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I can't inflate my tires enough.. ? help

Started by ShooterJ07 · · Last activity · 13 posts · 1,574 views

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01 / Original postI can't inflate my tires enough.. ? helpShooterJ07 · 9 Sep 2007 02 / This pagePosts 1–13Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #13mongooseboy · 10 Sep 2007

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Cycling Equipment
Published
9 September 2007
Last activity
10 September 2007
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ShooterJ07
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  1. Original post
    ShooterJ07
    Archived post
    #1

    I bought my first road bike... the tires say min 73 PSI, max 103. The guy at the store told me to keep it about 100.

    Well.. sorry to say, I had never seen a presta valve before, and didn't notice it had those until I got home from the store.

    I bought a floor pump (from Wal-Mart - yikes) with a pressure gauge attached to it. I bought a presta adaptor. I screwed on the adaptor and attached the pump. When I start pumping, I can't seem to get more than 60 PSI in the tires (assuming the pump is measuring correctly). I can't really tell if the gauge on the pump is measure properly or not. This whole presta valve thing threw me for a loop.

    When it says 60 PSI, I simply can't pump any more air in to the tire. The pump will squeek as the air escapes from it (through the handle/pump, not the cord where it attaches to the bike). It is also very hard to pump anyway, and I'm afraid it isn't measure correctly and I already have too much air in the tire.

    Help a new guy out. Is it SUPPOSED to be really hard to pump up? What can I get to reliably check the pressure?

    Report
  2. tfstrum
    Archived post
    #2

    Make sure you're opening the presta valve. There's a plunger that needs to be screwed open.

    A friend of mine that had never used Presta valves recently mentioned the same thing before a guy at the LBS clued him in.

    http://www.matthewsbikes.com/techcorner/prestavalve.htm

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  3. ShooterJ07
    Archived post
    #3

    Thanks for the help, but I did have enough sense to figure that much out. The valve is all the way open. I let the tire go completely flat and pumped it back up so that it feels hard to me, but only registering 60PSI on the gauge.

    tfstrum said:

    Make sure you're opening the presta valve. There's a plunger that needs to be screwed open.

    A friend of mine that had never used Presta valves recently mentioned the same thing before a guy at the LBS clued him in.

    matthewsbikes.comprestavalve.htm

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  4. tfstrum
    Archived post
    #4

    Do you know anyone with a better pump or are you near a bike shop? It's time to try someone else's gear...

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  5. kdelong
    Archived post
    #5

    My recommendation is that you get a pump for a presta valve. Topeak makes a very good pump with a guage and a dual use head that goes for about $25.00. Your adapters could be part of your problem.

    Report
  6. ShooterJ07
    Archived post
    #6

    Thanks.. didn't know they made such a thing. 🙂 I'll take this junker back to walmart & pick up a different pump tomorrow.

    kdelong said:

    My recommendation is that you get a pump for a presta valve. Topeak makes a very good pump with a guage and a dual use head that goes for about $25.00. Your adapters could be part of your problem.

    Report
  7. cheapie
    Archived post
    #7

    when i first got a road bike i did the same thing. tried to inflate the tire to 100+ and blew up the pump. 😄

    much easier once i bought a decent floor pump from my lbs.

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  8. oldbobcat
    Archived post
    #8
    cheapie said:


    much easier once i bought a decent floor pump from my lbs.


    A decent floor pump is an investment. The Silca track pump I bought over 30 years ago is still going strong. Over the years I've had to replace gaskets, washers, and the hose, but it still works as well as the day I bought it.

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  9. Cycler6n
    Archived post
    #9

    did you let the air out of the tire first?

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  10. gclark8
    Archived post
    #10
    kdelong said:

    My recommendation is that you get a pump for a presta valve. Topeak makes a very good pump with a guage and a dual use head that goes for about $25.00. Your adapters could be part of your problem.

    I recently bought the PRO (Shimano) Track Pump, brass head, presta only! 😄

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  11. kdelong
    Archived post
    #11
    gclark8 said:

    I recently bought the PRO (Shimano) Track Pump, brass head, presta only! 😄

    The reason I bought the dual head pump is because my MTB and my girlfreind's Univega both have Shrader Valves while all my Ralieghs have Presta Valves. A dual head pump is more economical than two complete pumps.

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  12. tt1106
    Archived post
    #12

    I've got an ascent. 26 bucks. Inflates to 120 psi easy.

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  13. mongooseboy
    Archived post
    #13

    i have a wrench force that i bought when i bought my Allez road bike...it was a $30 pump they took 25% off for it being after season.

    pumps up to 120psi on the gague, and i bet will go well beyond that if you try. its all plastic, so it might not last 30 years like a silca will but its got HUGE volume and doesnt take long to inflate mtb tires.

    If i could buy a silca, I would 🙂

    previously i had a cheap "bell" brand from walmart, it would go up to about 80 psi after checking with an air gauge....it worked for years till i got a road bike 🙂

    Report

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