Issues pumping up a new tire

skyric

Hi everyone,

I'm pretty much brand new to cycling so I'm having issues figuring out how to properly inflate a new tire/tube.

I recently got a turbo trainer and I ended up ruining a tire on it, I guess special tires are needed to take the heat from a trainer. I've since purchased a continental tire that unlike my existing one was all folded up and seems to almost take its shape from the inflated tube...vs my previous tire that was very hard and seemed to hold shape on its own.

Anyway, I changed from the old tire to the trainer tire and started to pump it up with my brand new pump. The gauge on the pump, it's a BV Ergonomic Floor pump, says I have it pumped up all the way to 150 psi but the tire is still feeling pretty much flat to me. If I put my thumb on it and exert moderate pressure I can push it down to the rim. It is rather hard to pump at this point but I can get more air into it...I guess I'm just worried if I'm over-inflating it and I should leave things alone, if I'm doing something wrong, if the pump gauge is off, etc. I thought 150+ psi would be a very hard tire.

Thanks for any thoughts on what I should do from here!!

fenix

You've not got 150 PSI in it if its able to be squished by a thumb,

Have you unfurled the little nut on the valve ? Do that a turn or two and let some air out.

Now pushing from the tyre where the valve is - put the pump head on again and turn the locking lever if there is one on the pump.

Now try pumping again.

Tony Rymer

Be aware that if you don’t connect the pump to the valve correctly that it can prevents the valve from opening to let the air in. This gives a false reading on the pump gauge

Killerclown

Presta valves can be a bit confusing, if you’ve never seen one before. You need to undo the little nut at the top of the valve before you start pumping. It depends on which sort of track pump you have as well. A lot of them have a head with 2 sides to it, and a little lever that moves / locks left or right depending on whether you’re using presta ( the ones you sound like you have ) or schrader ( car type valves ) get the correct head on the valve, lock the lever to the correct side ( I’m guessing Presta ), if you have one of these pumps:

OnTheRopes

Try this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AM0Zf49aVU

fenix

Ric - how are you getting on ?

skooter

If you have a double valve head on your pump Presta is the smaller one.

airborneal

As above all good advice, also get a decent pressure gauge. On for presta and schrader valves to cover all including your car.

ben@31

Tony Rymer wrote:

Be aware that if you don’t connect the pump to the valve correctly that it can prevents the valve from opening to let the air in. This gives a false reading on the pump gauge

The gauge will just be reading the pressure thats in the hose between the pump and valve.

Often caused by the valve being stuck closed. Its simply fixed by unscrewing the valve as normal and then pushing the valve in with your finger to let out a few PSI. Then attach your pump.

OnTheRopes

ben@31 wrote:

Tony Rymer wrote:

Be aware that if you don’t connect the pump to the valve correctly that it can prevents the valve from opening to let the air in. This gives a false reading on the pump gauge

The gauge will just be reading the pressure thats in the hose between the pump and valve.

Often caused by the valve being stuck closed. Its simply fixed by unscrewing the valve as normal and then pushing the valve in with your finger to let out a few PSI. Then attach your pump.

Hopefully he's got it pumped up by now