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How do you check the air pressure in your tires?

Do you use an accurate air pressure gauge to check your tires?

  • Yes, I use a calibrated gauge.

    Votes: 20 38.5%

  • Maybe, I use the wildly inaccurate floor pump gauge.

    Votes: 13 25.0%

  • No, I use my hand or God's will.

    Votes: 19 36.5%
  • Total voters
    52
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,073
5,984
borcester rhymes
Simple Q. Also, what's your air pressure and how did you check?

I recently got an accurate 0-30psi gauge, and my "calibrated hand" technique was way different than I thought for 28psi. I will be bringing this thing with me from now on to check pressures at the lift and before trail rides.
 
Fool

Fool

The Thing cannot be described
Sep 10, 2001
2,780
1,493
Brooklyn
I go by tire pump gauge -- which now that you mentioned it is a terrible idea because I was operating on the assumption that it was inaccurately consistent. Now I have to assume that its consistently inaccurate, which is way worse.
 
djjohnr

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,017
1,718
Northern California
Sandwich said:
Simple Q. Also, what's your air pressure and how did you check?

I recently got an accurate 0-30psi gauge, and my "calibrated hand" technique was way different than I thought for 28psi. I will be bringing this thing with me from now on to check pressures at the lift and before trail rides.
Click to expand...
What did you get?
 
Nick

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
24,060
14,699
where the trails are
I have StiHacka stroke my tires with his supple hands.






I normally squeeze then usually attach my pump, lower pressure 1-2 psi then raise back to desired pressure.
 
slyfink

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,328
5,085
Ottawa, Canada
SkaredShtles said:
I use a digital gauge. No idea if it's calibrated
Click to expand...
:stupid:

For my trail bike (26", 2.3 tires usually, with one 2.25), I run between 28 and 32 depending on carcass. The thicker carcasses (DD, SuperGravity, TCS tough) get less pressure, while the thinner tires get more air.

For my fat bike, it's totally dependent on conditions. front tire ranges between 3.5 psi in really fresh, soft snow, to 5.5 psi when things are firm. rear tire ranges between 6 psi and about 9 psi.
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,073
5,984
borcester rhymes
So that's what I usually do, fill up till pump says ~30psi, then lower on trail until appropriate feel.

The problem is that my feelers were way off. 28psi is harder than I thought, and what I thought was nice and soft, say 28psi, is actually like 24psi or lower. Based on the squishiness of the tires, there may have been times I was accidentally (slow leak) running as low as 15psi. This is all based on the gauge.

This is the one I got: http://www.jensonusa.com/Pressure-Gauges/Meiser-Accu-Gage-Dial-Pressure-Gauge in 0-30psi, presta. It doesn't have a cert sticker, but says that it was calibrated before shipping. I have to use it to calibrate my pumps and see where I think I have been vs where I'm actually at. Would be great to have something to compare it against.
 
slyfink

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,328
5,085
Ottawa, Canada
In all honesty, for our applications, I don't think having a consistent measurement across various instruments really matters. I think what matters is that you can get a consistent, replicable measurement with your instrument. Once you know that on your gauge 28 psi is good, then you're off to the races. It doesn't matter that your gauge, and my gauge, and kranked's gauge all agree that 28 psi is the same thing... what matters is that you can keep a consistent quantity of air in your tires.
 
canadmos

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,483
19,492
Canaderp
I always use the same pump every time, unless its an emergency so I usually just go by feel. Pump them up to about 30psi in the back and a little under 30 psi for the front. Give them a squeeze to make sure they aren't rock solid and not too soft and head out.

I then generally don't pay attention to tire pressure for a month or so, until they start to naturally begin creeping down in pressure. When they hit 20psi and it feels like I'm riding on marshmallows, is when I then pump them back up and repeat the entire process. :D

DH bike is firmly kept at 30psi; but only because I ride that bike less and like it to be consistent. When I'm riding the trail bike every day, little changes don't really bother me.
 
djjohnr

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,017
1,718
Northern California
I always use the same floor pump. When I get a new tire I test it out on the trail behind my house and figure out the ideal PSI according to my pump. I check pressure once a week or so; I never change pressure mid-ride anymore.
 
atrokz

atrokz

Turbo Monkey
Mar 14, 2002
1,552
77
teedotohdot
Digital gauge when adding air. Floor pump is guess work, as is hand squeezes. I used to be pretty good at gauging it by hand but that's when I was racing and checking pressures very often. Now I set it every 2 weeks (tubes, was like daily for tubeless). For 27.5 2.4" HR2 EXO I'm running 32-35 rear (usually 35) 28-30 front. Casing, volume, tread, conditions, and how much I'm geared down play a role in pressure. fwiw I do notice 2psi less or more, it's very noticeable. Tire pressure plays a large roll in how well these bikes perform, so we spend thousands of dollars on bikes, what's $25 for a decent gauge and 15 seconds of time to get the most from it.
 
'size

'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
check by hand, if they feel low i use my 20+ year old serfas airbones pump with aftermarket 60 psi max gauge.
 
SylentK

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,328
873
coloRADo
I use the Park INF-2 shop inflator mostly. I only use the AccuGauge that you just ordered if I just need to check psi. Usually tire pressure goes down on my tubeless bikes enough in between rides that I just know I need to top them off. No need to check, just add moar air. And the AccuGauge and INF-2 have matched during my initial testing.
 
Muddy

Muddy

ancient crusty bog dude
Jul 7, 2013
2,032
908
Free Soda Refills at Fuddruckers
New tires will always indicate a pressure which works wonders, and then it will generally have to increase a chewie-hair to keep some feels. Really it should be a ritual to check tire pressure before each and every ride - there's so little tire and now so much crap up with which people will not put as to wheel weight; I'd just go back to riding DH tires everywhere but I did smack rim - which is why there's Chuck Norris swinging from trees in all of our Woods and a Baby Ruth at the bottom of a pool at every resort on the planet.
 
mrgto

mrgto

Monkey
Aug 4, 2009
295
118
I just keep my pump in the truck and check the psi every time I ride unless it's back2back days. When your north of 220lbs psi matters!

I do agree with the mob who says it's not about exact psi but using the same pump to get consistent psi.
 
6thElement

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,960
13,214
johnbryanpeters said:
Topeak D2 SmartGauge, then usually forget to check pressure again until it has managed to go down by half.
Click to expand...
Do you find that it chews up the batteries excessively quickly?

The first one I bought the battery would be flat the next time I tried to use it. Bought another and now store it with the battery out...
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,073
5,984
borcester rhymes
The DH bike isn't too much of an issue, as it's pretty much as close to 30 psi as possible.

I'm more interested in getting my trail tires close to what reviewers comment on, so that when they say "These plus tires are really great around 18psi", I can inflate mine to that level and see if it's bullshit. It's also nice for comparing with you guys. I've been saying "28psi in my minions" forever, but I'm guessing I was running closer to 25psi all this time...thus the pinch flats. With the gauge, I'll keep a closer eye on it and re-calibrate my pimphand.
 
canadmos

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,483
19,492
Canaderp
Sandwich said:
The DH bike isn't too much of an issue, as it's pretty much as close to 30 psi as possible.

I'm more interested in getting my trail tires close to what reviewers comment on, so that when they say "These plus tires are really great around 18psi", I can inflate mine to that level and see if it's bullshit. It's also nice for comparing with you guys. I've been saying "28psi in my minions" forever, but I'm guessing I was running closer to 25psi all this time...thus the pinch flats. With the gauge, I'll keep a closer eye on it and re-calibrate my pimphand.
Click to expand...
Will that actually matter much though? I mean, do you have your suspension setup that same as them and weigh the same?
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,073
5,984
borcester rhymes
No, but I have a starting point! It's pretty clear that my pump and hand were off from where I thought they were. It's likely that some of the handling effects I was getting in the past were due to being way off with tire pressure. I feel like there's value in knowing that my tires are at, say, 27psi, and then feeling that they're too squirmy and knowing that I need to up the pressure.

but that's kind of the reason I'm asking this question. It's clear my pump isn't accurate below 30 PSI, and I'm just wondering if other people go off their hand, pump gauge, or faith in lord cruz.
 
hmcleay

hmcleay

i-track suspension
Apr 28, 2008
117
116
Adelaide, Australia
I got a Tioga floor pump for my 16th birthday... 20 years ago.
About 10 years ago, the gauge shat itself, so I now just use it to pump the tyres to 'hard', and then I use a Topeak digital gauge to get my desired pressure.
I recently bought a new floor pump, but it is shit, so I'm still using the awesome Tioga one.
 
SylentK

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,328
873
coloRADo
hmcleay said:
I got a Tioga floor pump for my 16th birthday... 20 years ago.
About 10 years ago, the gauge shat itself, so I now just use it to pump the tyres to 'hard', and then I use a Topeak digital gauge to get my desired pressure.
I recently bought a new floor pump, but it is shit, so I'm still using the awesome Tioga one.
Click to expand...
That's funny. I still have an old Silca floor pump that I bought in 1995. I always keep it in my car for the "just in case" moments and is my travel pump. Still works awesome. The gauge was never something to write home about as far as readability or accuracy, but it still works! Your above 'hard' and measure technique, I know well ;)
 
Jm_

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,991
9,646
AK
Start with 35psi

2.2 or higher tires, -3psi

carbon rims, -4psi

rims wider than 30mm, -4psi

"+" sized tires, -8psi

29er wheels, -5psi

If you weigh <250lbs, -8psi

>250lbs, -4psi

fatbike tires, -5psi


This is how I arrive at the 3psi I run in my fatbike.
 
Lelandjt

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,514
827
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
How am I the first to say "SKS gauge? I thought everyone has one by now. It's the only thing I carry with me on most enduro stages and years ago everyone asked to use it at the start line. Now I see a bunch of them.
 
kickstand

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
By feel/hands. I'm usually accurate to within 2 psi of what I think I want them at when I do actually check.

My wife on the other hand is always right on. We never use a gauge, we both typically over inflate with floor pump, let air out until they feel right, and go.
 
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