I am the Hulk grrrrrr...

MCOS

... at least I felt like the Hulk after achieving 120psi with my pocket rocket! I had to pump the wheel like my life depended on it and lie down and have a sleep before starting on the front tire!

After my first few spins on my bike I suspected my tire was a bit soft, not a puncture, just that I hadn't pumped the wheels since I got it from Wiggle. One of the lads on the group spin recommended putting in 120psi. I thought 'grand I'll do that so when I get home'. Little did I realise that I would have to warm up and psyche up for the task! I borrowed a friends 'crank bros' mini pump as it had a gauge. I put the gauge on first and realised I had been running on less that 50psi so I started pumping. I had no idea that I would have to pump like an angry hulk just for the crank bros device to max out at 90psi. I switched to the pocket rocket and went for round 2 and 3 and 4 checking with the crank bros gauge for progress in between. As I hit 115psi I was sweating and wondering 'is this normal and will the tire explode as soon as it touches the road!?'

Also, what will be the effect of riding with tires on 115psi instead of 50psi?

Thanks,
A knackered MCOS

Bambaata

get yourself a track pump. generally they need to be at least 100 and checked weekly so if you dont intend going through that pain regularly get a track pump

Hungrycol

Well done on getting pressure in your tiers from a pump that's not a track (floor) pump. You'll notice a huge difference compared to 50psi. The tire usually says max psi so once youre under this mark you be fine. Correct psi also helps prevent punctu**s.

AstraMonti

MCOS wrote: »

Also, what will be the effect of riding with tires on 115psi instead of 50psi?

Thanks,
A knackered MCOS

I recently went from 70 psi to 120.. you can really feel the bike going much better! But you also feel every itty bitty little road bump that exists!

Victor

Be wary that its cold at the moment and if you leave your black tyres in the sun all day .....

blorg

+1 on what others have said with the track pump, you will be amazed how easy it make it. Personally I would consider 120 to be on the extreme side- I tend to go 110 on the back and 100 on the front myself.

72hundred

After coming in the park last week, when the bike was on ice, I was wondering would lowering the tyre pressure help at all? It was at 120psi and brought it down to 90pi.

Also what tips are there for cycling in frost. I've not broken anything yet from a fall but if this weather keeps up its only a matter of time.

Raam

72hundred wrote: »

After coming in the park last week, when the bike was on ice, I was wondering would lowering the tyre pressure help at all? It was at 120psi and brought it down to 90pi.

Also what tips are there for cycling in frost. I've not broken anything yet from a fall but if this weather keeps up its only a matter of time.

Lower tyre pressure is said to help in wet conditions, perhaps it's the same on icy ones. When cycling on frosty roads, I tend not to use the front brake too much. I also take it very easy on bends, but that might just be my own bad technique at cornering.

MCOS

So is 115psi too high for winter training? Do you put the same pressure on both wheels or is blorg's approach correct?

Raam

MCOS wrote: »

So is 115psi too high for winter training? Do you put the same pressure on both wheels or is blorg's approach correct?

Not as much pressure is needed in the front tyre as most of the weight is at the back of the bike.

steinone

I have a track pump I bought quite cheap(or so I thought) its plastic and has no gauge so I have to just guess, I dont want to really shell out for a new pump with gauge, anything to measure it at a reasonable price?

CheGuedara

steinone wrote: »

I have a track pump I bought quite cheap(or so I thought) its plastic and has no gauge so I have to just guess, I dont want to really shell out for a new pump with gauge, anything to measure it at a reasonable price?

Halford do a small silver coloured handheld digital pressure gague that reads presta and shrader valves, I think it's not much more than 10 of 15 euro. Accurate near as I've been able to tell

Chips Lovell

I tried running lower pressures in wet weather for a while. The net result was more punctures. Now I just whack it up to 120psi regardless of the conditions. I've never had problems holding the road... well, except last week when it turned into an ice rink but I don't think tyre pressure would have made a blind bit of difference there.

I think, and someone correct me if I'm wrong, that rider weight should play a part in what pressure you're running. I'm a much bigger (and heavier) guy than most of those I'd ride with, so I figure I'm compressing the tyres more than others, hence my decision to go up near the max.

It definitely makes a difference for me. For example, if I have to change a puncture on the road, the bike always feels much more sluggish because the lower pressure you get from a mini-pump.

It's going to be interesting if and when I get tubs, to see how high up I can go without the bike getting overly bouncy.

steinone

Cheers Che:D I shall investigate further.

DirkVoodoo

Steinone, it might nearly be worth your while buying a new track pump. I have a BBB one, €25 and it works flawlessly.

I imagine it might ge a bit annoying constantly switching between pump and gauge to get your tyres right.

davidsatelle100

Argos do a track pump for about 20 quid it does the job well

blorg

davidsatelle100 wrote: »

Argos do a track pump for about 20 quid it does the job well

They seem to have two, a plastic "Beto" one for €15 and a steel one for €25, the latter only available in "Extra" stores. I would not recommend the one for €15, I have it myself and it is pretty bad. It needs an adapter to do presta and the valve on the head is useless- it is small, hard to read and doesn't stick on the pressure. As soon as you stop pumping the indicator goes back to zero- or rather, 20!? You only have the vaguest idea of what you have in the tyres, could easily be + or - 20 PSI or more. I thought it was OK until I got a Joe Blow which is just so much better. Have never used the steel Argos one, but it does look like a proper pump.

Avoid:


@Tonto- yes, weight plays a part and heavier riders definitely should inflate more. This is what Michelin advises:



Sheldon Brown has a table too which suggests 120 average for a rider+bike combo of 100kg (as far as I understand) so I take back my assertion that 120 is excessive. I know on Gatorskin 700x23s Continental suggest 110, with 120 as the maximum although I have other tyres with a suggested max of 145 PSI. I have never had any issues with my 110/100 combo though.

MCOS

Interesting blorg. I'm 94kg plus bike so 115 is about right yeah?

blorg

According to Michelin's suggestions, yes, that would seem about right (8 bar/116 PSI.) Irrespective of the exact value, 100 PSI, 115 PSI, 120 PSI, you are going to see a massive difference if you had them at only 50 PSI before.

steinone

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Steinone, it might nearly be worth your while buying a new track pump. I have a BBB one, €25 and it works flawlessly.

I imagine it might ge a bit annoying constantly switching between pump and gauge to get your tyres right.

Cool thanks for the help:D
Thats one thing to go on my Christmas list:P

MCOS

blorg wrote: »

According to Michelin's suggestions, yes, that would seem about right (8 bar/116 PSI.) Irrespective of the exact value, 100 PSI, 115 PSI, 120 PSI, you are going to see a massive difference if you had them at only 50 PSI before.

Went out today and I can say that they felt different and especially faster when you hit a nice bit of smooth road. Fairly gnarly out there today though so I was more concerned with battling the wind