Help I'm an idiot

[dajwid]

I have just bought my first real bike. a wonderfull old racing bike (I am sure most of you call them by a proper name). I have had mountain bikes, town bikes bla bla. I have always fixed them myself. Today I am embarrased!

How do you pump up the tyres? The bike has really tiny valves, unscrew them and the air comes out

Are there special pumps? Special adapters. I so want to try my new to but with semi flat tyres, no way.

Thanks for your help.

 

[jhuskey]

I have just bought my first real bike. a wonderfull old racing bike (I am sure most of you call them by a proper name). I have had mountain bikes, town bikes bla bla. I have always fixed them myself. Today I am embarrased!

How do you pump up the tyres? The bike has really tiny valves, unscrew them and the air comes out

Are there special pumps? Special adapters. I so want to try my new to but with semi flat tyres, no way.

Thanks for your help.

Yes,they are different. "Presta valve",and you will need a pump to fit a presta valve.
There are many different types but I would recommend one with a guage as to be able to determine your tire pressure.

 

[artmichalek]

They're a bit of a pain to use, but you can get adapters that will allow you to pump up Presta tubes with a standard Schrader pump.

 

[Lonnie Utah]

How do you pump up the tyres? The bike has really tiny valves, unscrew them and the air comes out

Are there special pumps? Special adapters. I so want to try my new to but with semi flat tyres, no way.

Those are presta valves. You are 100% right. They require a specal pump or an adapter to inflate them. Go to your local bike shop and they will have what you need. You'll be rolling in no time.

L

 

[dajwid]

Thanks a ton, I thought I was going mad. Would I be better to change the tyre or tubes (if they have tubes?) and get normal valves?

 

[artmichalek]

Thanks a ton, I thought I was going mad. Would I be better to change the tyre or tubes (if they have tubes?) and get normal valves?

Schrader valves are too big to fit through the holes in your rims. A pump adapter costs about $1.

 

[dajwid]

OK I'll stick to what I have and spend the dollar Sorry for the silly questions.

 

[Sore-arse]

Please can we ALL spell "TYRES" as such, and never use "tires" unless we are talking in the "training" forum and are saying something like "climbing out of the saddle always tires me...."


look: in the English language...
some words are spelt the same such as
"you can lead a horse to water..." and "cars use lead-acid batteries" and the context tells us what the word means.
But when we have a proper word from 250 years ago such as "TYRE" then for gawd's sake, us the friggin' word...

 

[Sore-arse]

VALVE ADAPTER is a very nifty little device... I bought a cheap track pump which is OK on Schrader- good thumb lock, but with Presta, can never hang on, and ejects violently from a presta valve at about 80 psi (due to a crappy plastic adapter supplied with the pump) but when I use the pump on its Schrader setting- with the thumb lock, and put a metal adapter on the valve, it will go to 120psi, albeit with a bit of effort.

 

[DiabloScott]

Please can we ALL spell "TYRES" as such, and never use "tires" unless we are talking in the "training" forum and are saying something like "climbing out of the saddle always tires me...."


look: in the English language...
some words are spelt the same such as
"you can lead a horse to water..." and "cars use lead-acid batteries" and the context tells us what the word means.
But when we have a proper word from 250 years ago such as "TYRE" then for gawd's sake, us the friggin' word...

OK I'll readily admit that most American spelling modifications were unnecessary, but in this case "tire" came first and the Brits et al changed it to "tyre". So the answer to your question is "No, and toss off".

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, quoted in Fowler's Modern English Usage, the word is a shortening of attire, and the British spelling tyre is a recent divergence from historical tradition. Fowler also notes that the altered spelling tyre originally met with resistance from conservative British institutions such as The Times newspaper.

 

[dajwid]

I did use tyre.
I am a British guy working as an English teacher, I teach English in Poland.

Tyre is normally seen as British English, tire American.

I am sure it doesn't matter. Many people here in Poland want British English.

My bike is a nice colour or should that be color. Not sure as my neigbour sorry neigbor told me it is nice. I give up as I have got or gotton myself into a mess.

I bought a big pump that can pump up all types of 'rubberthings on wheels' and everything is fine.
Will my ass (****) change shape to fit the seat (saddle) or should I look for another one in the local shop (store)?