Inflating tyres at a petrol station

[BigonaBianchi]

Is there a simple adaptor that allows me to pump up my presta tubes to full pressure after a puncture at a petrol station? Struck me I could carry one with me and never have to ride home on 60psi again

 

[Norm]

Yes, I've got a little brass ring which screws onto the presta valve to make it the same size as a schrader, much like this one.

However, most garages won't let you use their pumps for bike tyres. Apparently, the excuse is that they inflate too fast, although I've no idea if that is true. I've used mine a couple of times when I've fitted the foot pump to the bike tyres, in the days before I got a track pump.

 

[slowmotion]

The volume of air in a bike tyre is tiny compared to a car tyre. The car tyre garage pump can stuff in a lot of air really fast. Whether or not your bike tyre will explode is entirely (excuse pun) down to how well the garage gizmo shuts off the flow of air when the nominal pressure is reached. {geek mode off}

 

[Dags11]

Its a pity some of the big players - BP, Tesco etc - don't issue a track pump to each of their garages

 

[Herzog]

It's a difficult job and, as Slowmotion writes, the flow rate can be very fast. Do you carry a CO2 pump?

 

[tyred]

I once got a puncture yards from a petrol station so thought I would blow it up with the garage air line when I had patched the tube. It wouldn't put any more than about 40psi in it.

 

[Bay Runner]

Too much of a queue at the stations around here

 

[Bman]

When I was young, my friend and I used to top up our tyres every time we passed the local petrol station

In those days, it was free

 

[Crackedheadset]

Yes, I've got a little brass ring which screws onto the presta valve to make it the same size as a schrader, much like this one.

However, most garages won't let you use their pumps for bike tyres. Apparently, the excuse is that they inflate too fast, although I've no idea if that is true. I've used mine a couple of times when I've fitted the foot pump to the bike tyres, in the days before I got a track pump.

Agree with the brass ring, I have one and they are hoobly groovy. As for the whole air line thing, as long as you use the air line conversatively and feather the line no one shold have a problem pumping up bike tyres.I've been using one since I was nine.

It's ironic that the only way to get the ideal PSI in a tyre is to use a track pump or an air line.

 

[wakou]

Sainsbury garages and many others are limited to 50psi

 

[slowmotion]

Sainsbury garages and many others are limited to 50psi

You could always try the HGV lanes of service stations...

 

[Recycler]

Sainsbury garages and many others are limited to 50psi

My local Sainsbury's goes up to 80psi

 

[Edge705]

Is there a simple adaptor that allows me to pump up my presta tubes to full pressure after a puncture at a petrol station? Struck me I could carry one with me and never have to ride home on 60psi again

C O 2 Apologies for stating the obvious but everyone needs CO2 standard pumps make bikes look reakl ugly but good old CO2 in the saddle pouch youl never suffer 60 psi again plus you'll look real cool without that pumpIf you ever run out of CO2 flag another cyclist down with an ugly looking pump he'll revel in the fact youve run out of CO2 and you'll revel in the fact you dont have to carry an ugly bike pump like he does but at least you'll have used his air for free

 

[Furkz]

i carry a co2 always even when im not on the bike. its a cool thing to have lol

 

[subaqua]

the reason they don't want bikes using it is nothing to do with exploding tyres. its down to not wanting to inconvenience car drivers by making then wait for cyclists. I use an adaptor on my diving cylinders that puts air out at 10bar and a hell of a flow rate. ( about a minute to drain the tank on a free flow)