer sidewalls. -
Hop and jump on a log or similar obstacle perpendicular to its length
(the length of the log will be to your left and right). Pick a log that
is about 6" or less in diameter. A parking lot divider will also work.
If the tire bottoms out then increase the tire pressure. -
If you get pitched off the MUni during a ride because the tire
bounced backwards (or upwards) after hitting an obstacle instead of
rolling over the obstacle consider lowering the tire pressure. -
If you are going to be riding on fire roads or other similar “easy”
trails consider increasing the tire pressure to decrease rolling
resistance. -
If you lose traction during a ride consider lowering the tire
pressure. -
If you ever get a pinch flat consider increasing the tire pressure.
Also look for a thicker tube like the Intense DH tubes.
In the end it all depends on the rider, the terrain, and the style of
riding. The pressure that works for me may not be the pressure that
works for you.>>
–
john_childs - Guinness Mojo
It does make it more strenuous on flat ground and roads. But I focus on riding difficult trails that have lots of weird angles, huge drops, and jutting rocks to roll through around and over. I find that on this type of terrain, higher pressure actually ends up being more work because your legs have to compensate for a stiff tire by absorbing all the bumps. If the tire folds on a drop with higher pressures, it is difficult to stay on the unicycle during the rebound.
For real MUni (as opposed to cross-country on easy trails), you want the tire as low as it will go without bottoming on the typical rocks and drops you’re doing. For me, 185 pounds plus gear, on my Kenda 24x2.6, I run at just over 20 psi, which seems fine for drops up to about two feet, which is as big as I go. On my Gazz 26x3.0, I run more like 17-18 psi. I like the feel of the Gazz better, and would run the Kenda lower if I could, but then I start getting bottoming on drops.
Pumping it higher really makes a negative difference in your ability to get up and down technical terrain.
John Childs quote on on muni tire pressure
I just found the following quote from John Childs in cyclingforums.com archive. It seems to make sense and he offers several very helpful guidelines. Another very succinct, but different quote from “Krashin’Kenny”, offers this formula: fill the tire with 1psi for every 10 ounds of body weight. That seems a bit low to me, but hey, what do I know?
Here’s the John Childs quote:
The ideal tire pressure for muni depends on a lot of different factors.
It depends on rider weight, stiffness of the tire, what tire you’re
using, how new the tire is, what tube you’re using, what rim you’re
using, your riding style, the terrain on the trail, how rocky and rooty
the trail is, and other factors. There is no set rule for tire pressure
that will hold for everyone for every situation.
I typically ride with something between 16 psi and 22 psi. It all
depends on the trail and whether I remember to check the pressure before
the ride.
The basic concern is that you want enough air in the tire to keep from
getting pinch flats. You also want enough air in the tire so the tire
doesn’t fold over when doing side hops or when pecking up a hill.
Here’s a set of guidelines or a heuristic to help in determining ideal
tire pressure. This is a list that I posted back in 2000 and has been
copied to the ‘tips section of Muniac Manor’
(http://www.muniac.com/tips.htm#pressure)
-
Ride right into a root or a similar obstacle. Don’t try to hop over
it, just ride right into it and try to roll over it. If the wheel
bounces back instead of rolling over the root consider lowering the tire
pressure. If you lose traction on the root consider lowering the tire
pressure. -
Side hop up a hill. If the tire folds over increase the tire
pressure. Wider rims also help prevent the tire from folding over. Tires
with stiffer sidewalls (like the Intense DH tires) are less likely to
fold over than tires with softer sidewalls. -
Hop and jump on a log or similar obstacle perpendicular to its length
(the length of the log will be to your left and right). Pick a log that
is about 6" or less in diameter. A parking lot divider will also work.
If the tire bottoms out then increase the tire pressure. -
If you get pitched off the MUni during a ride because the tire
bounced backwards (or upwards) after hitting an obstacle instead of
rolling over the obstacle consider lowering the tire pressure. -
If you are going to be riding on fire roads or other similar “easy”
trails consider increasing the tire pressure to decrease rolling
resistance. -
If you lose traction during a ride consider lowering the tire
pressure. -
If you ever get a pinch flat consider increasing the tire pressure.
Also look for a thicker tube like the Intense DH tubes.
In the end it all depends on the rider, the terrain, and the style of
riding. The pressure that works for me may not be the pressure that
works for you.
–
john_childs - Guinness Mojo
1 psi for 10 pounds of body weight is a good rule of thumb for a 24x3 tire. I weigh about the same as tholub and also run my 24x2.6 Kenda at 20-22 psi but am most comfortable at 18-19 psi in my 24x3 Gazz
i can top that, i ride at 17psi on a duro 3"
i like it really squishy and bouncy
Watching Joey Cohn do some amazing natural trials in rocky Upstate New York, I asked him that question. I figured he had some magic formula. He responded that he really doesn’t pay that much attention to it.
I learned from that not to worry too much about air pressure. It may be a factor, but it’s not the most important thing. As long as you’re floating above the rim, you should be fine.
The main issue I see in riding with such low psi ia the rolling resitance it creates. For me, the trails I ride are only semi-rocky, but very hilly, with some fairly smooth sections, so with too low a psi It just adds resistance to pedalling. I guess I’ll just have to experiment with it tofind whatworks best. thanks all!
I never ever check my tire pressure in PSI’s. I fill it up, get on and hop around, let some out, untill it’s a little squishy, then I hop high and land hard, if it bottoms out* I add a little more, if not I leave it.
*by bottoming out, I mean to were the rim hits the ground.
Well Im running hte Exact same tire…and I dont think Ive ever checked the psi once in it… But what I do is fill it til its kinda medium, and soft side, acuse I cant stand hard bottom outs and sluggish riding… I stop putting air in when I can get a really good prehop outa the tire with it just comming short of bottoming out…or Il hop on some rails and if the tire hits too hard I pump it up a lil…but pressure is easy to take out, so give it a couple pounds extra before your ride, and if you want it lower take out a lil…
Me neither. I just give the tire a few pumps of air before a ride and then let it out as necessary. Too much pressure and it gets too bouncy, too little and I bottom out.
Tire pressure is a qualitative thing, not quantitative. Just play around with it and doowutchyalike…
Uh, tire pressure is quantitative and measurable. Once you’ve gotten a pressure you like, you can measure it, and then refill to the same pressure every time. Thus making it easier to do what you like.
I ride a 24X3 Duro tire, and in the snow, I ride with barely any pressure at all. For dirt trails, I ride at about half inflation. I don’t actually gauge the pressure in my tire though. I have it full when I start a ride, and I let out air as I go.
One thing I’d recommend is to buy a small tire pump, and bring it with you for Munis. It sucks to let too much out when you’re an hour in the woods.