Struggling with tyre pressures

Jaydoubleyou
Jaydoubleyou Posts: 41
edited June 2010 in Road beginners
Sorry but I am back in real novice territory again!
I am really struggling to inflate my tyres to the right pressure.
I have a mini pump which works OK, but, probably due to it's mini'ness, takes forever and has no gauge, so I am never sure what pressure I am up to.
I also have a heavy duty car type foot pump which I have tried using with a screw on presta adaptor. This seems to let air out as quickly as I am pumping it in and I have never been able to get the pressure over around 70psi with this pump.
Any advice on where I am going wrong??
Jeff
«1

Comments

  • Flasheart
    Flasheart Posts: 1,278
    :idea: Buy a proper Track Pump.
    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/c/cycle/7/pumps_-_floor/

    Proper tools for the job usually help 8)
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  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Jeff, short answer is get a floor pump, something like this.

    You might also have a look through the Bikeradar gear reviews as C+ did a feature a couple of months ago. There are also some mini versions from Lezyne that get a lot of mentions on here that could be used at home or on the go.

    EDIT: Sorry for the double post. I was typing whilst Flash was posting. He doesn't hang about :)
  • Rouge Penguin
    Rouge Penguin Posts: 347
    +1 to the track pump.

    Most LBS and HellFrauds will have one
  • Jaydoubleyou
    Jaydoubleyou Posts: 41
    Thanks for the advice fellas.
    As long as I know it my choice of pump thats the problem I can look into a decent floor pump for home.
    I have a CO2 bottle and the mini pump as back up for on the road.
  • Mark Grant
    Mark Grant Posts: 11
    I picked up a track pump as a spare from Lidl last week. £4.99.

    Mark.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Not sure the Lidl pump will manage high enough pressures.
    I have 3 track pumps, but only one of them gets anywhere near 100psi or more, the others are used on MTB.
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  • Bunneh
    Bunneh Posts: 1,329
    Spent about £40 on a Blackburn Track pump some years ago, it's never let me down (pun not intended). Although last night I was in the kitchen and backed up to pick something up off the floor - unbeknown to me my pump was behind me, my butt touched it and it went 'pssssssssssssssssst' (the pump not my butt). I jumped up wondering what the hell it was!
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  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    On the subject of mini pumps, I recently bought a Topeak Morph Road which is pretty light and has a little pressure gauge in it. I have used mini pumps before and always found it difficult to get pressure much beyond 50-60psi, just enough to limp to my destination or somewhere like a bike shop where I can borrow a decent track pump. I used the Topeak for the 1st time the other night and it had the tyre up to 120 psi in literally no time, I was absolutely amazed! Can't recommend it enough!
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  • Jaydoubleyou
    Jaydoubleyou Posts: 41
    Thanks for advice headhunter.
    I have just had a look at Topeak Morph Road online and it looks perfect. It has great reviews from buyers on Wiggle, Chain reaction etc. Not particularly cheap but I guess when it comes to pumps, it is worth spending that bit more to get something fit for purpose!
    Is the pump small enough to take out, or is better left in the workshop?
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    It's about 40cm long and about 250 grammes. It comes with a frame bracket but when I took it out on a ride on Sun I just tucked it down the side of my shorts!

    I've just bought a Specialized Air Tool Pro for use at home. It's supposed to be one of the best track pumps available....

    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... -pro-33667
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  • CarleyB
    CarleyB Posts: 475
    Headhuunter wrote:
    It's about 40cm long and about 250 grammes. It comes with a frame bracket but when I took it out on a ride on Sun I just tucked it down the side of my shorts!

    :shock:
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  • Jaydoubleyou
    Jaydoubleyou Posts: 41
    Do you think that bearing in mind I have a mini pump on the bike which I would say would 'do the job' to get me home, would I be better spending my budget on a decent floor pump or would the Morph be the best of both worlds for a noob?
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Jaydoubleyou wrote:
    Do you think that bearing in mind I have a mini pump on the bike which I would say would 'do the job' to get me home, would I be better spending my budget on a decent floor pump or would the Morph be the best of both worlds for a noob?

    A decent floor pump makes it even easier to get high pressures in your tyres so if it's a choice between the 2 and you don't mind using a slightly sh*tty mini pump just to get you home, then perhaps it's better to buy a proper track pump. Personally I just hate being 30 miles from home, getting a flat and then having to do the rest of an otherwise superb ride on slightly squishy tyres....
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  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    CarleyB wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    It's about 40cm long and about 250 grammes. It comes with a frame bracket but when I took it out on a ride on Sun I just tucked it down the side of my shorts!

    :shock:

    Yeah, I'm a bit of a legend...
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  • Chefshaw
    Chefshaw Posts: 57
    what is the correct pressure i need on my bike 120-140 psi? or is this too high
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  • NDawn
    NDawn Posts: 238
    Just don't buy the £20 odd Topeak Joe Blow Max http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Topea ... 360011991/

    I have one and while it works fine for my MTB up to 45 PSI I struggle to get it over 95PSI. I literally have to jump and put my entire weight on it to get the tyres to 115PSI, but then it is only rated to 120PSI so I'm approaching the limiit of it.
    Scott Scale 35 (2009)
  • plowmar
    plowmar Posts: 1,032
    The joe blow max doesn't look any different to the J B sport I got at Halfords 5/6 years ago and it hasn't let me down at all.

    Pumps easily to 130 psi with a good accurate guage.
  • NDawn
    NDawn Posts: 238
    Weird, I really really struggle. Probably down to me being really weak. Maybe the older ones were made from higher quality materials?
    Scott Scale 35 (2009)
  • carrotcruncher
    carrotcruncher Posts: 45
    Ndawn - I have the Joe Blow sport, I think thats the next one up in the range, absolute doddle to get 100+ psi.
    Have you had it long (possbile to declare it faulty and get a replacement?) ?
  • NDawn
    NDawn Posts: 238
    carrotcruncher wrote:
    Ndawn - I have the Joe Blow sport, I think thats the next one up in the range, absolute doddle to get 100+ psi.
    Have you had it long (possbile to declare it faulty and get a replacement?) ?

    I've had it maybe a good half year, kept indoors in dry conditions, it may well be faulty. How difficult is it for you to get it to 100+ PSI? as I say I get to about 95 PSI and I can no longer push the piston down with just my upper body strength alone. I have to jump and put all my weight down to get it that last 5-10psi. I'm not light either, probably 10-11 stone.

    Only thing I can think of is the Joe Blow Max II is rated to 120PSI max so I bet I'm actually nearing the limit of it. May have to invest in a better one. My dad has an old Blackburn track pump and that has no issues at all :)

    Maybe I got what I paid for ;)
    Scott Scale 35 (2009)
  • carrotcruncher
    carrotcruncher Posts: 45
    It's not difficult, though I do have a significant weight advantage for extra bearing over you :wink:
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Why anyone riding a road bike wants Psi over 100 is beyond me.

    100psi is what you want for dry, and if you're sketchy in the wet drop it to about 90.
    _
  • NDawn
    NDawn Posts: 238
    Because that is what the tyres/tube is rated on my bike at least.

    Minimum 100PSI max 145 PSI.
    Scott Scale 35 (2009)
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    doesnt mean you have to go to maximum with everything. i think 100 psi is pleanty. a lot of people have posted about ripped, exploded and tyres gone strange shapes, i think hot weather + stupid inflation pressure -plays a part.
  • Peddle Up!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    Mark Grant wrote:
    I picked up a track pump as a spare from Lidl last week. £4.99.

    Mark.

    I bought one of those the last time Lidl ran a cycle special week. That's how long it lasted. :)

    Replaced it with a Joe Blow track pump and never looked back.
    Purveyor of "up" :)
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    NDawn wrote:
    Because that is what the tyres/tube is rated on my bike at least.

    Minimum 100PSI max 145 PSI.

    What tyres are they ? I'm definitely with the 'less is more brigade though.
  • NDawn
    NDawn Posts: 238
    I pump them to 105-115 and they are Vittoria Zaffiro
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=31769

    says they are rated 100/135 so I went for the middle of the PSI range.

    Maybe I am am pumping them too high, but I've always run my road tyreas at around 100PSI :)
    Scott Scale 35 (2009)
  • justresting
    justresting Posts: 292
    I keep my rear tyre around 95 and front 85 and I've never had any issues ( looks round frantically for some wood to touch)
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  • ant.rocket
    ant.rocket Posts: 25
    I use a Lidl pump. Have been using it for a couple of years with no problems on road and mountain bikes. Good for a fiver, if it breaks i'd just buy another. Ok its not going to reach over 100psi but thats fine for me. I tend to run my tyres (pro race 3s) at 85-90psi with no problems. Any thing over that I find gives a very harsh ride on anything but perfect roads.
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    on bunpy roads a high pressure bounces my wheels and takes speed away. there arent many smooth sections here so i run 95-100 back a bit less for front.

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