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tyre pressures

toadtoad Posts: 104
most days i ride to work on my claude butler san remo ( road bike ), it is 12 miles on country roads ...every day before I go i pump my tyres to between 100-110 psi with a decent tyre pump ...... when I get to work the pressure has usually reduced to 70 psi particularly in the back wheel .... this makes the ride home difficult ... the hand pump I have on my bike doesnt seem to be able to get the pressures above 80 . Am I doing something wrong ?

Comments

  • EWCEWC Posts: 6
    You really shouldnt have to pump your tyres up everyday, or even every week, chances are you have a slow puncture or faulty valve. Id try changing the tubes, remembering to check the tyres for any thorns etc when the old tube is out.

    You will always struggle to get much above 80psi with a hand pump.
  • rpopper65rpopper65 Posts: 171
    Yeah, a hand pump isn't ever going to get a high-pressure tire pumped up all the way - it's really only meant to get some air into a spare or patched inner tube and get you back home on tires filled up enough to a reasonable capacity, not to top pressure.



    I keep a couple of spare valve adapters (assuming you've got presta valves on your tires) so that, if I need the really high pressure, I can use the air pump at a garage to pump up my tires to the point where they are rock-solid. Just be really careful and take it in very small doses if you use a tire pump from a garage (I mean, literally, hold the handle to release the air for a split second and no longer), because they are high-volume pressure pumps that can blow up your bike tires so fast that they might just burst if you hold for too long.



    Or, you could get those little air canisters from a bike shop that I've seen some people use in races.
  • toadtoad Posts: 104
    thanks for the advice guys, it has been really helpful . Have checked the tyres so dont think there are any sharp objects embedded .... faulty valves sound likely ..... they are presta valves .... the air canisters sound a good idea rpopper ...... are there any specific makes of tyre tubes that seem to be better than average ?

  • On the tube front either Vittoria or Continental.

    As for tyres I never use anything other than Continental.
  • TTX PROTTX PRO Posts: 225
    If i was you go full out conti.conti tubes and tyres that way you shouldn't find the need to keep pumping up your tyres
  • The little race canisters ar CO2 not air. They are really meant for a fast fill up during a race and I've been told that they slowly re-compress in the tyre over time so you will lose prease if you leave the CO2 in.



    The best bet is to get a good set of inner tubes and a track pump (for home) and a good mini pump (for out and about). I have a Topeak mini masterblaster and I can get almost 100 psi out of it.

  • Speaking of tire pressures..



    Please bear with me as a novice cyclist...On the rim of the tire the pressure states a max of 110 psi...



    But I am hesitant to go beyond 80 as its feels like it could not take much air.



    Appreciating the need for firm tyres - has anyone any thoughts or recommendations?



    Many Thanks,

    Paul
  • tony btony b Posts: 57
    For races I'll go up to close to the max. recommended pressure, never right to the limit. For day-to-day training, I'll let it down lower, say 80 to 80 if the max is 120. When you change your tubes, don't forget to check the rim for poor rim tape/protruding spokes as well as the inside of the tyre
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    Good point on the 'never to max' pressure. If you have your bike in the car, if it is a hot day & you have inflated to max, you increase the chance of a blow out hugely as the air will expand & pop goes your tube, so always leave a little to be topped up if necessary..& don't forget a sunny transition spot will also heat you tyres as will the ride itself.
  • tony btony b Posts: 57
    Talking of which, Britspin, I had a tyre explode from the heat, but I'd got off it 5 minutes before. I'd hit a huge speed coming down into Brighton, and it was warm. What with the heat from braking, it frightened the life out of me. Thank god I wasn't on it as it was the front.
  • MikeyBMikeyB Posts: 135
    I tend to keep the tyres at around 115 all the time (they are rated to 120).



    As well as making them roll faster having them fully pumped up makes them more resistant to punctures (so I have been told). I run them with less pressure in winter or wet weather as it improves the grip.



    Mike

  • SamutriSamutri Posts: 143
    I tend to run my tires right on max pressure all the time and have never had any issues.

    I do check the pressure regularly, especially in the summer, to avoid the blow outs!

    I was once told that the tire makers posted maximum pressure errs on the side of caution and you'd be ok to put a bit more in....think I'm just going to stick to 120!!
  • transittransit Posts: 163
    I agree, you should be able to pump the tyres up to almost the max with no probs really. Never heard of the heat issue but it sounds scarey. I pump mine up to 115psi every couple of days. They sometimes lose a bit of pressure but most of that is probably just when I connect the pump. Rubber is permeable so will let small amounts of air out over time. I know some people inflate tyres pre-race then deflate slightly after, not sure why, may be the heat reason.



    In terms of punture resistance due to higher pressures, think that might just apply more to mtbs to stop pinch flats from rocky surfaces
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    I think there was a run of faulty valves in Continental tubes recently, as I had problems with flats and loss of pressure, and like you could not find any obvious problems. I replaced the tubes (one by one) with new Continetals and had no problems. I suppose these things happen and I have no axe to grind with Continental. Were yours Continental?
  • bennybenny Posts: 1,314
    Deflating them a little after a race can be a good idea. I never do it myself and had no problems before though. But my father did once. His bike was hanging in the garage already, but due to rising temps the tubular just exploded( well, that might be a little too spectacular, let's say it blew cause of the rising pressure).

    Maybe it was a bit too old, or factory default!??
  • I've got a max of 110 but having had one blow after pumping to 105 I never go above 100psi any more.



    Since taking this approach I haven't suffered a puncture (I had 3 before the blow out in the space of 6 weeks whilst training).



    I do have to qualify this by adding I have a sh*te bike at the moment with equally low quality tubes etc.
  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    I'm using Conti tubes and have just put a pair of Panaracer Extreme Evo 2 tyres on. Very nice, if a bit lively on the straight. Before that I was using Schwalbe Stelvio over the Conti tubes.



    Anyway, with both of these sets of tyres allowing 150psi max I always inflate to the limit, training or racing. You lose a few when you disconnect the pump, gain a few when the tyres get warm when riding. Mid-summer I'll back off 10 psi in a race to allow for sun-warming in the transition area.



    I always let a bit out after riding, just in case the temperature goes up in the car / garage / wherever. Anyway, there doesn't seem much point in stressing the rubber and valves unless I'm on board. I don't deflate by much, though (down to about 100psi), because I don't want to wear anything out through temp/pressure cycles.



    Does this sound sensible? I've always thought that with road tyres harder is better.
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