I can't get it hard, do I just pump more?

[Goldfish1238]

Great now I have your attention here is my question. I bought a cheap pump with a pressure gauge and I thought it's just a pump but when I went to put more air into my rear tyre i can't get it upto pressure around 100psi is it the pump or am I just missing something here?

 

[ianrauk]

Give it some welly.

 

[Cyclist33]

You need to grip the end properly and give it a firm and regular pump. Make sure you don't keep going for too long in case the rubber bursts and chaos ensues.

 

[Goldfish1238]

You think that's all it is?

 

[Cyclist33]

Are you just pumping with your hand or is it a large upright rod and you are putting all your body behind it?

 

[Goldfish1238]

Just my hand mate lol, I have It quite firm so far but just can't get the extra bit and the gauge doesn't help at all

 

[mjr]

I bought a cheap pump with a pressure gauge

(highlighting mine) What's its maximum pressure? I've a 85psi one because it's small and light - which is good enough for my bikes but won't do a modern road bike - and I think I saw a cheap pump in some shop which said it only did 60psi = balloon tyres only?

 

[Goldfish1238]

On the gauge it goes upto 120psi which I think must be wrong, as I say I thought basically a pump is a pump. You think it's guff then?

 

[Saluki]

I bought a cheap pump with a pressure gauge

There's your problem, right there.

My track pump was on offer for £20 and it's been worth every penny. My Lezyne pump was about £15 and will pump up to 110psi according to the blurb on the packet when I bought it.

 

[Markymark]

Is it s hand pump or a track pump that you stand on? You'll really need a track pump for proper high pressure.

 

[Goldfish1238]

My track pump was on offer for £20 and it's been worth every penny. My Lezyne pump was about £15 and will pump up to 110psi according to the blurb on the packet when I bought it.[/QUOTE]


I thought that, gonna head to my LBS and see what they can do for me, at least I learned this lesson at home though rather than out on the road I guess

 

[Goldfish1238]

It's a hand pump

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Cheap pumps have cheap parts. For on the bike consider Topeak - pocket rocket is my favourite, 100+ psi no sweat - or Lezyne & expect to pay around £20 for something that does the trick. I'd also invest in a track pump for home, they're a lot easier.

Ignore the maximum on the pressure gauge you have too, my car speedo goes up past 180mph but it'd have to be falling from the sky to get close to that.

 

[mjr]

Ignore the maximum on the pressure gauge you have too

That's the key point: they probably use the same gauge on several pumps, as it's probably cheaper to buy/make more of fewer types. It's much more common that they'll use a gauge that goes higher than the pump can than the other way round...

 

[jefmcg]

It's a hand pump

Then it might be a very good pump. Few hand pumps can get to 100psi. You need a track pump at home, and a hand pump (or C02) for on the road; just enough to get you home, or to a bike shop with a better pump.