[Superman]

I do not agree with those who conclude that lower tire pressures increase grip. I believe this is false. I believe that lower tires pressures increase tire FLEX and rolling resistance. Higher pressures decrease rolling resistance (providing more power, essentially) and they also help the tire resist flexing. I tend to run 34-38 cold tire pressures. At autocross I bleed pressure off but keep them in the 36-38 psi area when warmed up. On the street I just let them build to 40 or 42 psi. Our asphalt is cold.

Another thing that low-tire-pressure officianados believe is that higher pressures cause excess wear in the tire's center. I believe the opposite. Actually I verified the opposite when I rode a street bike. Lower pressures cause the tread to flex and heat up. The center of the tire gets the least air/cooling, so it wears faster when pressures are low. Higher pressures avoid this heating of the tread, and higher pressures DO NOT cause your tires to balloon out in the center as some might suspect. The inside of the tire carcass is round, so the more pressure you put in it, the more firmly the tire retains its designed square shape. It is when you put too little pressure in the tire that centrifugal forces can pooch the center out.

So, it's fair to say I prefer higher tire pressures.