I need some help making my setup better. I’m riding a Felt Verza Speed 40 and I’m having issues mainly with the tire width. I’ve done 2 overnighters a 60 mile and a 70 mile ride and when my bike is weighed down I worry about snake bites.
The maxima size tire I can add is a 35 mm and I put on continental trail tires. In order to get them to seat properly I have to pump them up to 80+ psi and on trails I ride with them around 70-80 psi.(think recommended is 73) got my first flat on this bike and my hand pump cannot pump to a high enough psi to seat tire properly so also need to get a co2 pump. Any recommendations are welcome!
Fairly new to this so just wanted to see, would y’all recommend that I pump the psi up for trails when bike is weighed down? Is this an adequate bike for bike-packing? Any advice on tires? I’m a college student so can’t afford a new actual gravel bike so really just wanting advice on how to make my experience better.
Thanks!
by AdFickle4720
6 Comments
First question should be , what’s in those bags ? They look hefty 🧐
Are you aiming for a wheelie on every uphill?
I’m a heavy rider and I get along fine on 40mm tires so I doubt 35s will be much of a problem for you unless you are also 290lbs and carrying heavy stuff
80psi is too high. I’d guess about 50psi with tubes for a person/gear weight is good, but use a tire pressure calculator like sram’s or Silca’s to get a better idea.
If you can set up your wheels and tires tubeless, you will never fear snake bite flats, and you can run even lower pressures. If you just got new tires/tubes, I’d probably just give it a go as-is. Just be able to fix a flat if it happens, and bring a spare tube.
But yeah, bike looks great. Have at it!
Add rockets. Needs more rockets
You’ve found the limiting factor (bike frame) the tyre width for this bike. 35mm. Narrow tyre on gravel starts at 37mm. Wide tyres lower pressures will make a huge difference as will 1X drive chain.
This bike isn’t capable of much of any meaningful upgrade. Time for new bike, don’t wast any money on this one.