Tire inflation is the easiest, yet perhaps most neglected maintenance task that bicycle riders can do on their own, according to Bicycle South in Decatur, Georgia. The late bicycle mechanic Sheldon Brown said cyclists should experiment with different tire pressures. Optimal pressure, he said, has more to do with the weight of the rider and the road surface than with "arbitrary ratings" from a manufacturer's "legal and marketing departments." Width and pressure, said Brown, are inexorably linked and shouldn't be considered independently. Narrower road bike tires will require higher pressures than their wider counterparts.
Step 1
Determine what type of valve you have. Bike tires usually have Presta or Schrader valves. The Presta valve is skinnier, and is typically used on road bike tires, as it will hold more air pressure than the common Schrader valve. The design of the Presta also allows the road bike rim to be narrower without compromising strength. Look for a brass cap underneath the plastic valve cap to distinguish Presta valves from Schraders. Schrader valves look almost exactly like the ones on your car.
Step 2
Rotate the tire until the valve stem is on the bottom of the wheel. By placing the valve down, you avoid placing stress on your pump's hose. Most bike pumps have either a double head with a skinny hole for Presta valves and a fatter hole for Schrader valves, or a single smart head that will accommodate both types.
Step 3
Attach the pump head. Remove the plastic cap from the valve and, if you have a Presta valve, lightly unscrew the brass cap just until it stops. Carefully slide the proper pump head straight down onto the valve stem, then lock it by pulling the lever up.
Step 4
Pump up the tire. When using a floor pump, place one foot on each side of the stand, grip the handle, and pump it up and down. Seat the tire properly while you inflate it. This is especially important with high-pressure road tires. If you've recently replaced the tube, stop every 20 psi and look for bulges or dips. When the tires are at the preferred pressure, remove the pump head by pushing the lever down and sliding it straight off of the valve. Tighten the brass cap on Presta valves and reattach the plastic valve cap.
Hand and CO2 dispenser pumps work a little differently and you should become familiar with them by talking to your local bike shop before heading out on a ride. (See References 1)
Step 5
Check your tire pressure before each ride.
Tips and Warnings
- Bicycle South notes that because of the narrow tires and tubes on road bikes and the extreme pressure inside them, air will naturally escape. If your bike sits around for a week you can lose up to five pounds of pressure or more. Sheldon Brown said that a tire is "supposed" to visibly bulge out a bit while under load. "If they don't," he said, "they're overinflated."
- As little as 100 psi of pressure can blow an unseated tire "right off the rim," advises Gareth Jones, service manager at Free Flite Bicycle in Marietta, Georgia.
Things You'll Need
- Bike pump
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