Taking SCARY out of used bikes, one bike at a time.
Tire air pressure, let’s give you some insights.
Question:
Are my tires and tubes bad when found flat when I haven’t touched my bike in months?
Answer:
Most likely not. Tubes lose air over time and just need to be pumped up.
Question:
Okay, what do I use to pump them up?
Answer:
The preferred pump is the bicycle floor pump. You can use an air compressor but sometimes they can’t get that high in pressure or you can over-inflate and blow the tire off the rim. There are frame pumps but those are mostly used for roadside fixes.
Question:
What is the best air pressure?
Answer:
First, there is a stamped pressure recommendation on the tire itself. It’s called PSI (Pound-force per square inch). They usually show a range like 60-100 PSI. The lower part will give you a smoother ride but slow you down. Higher is faster performance and more road vibration will move up the bike. Too low below the range will put you at risk of damaging your wheels and over the range, you could have a blowout of the sidewall of the tire.
So check you bike tires before every ride to insure the best ride and safety.
