Pumping up tyres - how do people achieve 100psi ?

[peanut]

To the above I add a CO2 inflator. Hard tyres away from home in seconds and no sweat.

I've still got two I bought in 1994 and never used

where do you stick yours / in the handlebar ends ?

 

[BIGSESAL]

Trusty track pump or if you are out on the road one of the Topeak morph pumps

+1 for a topeak. Some come with a pressure gauge on them. It isn't very accurate but gives you a rough idea if you get a puncture when on the road.

 

[Over The Hill]

Am I the only one who does not like rock hard tyres?

I especially keep the front one a little bit off solid as it seems to then not transfer all the vibration from the road into my arms. Back one needs a bit more in as it has most of my weight on it.

 

[swee'pea99]

Am I the only one who does not like rock hard tyres?

I especially keep the front one a little bit off solid as it seems to then not transfer all the vibration from the road into my arms. Back one needs a bit more in as it has most of my weight on it.

Without wishing to put the hex on, my probs with You Know Who dropped off considerably after someone on here said '120 rear, 100 front'. I've checked/adjusted every weekend ever since.

 

[Calum]

I pump both up to 120, but it's a bit smoother if you leave the front tyre at 100.

 

[Amanda P]

I've had a track pump in the past, but since it packed up, I've used a single-barrelled car tyre footpump. It gets 120 psi quite easily.

I've also tried those electric tyre compressors, and they're useless. My truck's tyres need 65 psi, and although the compressor says it can do 100 psi, it's never managed more than about 50. Maybe OK for car tyres that only need 30-odd psi though.

Incidentally, I've also used a track pump to pump car tyres. Hard work.

In short, if you have a car and a bike, and you can only afford one workshop pump, get a single-barrelled car pump.

 

[Randochap]

Am I the only one who does not like rock hard tyres?

No, And contrary to popular wisdom, they'll slow you down on anything but the smoothest surface and give less traction in the corners.

 

[Amanda P]

Am I the only one who does not like rock hard tyres?

No. On regular bikes, I keep 'em a bit soft for comfort. On my Moulton, though, the suspension provides the comfort and road-holding, and the little tyres roll much better if they're rock-hard.

That's one of the cornerstones of Moulton design. Normal frames have to be a compromise between being stiff so that your energy goes into propelling you, not flexing them, and between being flexible enough not to shake your teeth out. Ditto wheels, and ditto tyres (and that's why we like them less than rock-hard).

On a Moulton, these compromises aren't necessary - the suspension gives you the comfort and road-holding, so the frame and wheels can be as stiff as possible for efficiency.

Regular wheels are 26 - 28 inches partly to allow them to roll over bumps in the road rather than fall into them. But that large size comes with a weight penalty - rims and (especially) tyres are heavy, and it's rotating weight.

Make the wheels smaller and you cut down this weight. As long as the tyres are high pressure, the increased rolling resistance is neglible down to wheels of about 16". And with suspension, only the wheel falls into holes and out again, rather than the whole bike and rider moving up and down. Alex Moulton worked this out empirically in the 1960s; recently MIT confirmed it more scientifically .

 

[swee'pea99]

No, And contrary to popular wisdom, they'll slow you down on anything but the smoothest surface and give less traction in the corners.

Cobblers. Next!

 

[jay clock]

+another for a track pump. I hve a trek 1.2 and get the tyres to that pressure in a few strokes. Mine is a Joe Blow Sport. Excellent bit of kit

 

[BentMikey]

I have the Specialized Air Tool Pro track pump, reviewed in this month's C+. It's lovely, just works and feels very good.

 

[ianrauk]

Am I the only one who does not like rock hard tyres?

I especially keep the front one a little bit off solid as it seems to then not transfer all the vibration from the road into my arms. Back one needs a bit more in as it has most of my weight on it.

+1
my front tyre is 10psi less then rear tyre

 

[mikeyw]

Thanks Guys - some good info here....anyone know of any good offers on pumps anywhere ??

 

[dodgy]

If you have a road bike, you need a track pump. I don't even think it's a luxury.

 

[MajorMantra]

Thanks Guys - some good info here....anyone know of any good offers on pumps anywhere ??

Tesco!