General Discussion Triathlon Talk » How to check bike tire air pressure??? Rss Feed  
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2013-05-04 8:15 AM

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Subject: How to check bike tire air pressure???

OK, let me just expose my complete newbyness for all to see:

Everything I read says to check my air pressure before I go out for a ride. 

EVERY time I try, no matter how careful I am, all of the air releases from my tire and I have to repump. WHAT am I doing wrong???

I have presta stems. 

I have a Giant Control Mini 2+ pump with a gauge on my bike (which is what I have been using) and a floor pump with a gauge that: I have not really figured out how to use....

Help?



2013-05-04 8:24 AM
in reply to: #4727067

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Subject: RE: How to check bike tire air pressure???
Your tires should need a little air before every ride. Just hook up your pump and lock it on. Then look at the gauge and pump it until it gets to the pressure you want. You could always go to your LBS and ask them to show you how to do it. Or YouTube.
2013-05-04 9:06 AM
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Subject: RE: How to check bike tire air pressure???
iruptacopula - 2013-05-04 8:24 AMYour tires should need a little air before every ride. Just hook up your pump and lock it on. Then look at the gauge and pump it until it gets to the pressure you want. You could always go to your LBS and ask them to show you how to do it. Or YouTube.
Every time I put the pump on the air just goes out....all of it :-(LBS is 1 1/2 - 2 hours away.Ill check YouTubeEdited to add I just love the way posting from iPad mashes everything up together....

Edited by Meljoypip 2013-05-04 9:08 AM
2013-05-04 9:27 AM
in reply to: #4727067

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Subject: RE: How to check bike tire air pressure???
Is your floor pump presta compatible? That may be your problem right there. Not all pumps will do presta.
2013-05-04 9:56 AM
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2013-05-04 10:26 AM
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Subject: RE: How to check bike tire air pressure???

Ok, I watched a few youtubes.  I used my floor pump and aired it up perfectly (YES!! Much easier than hand pump)

Once I started pumping I could read the pressure on the gauge; but I still let some air out putting pump on and gauge read 0 until I started pumping .....

I still feel like there should be some way to check pressure without letting the air out- but it is not near as big a deal now that I  have figured out the floor pump, unless it is bad on the tubes....

 

Question: Do you bring your floor pump to a tri or just use the one on bike? I read to check your pressure that morning in transition even if you did before transporting bike there.



2013-05-04 10:35 AM
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Subject: RE: How to check bike tire air pressure???
You can use a tire pressure gauge to check the pressure, but that's almost a useless item to buy since you should pump your tires before each ride anyways.

You will always let out a bit of air when you attach the pump nozzle... just the way it works. Pump the tires a comfortable level (the lighter you are the less pressure you should have, for most that puts us in the range of 100-110 psi, do not pump the tires to the max pressure printed on the tire).

I bring my floor pump to every single race I do. The one on the bike is for emergencies only and won't really let you control the pressure nor will allow you to get to the pressure you want easily, but if you have a flat, you can fix it road side and get home, that's it's only purpose
2013-05-04 10:37 AM
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Subject: RE: How to check bike tire air pressure???
Meljoypip - 2013-05-04 11:26 A

 Question: Do you bring your floor pump to a tri or just use the one on bike? I read to check your pressure that morning in transition even if you did before transporting bike there.

 

Yes, I always bring my floor pump to my try and top off my air pressure before a race, then just leave it in the car. I also use CO2 canisters for my flat kit and dont use a handheld pump on the bike.

2013-05-04 1:21 PM
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Subject: RE: How to check bike tire air pressure???
Ok got it, thanks!!
2013-05-04 2:25 PM
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Subject: RE: How to check bike tire air pressure???
I usually give'em a nice little pinch before riding.  If they are nice and firm, then good to go.
2013-05-04 3:15 PM
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2013-05-04 5:13 PM
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Subject: RE: How to check bike tire air pressure???

tkos - 2013-05-04 3:15 PM You should try and get proficient at using the hand held pump though, as there is really no reason to carry it if you can't use it. Or else consider getting a CO2 system the next time you head to the bike shop. And have them show you how to use it.

I can use the hand held, have pumped form 0 to 100 psi several times now... its just quite a job, that is why I decided to ask for some advice.

I defiantly could use it to pump up a flat or inflate a new tube if necessary. Hopefully that will not happen too often. I will check my pressure and fill with my floor pump before I ride from now on. :-)

2013-05-06 9:03 AM
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Subject: RE: How to check bike tire air pressure???

For mountain biking, the hand held pumps are just fine.  For road bikes, where you need to get up to 120 psi, I don't even bother using a hand pump as it puts too much stress on the stem. After breaking off the stem on one of my tubes by trying to top off to 120 PSI with a hand pump, I purchased a really nice floor pump for when I am just leaving, and got a CO2 pump for emergencies (I think it was about 10 bucks for the CO2 pump and extra canisters are a couple of bucks each). 

Make sure you pump up every single time you ride, as the pressure usually goes down about 20 psi from ride to ride, and needs to be topped off.

2013-05-06 9:37 AM
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Subject: RE: How to check bike tire air pressure???
I too am a pump loser!  Decided to ride my new bike to work today and remembered all the advice from here saying 'pump your tires before every ride!!'.  Got up early to pump them up (i only have a hand-held pump) and managed to completely deflate them in about 10 strokes of the pump... sooo no bike for me today.  Guess i'll be making a lunch-hour run to the LBS to purchase a floor pump. And ask for a tutorial on managing presta valves!!!
2013-05-06 10:23 AM
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Subject: RE: How to check bike tire air pressure???

Screw the hand pump!. The one I had took a lot of effort and it broke on me right as I was finishing up a flat change and let all the air out. Had to push my bike two miles. I know it was a cheap pump but I decided right then to get a CO2 pump. On a second note, check to make sure new CO2 pump works before you go out. I didn't mine and it had a bad seal. Needless to say I had to call and get my wife to come pick me up.

2013-05-06 10:55 AM
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Subject: RE: How to check bike tire air pressure???
I got the Blackburn Air Tower 2 in bright orange from Dick's Sporting Goods for about 40 bucks and have no fault with it at all.  It fits the presta valve well (you have to push it on and extend the valve lever quickly to not lose too much air), and the pressure gauge seems to work well too.  Note that you have to release the lever and pull the fitting off of the valve quickly as well when you're done, or you'll lose some of the pressure too.


2013-05-06 11:23 AM
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Subject: RE: How to check bike tire air pressure???

My advice is to get into the habbit of pumping up your tires before every ride and pinching them to feel what X pressure is like.  Maybe also pump up to X - 20 psi as a test and pinch again to feel what it's like to be at too low of a pressure.

Unfortunately, it's pretty much impossible to actually check your pressure with a floor pump gauge.  The reason why you lose air every time you put your the head of your floor pump on is because in order for the gauge on your floor pump to read pressure, it takes air out of your tire to back fill the hose on the pump.  So if you pump up to 100 psi, then remove the pump head, all the pressure in the hose is gone.  That's the PFFT sound you hear when you remove the pump head...it's the air pressure coming out of the hose (not the tube).  So when you reapply the pump head, some air pressure comes out of the tire to fill the hose again, and you'll see your gauge suddenly read 80-85 psi.  This is because 15-20 psi was required to fill the hose.

The same thing applies to car tires except that the gauge we use is extremely small (no hose) and requires very little air to fill compared to how much air volume is in the tire (a car tire holds much much more air volume than a bike tire.  Therefore the amount of air lost to fill the gauge is insignificant for a car tire/car gauge.

2013-05-06 11:24 AM
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