How to use a track pump?

[TheBoyBilly]

I know, I know....it's a daft question but I can't seem to get it consistently right. Sometimes I can pump my tyres like a dream but then, like today, I made a real dog's dinner of it. It just seems that the gauge goes up and down like a yo-yo while pumping air in. I can't seem to get a steady reading (BikeHut track pump by the way) Any tips? (I do let a little air out before beginning to make sure the valve is open)

Bill

 

[slowmotion]

I have exactly the same problem sometimes. I put the connector on the Presta valve and start pumping, but is obvious that no air is going into the tube. I take the connector off, fiddle with the screw thingy on the valve head and try again.

Eventually it works, but I never quite understand what I did wrong. Strange.

 

[Mark_Robson]

I always press in the valve head before I attach the pump head and that seems to solve the problem for me.

 

[gwhite]

I always press in the valve head before I attach the pump head and that seems to solve the problem for me.

If the locking knurled ring on the valve is fully open then this may block the incoming air. Give the ring a turn inwards before pumping and this should do the trick.

 

[Fiona N]

I often find that once the air in the hose is compressed (but not opening the valve), just pulling the connector sideways (gently) or rocking it is enough to release the valve screw - I think it gets caught up in the rubber of the washer - without having to take the thing off and start again.

Oddly I find (possibly because I hate the idea of soft tyres, I pump them up every day or two, so it's easy to notice - less so if you only do it every couple of weeks ) that it's always the same wheels (i.e. the same inner tube - I'm not accusing the wheels as such) that have the problem. Since the front and back have the same sort of tubes tubes, I have no idea why this should be.

 

[Cubist]

The problem is that the force of air in the pump is not enough to "break the seal" of the presta valve. Simply tap it to release a bit of air before you attach the adaptor.