[Zagorath]

> Your bike tires need to be at around 3 bar.

Yo, what? I'm pretty sure I do my bike tyres up to about 6.5 bar. And that's down from the 7 I used to use until I heard that lower pressure creates lower rolling resistance and is better.

[mikhailfranco]

No, lower pressure has:

- higher rolling resistance (energy to flex the tyre)

- softer ride (but don't go so low that stones or potholes pinch the rim)

- better grip (surface area in contact with the ground)

So go max pressure on a smooth dry road, but go softer in the wet, or on a rough road/mountain.

Similarly, the tread on the typre will also affect energy absorption. Go for smooth road bike tyres, or slick MTB tyres, on a smooth road, but obviously super gnarly for rough mountain trails.

[Zagorath]

Ah right my mistake, I was conflating two things. The trend in road bike tyres lately is to be wider, because wider tyres have lower rolling resistance at the same pressure. It allows you, in turn, to lower the pressure and get the comfort and other benefits of lower pressure, without sacrificing performance.

[cyberax]

Double-checked. My bike is at 3 bar.

Ah, I see. You likely have a road bike, I have a mountain bike.