inflating tyres

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Cycle power

New Member
I know i may sound a bit thick but here goes.
I like my tyres to be rock hard the back one with me sat on it [I'm only 10st 5lb plus a rucksack on my back]seemed a bit low so i go to pump it up. Its the thin type valve where you unscrew the valve slightly and put the pump connector on but try as i may i can't seem to get the tyres to go hard enough. I use to go to the garage and put the car tyre inflator on when i had my old bike but i don't think the garage inflators take the thin valves so can't do that now.
Surely i cannot be doing something wrong which should be a straight forward task.

Regards.
c.p
 

HJ

Cycling in Scotland
Location
Auld Reekie
You have a Presta valve, you need to unscrew the valve fully, I usually press it down and let a little air out first to free the valve, then pump it up. It is worth getting a track pump for this as it is much easier and if you get one with a gauge you will know how much pressure you have put in. Usually the recommended pressure and the max pressure are marked some where on the side wall of the tyres, it is worth checking and pumping up to recommended pressure. Hope that helps.
 

Fab Foodie

hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
Location
Kirton, Devon.
You have a Presta valve, you need to unscrew the valve fully, I usually press it down and let a little air out first to free the valve, then pump it up. It is worth getting a track pump for this as it is much easier and if you get one with a gauge you will know how much pressure you have put in. Usually the recommended pressure and the max pressure are marked some where on the side wall of the tyres, it is worth checking and pumping up to recommended pressure. Hope that helps.

wot he said^^^^^^^^
 

MJN

New Member
Location
Bristol
You haven't mentioned what pump you're using but chances are that's where the problem lies. The high(er) pressures of bike tyre require high(er) pressure pumps.

Many 'car' pumps won't do - they are designed for large volumes of air at relatively low pressures. Petrol station compressor pumps might well manage the pressure levels, but they also chuck out a high volume of air so are not at all recommended for low-volume bike tyres.

As the others have said a track pump will sort you out, but so will any pump specced to deliver a high enough pressure (as marked on the tyrewall as suggested).

Mathew
 
OP
OP
C

Cycle power

New Member
Hi Mathew.
I got this small pump with the bike with plastic connectors not the connectors that are rubber and fix one end to the pump and the other to the valve. The one i got was more of a push straight onto the valve so i thought it was poor quality. I went to the local bike shop and just bought a standard pump with the traditional connector. A pump is a pump to me but i suppose it's just my ignorance.
I will give it a go in the morning but if no joy i will have to invest in a better quality pump.
Regards.
C.P
 

MJN

New Member
Location
Bristol
Don't beat yourself up about it! It might be worth lookig at somewhere like www.wiggle.co.uk (good range and value; free delivery) and seeing that they've got to offer. They should list what pressures they're suitable for (you might not want to rely in the upper limit being feasible for a great many of them).

Perhaps if you say what sort of pump you're after e.g. is it purely for home use, perhaps taking on your bike (in which case what type - racer, MTB, etc), in a bag... someone might then be able to make some recommendations or at least provide educated guidance.

It's not necessarilly a quality issue; some just aren't designed for high pressures. I've been using a crappy no-name mini-pump for a while and whilst it was a lot of work it took me up to 70psi... admittedly my blood pressure at that point was probably something similar!!

Mathew
 

swee'pea99

Legendary Member
Three things:

First, when you loosen off the wee nut, just give it a quick tap with something (the pump barrel, eg). Ps! Ok, you're ready.

Second, you're never going to get it really hard with a hand pump (an 'ordinary' pump). Even if you're really strong, you'll struggle to get past about 70 psi, and 'hard' means 100+.

Third, wot you need is wot they said - a track pump. They cost about £20. Except if you keep your eyes open and get one in the occasional Aldi sales for a fiver. 
 

Crankarm

Guru
Location
Nr Cambridge
 

biggs682

Touch it up and ride it
Location
Northamptonshire
i have just purchased a track pump from tescos online aprox 13 quid works treat and takes 700s up to 110 psi no problems , got to be worth a look at
 

Davidc

Guru
Location
Somerset UK
When you get a pump that'll do the job do take a look at the tyres - they should have their maximum pressure stamped on them, and you shouldn't go above that.
 

Ian H

Ancient randonneur
Bear in mind that for narrow tyres you need a narrow-barrelled pump (smaller volume at higher pressure). For hand or frame-fit pumps, Zefal are good and will pump to above 120 psi. For track pumps (by far the easiest to use at home) Joe Blow are good, but look for ones with the narrower barrel - wider ones are more suitable for lower pressure mtb/hybrid tyres.
 

DavieB

MIA
Location
Glasgow
This is the pump I use at the moment, I will get a track pump but its low on priities I needed a pump I can use at the side of the road in case of punctures, was not going to carry around a track pump. This wee thing gets the tyres up to 125psi with a little effort (read frantic) Checked the pressure with a digital gauge it was quite accurate.

http://www.topeak.com/products/Mini-Pumps/MiniG
 
OP
OP
C

Cycle power

New Member
Just a quick up date.I did as some of you recommended ie opened the valve fully instead of half way as i was doing and i let some air out and the result i got the tyres really hard with ease.Okay they won't be 50lb in them but i would guess it won't be far off.


Thanks to all of you you
 
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