Tire pressure in gravel

[peterbaron]

SS07,
Call WH, there is one guy who knows everything better than anybody else

[Streetshark07_imp]

Sorry, but lazy American here and I have just ONE question. Which is better on a gravel hill, parked outside a hut, here at Area X.
I'm not sure if I want high (full) pressure or less or MORE!
I don't lack for miles (60k+), but knowledge!!!!
Thank you in advance!

-StreetShark

Generally speaking, when you are traversing over gravel, especially for long stretches, you will find that the "feel of the wheel" (handling) will be more certain with a LOWER tire pressure. The challenge, of course, would be how to reinflate to a higher tire pressure once back on hard-surfaced roads, especially if there is no air pump at a nearby gas station available.

The reason for lowering the tire pressure, by say as much as 3-5 PSI or perhaps even more, is reasonably straightforward. A higher tire pressure creates a "harder" tire tread surface so that the tire is effectively "pushing loose gravel around," thereby contributing to more uncertain handling characteristics. A lower tire pressure provides a "softer" tire tread surface so that the tire is better able to conform to the irregular gravel surfaces encountered without displacing the gravel as much, thereby leading to less slippage and uncertain "feel." BTW, this lowering of tire pressure is the same technique used by dune buggy operators (on Cape Cod, for example) when they drive over loose sand (a granular-sized version of gravel).

Hope this helps!
-fritz

Generally speaking, when you are traversing over gravel, especially for long stretches, you will find that the "feel of the wheel" (handling) will be more certain with a LOWER tire pressure. The challenge, of course, would be how to reinflate to a higher tire pressure once back on hard-surfaced roads, especially if there is no air pump at a nearby gas station available.

The reason for lowering the tire pressure, by say as much as 3-5 PSI or perhaps even more, is reasonably straightforward. A higher tire pressure creates a "harder" tire tread surface so that the tire is effectively "pushing loose gravel around," thereby contributing to more uncertain handling characteristics. A lower tire pressure provides a "softer" tire tread surface so that the tire is better able to conform to the irregular gravel surfaces encountered without displacing the gravel as much, thereby leading to less slippage and uncertain "feel." BTW, this lowering of tire pressure is the same technique used by dune buggy operators (on Cape Cod, for example) when they drive over loose sand (a granular-sized version of gravel).

Hope this helps!
-fritz Thank you! This has been the first answer in a long time that is USEFUL!!!
CHEERS!