Tyre Pressures on the Levo?

[Matthewedwar]

Just wondering what tyre pressures you’re running on your Butchers. Don’t think i’m getting the best grip from them. Too hard I feel.

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

21F and 18R for me

 

[RobbieJay]

22/24

Based on info from EMBN and modified to fit my weight, style and feel.

 

[Hinett]

21F and 18R for me

You run your front tyre harder than the rear? I’ve always done it the other way round as the rear tyre takes more hits than the front

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

You run your front tyre harder than the rear? I’ve always done it the other way round as the rear tyre takes more hits than the front

Oops, other way round! 18F 21R.

 

[Doomanic]

I run front harder than rear. In my opinion it improves grip and steering feel.

 

[kcarbon]

I'm using the old style 3.0" X 27.5" Ground Control & Purg, these tyres have recommended max pressure of 20p.s,i
I run 12F / 16R ( tubeless with Stans. ) I like the feel & the way it rolls over rough & down hill. I seem to be getting good grip too. but I have limited experience testing tyre. just like these better than the Butcher bike came with. I now have 3,400+ km had to replace one rear due to wear.

fast forward to April 2019, I still have 3.0 X 27.5" Purg front but have Maxi 2.8 X 27.5 rear now run 16psi F 30 psi R tubeless still with 2018 Levo comp carbon & still loving it.

 

[RobbieJay]

The guys over at EMBN do a lot of riding reviews, exclusive e-bike testing, in depth build, maintenance and how to videos etc.

They recommend (after testing) that if you are between 60-95kg you should be running between 20 and 28psi on an ebike on trails for traction purposes. They tested a multitude of pressures and concluded on a ebike it needs to higher than a non ebike due to torque / weight etc. They discuss this in their weekly show too...

Here's just one of their videos mentioning pressures, but there are many more.

Getting Traction On An E-Bike | EMBN How To

 

[kcarbon]

The guys over at EMBN do a lot of riding reviews, exclusive e-bike testing, in depth build, maintenance and how to videos etc.

They recommend (after testing) that if you are between 60-95kg you should be running between 20 and 28psi on an ebike on trails for traction purposes. They tested a multitude of pressures and concluded on a ebike it needs to higher than a non ebike due to torque / weight etc. They discuss this in their weekly show too...

Here's just one of their videos mentioning pressures, but there are many more.

Getting Traction On An E-Bike | EMBN How To

Hi RobbieJay, I'm not an expert, but I look at what the tyre manufacturer print on the Tyre wall as maximum tyre pressure. as they design the tyre. the 3.0 X 27.5 " have a max tyre pressure of 20 p.s.i, they are a low pressure tyre. I'm the only one in the group I ride with, that use these tyres. And they are all experienced MB riders that ride at a good speed & do longer distances at faster average. there is 20 of us but not on every ride, there is 50 in the group split into three pace groups. I ride with the fast group. well from what I have seen. I have the best traction & grip in the group. over a wide type of conditions. wet clay, dry hard pack. mud, sand, loose gravel. rocky terrain. We can experience all the above on one ride. and there is always big up & down hill sections. plus both open & single track. so I'll stick to my . 12/15, combination with the low pressure tyre's I'm usesing. I'm in that weight group. not saying I'm right, just saying if it's working for me now, why change.

 

[RobbieJay]

I was just replying to the OP not anyone specifically

I would always recommend following actual tyre pressures of the tyre of course, but as the OP has a Levo with butcher tyres (which are stated as between 20-30PSI) and doesn't have the tyres you mentioned in your post, and he specifically asked about the butchers, I think the info is still very valid for him, as it's data based on the exact bike, tyre and situation he requested (not a different tyre) etc.

The guys at EMBN run Turbo Levo Carbon Experts in most of their videos, and have tested the butchers that come with the Levo (2018 Carbon a Expert) so I was just passing this information on to the OP for him to review and decide for himself.

It's a good starting point, from a highly recommended and reputable source, with Plenty of videos and data that they have produced over months of testing the EXACT tyre he specifically mentioned, for him to peruse.

He did ask specifically about the tyre pressures for the butchers on a Levo, I just posted a link to EMBN, one of the highest ranked Ebike networks who had done this exact test and posted their results, as a base line for him to start from, I wasn't directing my reply to anyone else

I have tested the butchers on my Levo from as low as 15 all the way up to 28, and I find 22/24 (75kg) is perfect (for me).

But I run the exact tyre the OP is asking about, on the same bike (as do EMBN etc.) and the pressure of that tyre is recommend between 20-30psi.

 

[kcarbon]

I was just replying to the OP not anyone specifically

I would always recommend following actual tyre pressures of the tyre of course, but as the OP has a Levo with butcher tyres (which are stated as between 20-30PSI) and doesn't have the tyres you mentioned in your post, and he specifically asked about the butchers, I think the info is still very valid for him, as it's data based on the exact bike, tyre and situation he requested (not a different tyre) etc.

The guys at EMBN run Turbo Levo Carbon Experts in most of their videos, and have tested the butchers that come with the Levo (2018 Carbon a Expert) so I was just passing this information on to the OP for him to review and decide for himself.

It's a good starting point, from a highly recommended and reputable source, with Plenty of videos and data that they have produced over months of testing the EXACT tyre he specifically mentioned, for him to peruse.

He did ask specifically about the tyre pressures for the butchers on a Levo, I just posted a link to EMBN, one of the highest ranked Ebike networks who had done this exact test and posted their results, as a base line for him to start from, I wasn't directing my reply to anyone else

I have tested the butchers on my Levo from as low as 15 all the way up to 28, and I find 22/24 (75kg) is perfect (for me).

But I run the exact tyre the OP is asking about, on the same bike (as do EMBN etc.) and the pressure of that tyre is recommend between 20-30psi.

Sorry Robbie, my bike came with the Butcher but I did not like them as much as the tyres my old Levo had. so removed put new, same as the old levo came with tyres on. then months after one of the Owners of LBS got a new Levo Expert, to replace the 2017 expert & did the same as I did as also liked the 2017 expert tyres better. 3.0 X 27.5" v 2.8 X 27.5"

 

[levity]

I'm ~70kg and use a setup closer to that of kcarbon (27.5x3.0 Nobby Nics or Purgatory tires) and run similar pressures (13F/14R). I've tried higher pressures, 16-18psi) but find these don't grip as well and seem a little "bouncy". It may depend a lot on your terrain. Here in the southwestern US conditions are dry and often rough and rocky, and we tend to rely a lot on tire deformation for traction (especially so in desert sand). The lower pressures also smooth out the ride a lot. Other conditions (wet? or loamy soil?) may benefit from a firmer tire using the knobs to bite and the suspension for cush. Pressures >20psi reduce the bounce, but you lose cush and traction. Riding style is also a factor. More aggressive riding (like the experts/pros in the videos) requires higher pressures, but their skills and stunts are way above my pay grade.

I don't think the extra weight of ebikes is a significant factor in tire pressures - it's only 20-25 lb. and riders vary by much more than that (140-240 lb.). The heavy battery does affect the balance, however, putting a lot more weight on the front wheel. That's one reason I keep the front and rear closer than I might on a regular bike. Not sure how much the extra torque of an ebike is a factor in tire pressure. Again, riders vary a lot in the power they put down.

The good news is that it's easy to experiment and find what best suits you and your terrain!

 

[RobbieJay]

Sorry Robbie, my bike came with the Butcher but I did not like them as much as the tyres my old Levo had. so removed put new, same as the old levo came with tyres on. then months after one of the Owners of LBS got a new Levo Expert, to replace the 2017 expert & did the same as I did as also liked the 2017 expert tyres better. 3.0 X 27.5" v 2.8 X 27.5"

No worries, as I said I dont disagree and wasn't disagreeing

It was simply in response to the fact that the OP asked "specifically" about the "butchers", so I gave him the best quality, verified, highly regarded source that i could find for him, coupled with some some real life actual experience from an owner of the exact tyre that requested information on.

I've tested the ranges of 15 to 28 psi on that the actual tyre and can conclude that I agree with EBMN (for that tyre) but I also agree that there are other better tyres available with a range of varying PSI.

I also don't doubt there are far better tyres available, and that running lower pressure tyres may be beneficial. I genuinely don't disagree with any of that.

But as OP was asking specifically about the butcher, and is currently running that butcher, and was asking for a good starting point to find something he like, I thought that was a good start for him.

For example, on a 25kg bike, with a rider of 95kg (120kg total) at 15psi (on a tyre recommended for ~20/30) MAY not be optimal (as supported by EMBN and myself).

However that MAY be optimal on alternate (completely different) tyre such as the ones you and levity own
Hope that clarifys.

If OP was just generically asking for tyre pressures, I most likely would not have posted as that's ambiguous at best and would be dependant on the actual tyre, construction size and max psi etc. But as he asked only about the butchers, and never asked about any other tyre, I thought it would help him on his journey toward a satisfying experience with the butcher, or his journey to the LBS to by sound new tyres

 

[idahoskiguy]

For most of my single track trail riding 16 F / 18 R, tubeless with Stans, for more rocky conditions 20 F / 22 R to protect the rims but I weigh 95 KG.

 

[Stumpy]

I was just replying to the OP not anyone specifically

I would always recommend following actual tyre pressures of the tyre of course, but as the OP has a Levo with butcher tyres (which are stated as between 20-30PSI) and doesn't have the tyres you mentioned in your post, and he specifically asked about the butchers, I think the info is still very valid for him, as it's data based on the exact bike, tyre and situation he requested (not a different tyre) etc.

 

[Davey S]

I just checked my tyre pressures on my 2019 Levo delivered by tredz. Front and rear were 46psi I wondered why it felt so bumpy!!! ?‍

 

[Davey S]

I have now gone with 22 front and 24 rear and will see how that goes.

 

[madcow]

I have now gone with 22 front and 24 rear and will see how that goes.

Same on mine - works well for me. I'm about 100KG with all stuff on.
But I think a little less would also do its job.

 

[davarello]

I'd be 125kg riding weight, and I run my 29x2.6 Buthchers at 20F/24R with Cushcore installed on both wheels.

 

[Davey S]

I'd be 125kg riding weight, and I run my 29x2.6 Buthchers at 20F/24R with Cushcore installed on both wheels.

I’m around 86kg riding weight maybe I should be running lower pressures. ?

 

[ottoshape]

My tires are 2.6w. I've played around with 16-25F and 20-35R. The pressure gets set to handle what is being ridden. Normal trail day where I want a nice cushy ride? Pressures are set on the low side. Yesterday was ride like a madman day, jump everything you see, so I set pressure at 21F-26R. I don't want to roll the tire and get ejected so if I don't know what's ahead, I will err on the higher side.

 

[davarello]

I’m around 86kg riding weight maybe I should be running lower pressures. ?

Might as well give it a go, but i'd be running higher if i didn't have the inserts