Mini Pump...Feelin' Dumb....

Hey Guys,
Once again, please don't laugh too hard...but I have a question. Went to my local LBS, told him I needed a pump (still a newbie, working on getting the "besides the bike" equipment...) and he handed me a Topeak Mini DX. I drove off without realizing I have no idea how to determine if I've reached the right PSI on my tires! The pump doesn't seem to have a gauge...
:Sighs: Sorry if it's a dumb question, but figured I would ask before I do some damage. Mahalo guys, hope the week is going well.

I think mini pumps are mostly to be used out on the road for emergencies where you just want to pump up your repaired tire enough to get home rather than worry about just what psi you've got it at. And if you're on a road bike, you'll have a hard time getting up to the proper psi anyway with a mini pump.
You need a floor pump with a gague on it to make sure you are running proper psi. The last one I bought was a Blackburn for about $35 at the LBS.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...x?ModelID=5113

So, either keep the mini pump to clip on to your frame or stow in your jersey pocket for emergencies and go buy a floor pump with a gague, or exchange the mini pump for a floor pump. You will eventually want some sort of emergency pump, though. CO2 pumps are popular because they are light and can be stowed easily.

Good Luck.

CO2 Inflators are also popular because they eliminate the arm pain caused by trying to pump up a road bike tire with a mini pump . But like Hewerrr said, you will need a floor pump with a guage. I've got a mini compressor that takes a couple of minutes to pump up my tires to 100 psi. If you do get a compressor, make sure that it is a low volume compressor. A regular air compressor, especially one with a tank, will deliver the air too quickly and could cause damage to the tire and wheel, and possibly to you.

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My pretty experienced guess is that if/when you use your mini pump, you should just pump the tire as hard as you can possibly get it with that mini pump. There is virtually no chance that you'd ever be able to pump it beyond it's safe range. I'll bet you'll max out at about 90 lbs, 100 or so if you're a brute.

You can test this with a tire gauge.

By the way, I think the best technique to use when pumping a mini pump is to pump it slow and deliberately, pushing through to the stop. That's the only way I've been able to get the pressure up there- one tiny, full pump at a time. If you try to do it fast, you will not get the full amount of pressure in, in my experience.