Tyre Pressures & which pump to buy??

[Dave7]

I was going to ask "how much pressure" to put in? then I decided to actually look at the tyres
My road bike tyres are 700x23 Kevlar and state 125 PSI
My hybrid has 700x42 and state 50 PSI...........such a big difference???
(You might assume that with me having 2 bikes I should know but I have only just started using them)

Since being a kid I have simply 'squeezed' the tyres to tell if they had enough air in them.......now I have decided to do it right (another blush) in which case I need a pump with a guage. They seem to be called track pumps (anyone know why?)
In Decathlon they are rated by psi but as every model seems to exceed my requirements does it matter which one ? Are the bigger psi faster/easier?
There is one called the Btwin 'Clever' which will do 2 types of valve (do I assume one is high pressure and the other is MTB type?) but they all seem to do both types.........the Btwin is £25.00....any sugggestions?
Thanks in advance.

 

[woohoo]

My road bike tyres are 700x23 Kevlar and state 125 BAR
My hybrid has 700x42 and state 50 BAR

That must be psI not BAR. IIRC 125 Bar is around 1850 psi!

Generally the larger volume tyre will have a lower pressure. These numbers look like (reasonable) maximums in psi and, depending on your weight, riding conditions etc, you may want to ride at lower pressures (I run 95 psi front, 105 psi rear on my 700x23s).

 

[ianrauk]

125 Bar?, No sorry you have got that wrong. It will be 125psi...

The two types of valves are Presta which are normally found on road/skinny tyred hybrids and Schrader which are found on MTB and wider tyres.

 

[Dave7]

That must be psI not BAR. IIRC 125 Bar is around 1850 psi!

Sorry........psi it is. I have amended the OP

Any suggestions re' which pump to get?

 

[soulful dog]

The Joe Blow Track Pump always gets lots of recommendations, the Sport one is a bit dearer, but there's the Max II for £22. I personally use the Edinburgh Bike Co-ops track pump, the Revolution Air Track Pump Sport, which is currently only £10. I think I've probably had mine for a couple of years now, it's been a terrific buy. I'd previously bought a cheapo one from Tesco, and it was always problematic getting it connected to the valve, and getting it to stay on. So I returned it and bought the Revolution one instead.

 

[Monkspeed]

Having a track pump for home is great if you can afford it, but you will need to have one with you when you go out and for that I have this one and love it! http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_217868_langId_-1_categoryId_165661

I don't have a track pump at home unfortunately but so far the Mini DX has been great, a few pumps and the tyre is at the right pressure.

just remember to unscrew the thingy on the valve before trying to pump it up

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

A track pump (one that stands on the floor) with a pressure gauge is a good investment for your workshop: it is easier to get your tyres up to the right pressure and the gauge is more accurate than squeezing them.

All pumps are not created equal: a cheap pump will likely be made of thinner metal and could buckle in use. Lezyne, Topeak and Zefal are all good quality brands. That's not to say that all own brand/no brand pumps are rubbish, but crap tools are worse than no tools: I'd rather buy quality once, than rubbish twice.

Most tyres quote a minimum and a maximum pressure, both in BAR and PSI. Less than the minimum and you run the risk of "pinch" punctures, where the slack in the tube is trapped between the rim and the tyre. More than the maximum and they will explode!

A higher pressure will give a firmer ride and reduce the size of the tyre's contact patch with the road. This reduces rolling resistance and, in theory, is faster but I doubt anyone but a pro could tell. A smaller contact patch also means less grip, which (depending on the conditions) you certainly could notice. A lower pressure makes for a more comfortable ride with more grip.

Broadly speaking, as the conditions deteriorate and for long-distance rides you should consider running with lower pressures. However there comes a point when rather than losing pressure you should consider fatter rubber: I run 23mm in Summer, 28mm in Winter and 25mm on Sportives & Brevets.

 

[buddha]

If you're getting a home track pump, +1 for the Topeak Joe Blow - no problems in the years I've had it.
Despite the initial cost, I also got a Lezyne mini track pump for the road. The screw-on head and track-pump action made thing much easier in the 2 times I've had to use it.

 

[172traindriver]

I had a halfords track pump, that had seen better days, so took the plunge and bought this Topeak Joe Blow.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/topeak-joe-blow-turbo-track-pump/

You really notice the difference compared to the old pump, it is superb and it is a case of you get what you pay for. The smart head adaptor recognises/accepts both schrader and presta valves.
It has a max of 160psi and there is a pressure release valve, so put a bit more in and let it back down to what you want.
This brand always seems to get good reviews along with the likes of Lezyne, Blackburn. I paid a bit more but recognise the quality of this bit of kit.

 

[Peteaud]

Joe blow as well, fantastic bit of kit.

 

[Dave7]

Thanks for all the very helpful advise. I decide to go for the Edinburgh Co-op as it was one of the recommendations and on offer at £10.00. It seems to do all I want and has the 'clever' valve. As my son wanted one also it was free postage.

 

[stu1903]

I run my Schwalbe Ultremo ZX tyres at 110psi

 

[sabian92]

I've got the Joe Blow.... something (it's in bright yellow, I know that!) and for the 30 quid I paid for it I can't argue that it's anything but brilliant. Every week or so, one or two quick blasts of it and my tyres are back up to 110psi or something like that. Definitely worth spending the extra money on instead of buying a cheap one twice. My only gripe is that it's too big to fit on the bike, as it's a track pump.

Edit: This pump http://www.wiggle.co.uk/topeak-joe-blow-sport-ii-track-pump/

 

[PpPete]

Having a track pump for home is great if you can afford it, but you will need to have one with you when you go out and for that I have this one and love it! http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_217868_langId_-1_categoryId_165661

I don't have a track pump at home unfortunately but so far the Mini DX has been great, a few pumps and the tyre is at the right pressure.

just remember to unscrew the thingy on the valve before trying to pump it up

As others have said Joe Blow tack pumps are great... but the Mini DX is a pile of pants IMHO. Takes a lot of work to pump up a 25 mm tyre to 100 psi. I find the "double action" is incredibly tiring on the arms. Much prefer the Lezyne Road Drive - although it is admittedly twice the price.

 

[Basil.B]

I have also got a Joe Blow, works a treat.