# Should I reinflate my tires after every ride??



## DirtySanchez (Sep 26, 2011)

Hey Everyone,

I'm fairly new to road bikes, It seems to me that the bike rides better if I 'reinflate' after every ride, but I'm wondering if it's psychological since every time I plug the pump in I'm releasing air and every time I disconnected I'm loosing air too.

Just wonder if they really loose air overnight, my typical ride is 10-20 miles and I ride at least every other day... 700x23 tires with tubes and I inflate to 110psi 

On a related questions, are some tubes better than others?? I'm on the $5 tubes and have had 2 flats in the less than 3 months i've been riding on this bike.

I'm using a Bontrager turbo pump if that makes any difference, also when using co2, when do you inflate to ? do you just feed the co2 for a while and let the pressure stabilize itself?

Thanks for your help -don't let the red dot fool yah-:thumbsup:


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## krott5333 (Oct 2, 2009)

Just fill up before every ride. No point in filling after the ride. Road bike tires are higher pressure, and will lose air more quickly than something like a mountain bike or leisure bike. You really need to fill up before every ride. And make sure you have a decent pump with a gauge. 

And you shouldn't be losing too much air when you hook up the pump, gotta be quick. You'll get it. And remember to place the nozzle straight onto the valve, not at an angle, don't want to bend the valve.


As far as your flats, are the flats happening while you ride, or do you come across a flat tire after leaving your bike overnight? If the flat is happening on your ride, just make sure there are no sharp objects embedded in your tire that may be causing the flats. I don't think there is a huge difference between manufacturers of tubes. I typically use the Michelin Butyl Airstop tubes. 

If the flat is happening overnight and the puncture is on the inside of the tube toward the hub of the wheel, then it may be getting punctured by a spoke, and that is a sign that you need new rim tape. 

As for the CO2... I believe a 16g cartridge should get you close to 100psi, though I'm not positive. CO2 is to just get you back on the road and is not expected to provide an optimal tire pressure... but it'll get you close.


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## M-theory (Jul 16, 2009)

Yup, before each each ride.

Also, if you can, get inner tubes with the threaded valve. Less likely to have valve problems on the road when refilling in less than ideal conditions.


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## Hooben (Aug 22, 2004)

When you go to pump up your tires, air is filling up the chambers of the pump. You still need to fill up your tires every time you ride...you really lose air pressure overnight.
Flats have to do with the quality of your tires. There are tires that have fantastic flat protection.
You will get to know what full pressure feels like and will no longer wonder with the CO2.


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## InfiniteLoop (Mar 20, 2010)

Agree with the above, however I've been known on more than a few occasions to give both tires a good thumb test and if they seem good, I ride.


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## DonDenver (May 30, 2007)

InfiniteLoop said:


> Agree with the above, however I've been known on more than a few occasions to give both tires a good thumb test and if they seem good, I ride.


I'll do the "thumb test" after fixing a flat...but even the best at feel are off 5 to 10 lbs no matter how good they think their feel is. Tires drop pressure overnight. For me, without question, air is added before each and every ride. I can't imagine riding off with less than my optimal f/r tire pressure especially when it adds only a minute to bike prep.

All the best to you but I would never ride off with max confidence cornering at the margin for example if my tires only "seem" good.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

I pump them _maybe_ twice a week, have not had any problems.


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## scirocco (Dec 7, 2010)

DirtySanchez said:


> On a related questions, are some tubes better than others?? I'm on the $5 tubes and have had 2 flats in the less than 3 months i've been riding on this bike.:


Unless the tubes are so crappy that they have manufacturing faults or are splitting along the seams or at the valve, then no, all you do is save weight with more expensive ones (and you have to be more careful installing them because they are thinner).

If a piece of glass or a wire can get through the tyre, then it is going to puncture the tube regardless of whether you paid $2 or $20 for it. Tubes do not offer any flat protection.


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## jeepseahawk (May 30, 2011)

If you pull the pump straight off the pump you will not lose air. That air loss you hear is air being released from the pump, not your tire.


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## smoothie7 (Apr 11, 2011)

I have a buddy of mine that deflates his tire almost down to nothing after every ride so that it forces him to re-air before each ride. Kind of extreme if you ask me but whatever works for you.


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## antonlove (Sep 30, 2009)

I check my tires before every ride. I have a pre-ride check and that's one of the steps. I don't use CO2 cartridges so I am uninformed about that question.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

Hooben said:


> Flats have to do with the quality of your tires.


flats are related to tire pressure and what type of debris you encounter.

you can pinch flat with a brand new, high-quality tire if it's under-inflated or if you ride over something sharp enough to penetrate the casing.

simply buying an expensive tire doesn't give you immunity from flats.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

*Excessive pumping.*

Agree with the thumb pressure check before each ride. But if my thumb says "no air needed," there's no point in inflating. In about 50 years of riding on skinny tires, that procedure has translated into one inflation per week. Bonus: you learn to gauge tire pressure with your thumb pretty accurately.


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## BetweenRides (Oct 11, 2005)

wim said:


> Agree with the thumb pressure check before each ride. But if my thumb says "no air needed," there's no point in inflating. In about 50 years of riding on skinny tires, that procedure has translated into one inflation per week. Bonus: you learn to gauge tire pressure with your thumb pretty accurately.


+1
I pump up maybe once a week and use the thumb test and have been doing that for 20+ years. Exception is when I have a flat on a ride and use Co2 to fill the tire. Then it's deflate when I get home and re-fill.


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## Wood Devil (Apr 30, 2011)

I check my tired before each ride. Because my area is so littered with debris, most of my tubes are patched (some multiple times), so overnight they tend to lose a bit of pressure.


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## mtrider05 (Aug 8, 2009)

wim said:


> Agree with the thumb pressure check before each ride. But if my thumb says "no air needed," there's no point in inflating. In about 50 years of riding on skinny tires, that procedure has translated into one inflation per week. Bonus: you learn to gauge tire pressure with your thumb pretty accurately.


This, most of the time I end up re inflating just for the sake of it, not because I've lost pressure.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Not really*



krott5333 said:


> You really need to fill up before every ride.


As many others have mentioned, no you don't. 

If you have to pump every day then you are either using latex tubes, have a pinhole leak, have a leaky valve, or have pretty crap inner tubes. With a pretty lightweight Michelin A1 inner tube (70 gm) I find that I lose less than 15 psi (1 bar) per week. That's about 2 psi per day.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

Lot's of stinky BS in this thread.

Assuming no pinholes or leaking valves, all tubes lose pressure because the air leaks through the rubber of the tube. More expensive "lightweight" tubes lose air faster because they are thinner. Even more expensive latex tubes lose air even faster because latex is more porous than the butyl rubber of "standard" tubes.

Though people have been riding 10-20 or even 50 years relying on a pinch test, it doesn't mean the know what the fork they are talking about. I'm willing to bet that if put to the test, they couldn't judge pressure to better than +/- 15 psi, probably even more. That doesn't matter too much if you're not that critical about handling, tire life, and potential to get pinch flats. It's easy, simple, and inexpensive enough to regularly inflate your tires to the correct pressure with a floor pump. So just do that.

So, what's the correct pressure? I was afraid you might ask...


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

a couple of my bikes, the one that's tubeless and another one with butyl rubber I pump up as needed. 2 of my bikes have latex tubes and those get pumped up everyday


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## krott5333 (Oct 2, 2009)

Kerry Irons said:


> As many others have mentioned, no you don't.
> 
> If you have to pump every day then you are either using latex tubes, have a pinhole leak, have a leaky valve, or have pretty crap inner tubes. With a pretty lightweight Michelin A1 inner tube (70 gm) I find that I lose less than 15 psi (1 bar) per week. That's about 2 psi per day.


You are right, I was wrong. I ride a lot less than some people, so for me, it's an absolute necessity.


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## dmong2 (Sep 14, 2011)

looigi said:


> It's easy, simple, and inexpensive enough to regularly inflate your tires to the correct pressure with a floor pump.


Unfortunately, floor pumps are just not that accurate. Usually, you get a reading of the pressure in the hose, not the tire. However, I do agree with you...almost. 

If you had a flat and fixed with co2, then you may as well let all that out when you get home and reinflate with atmosphere air as the co2 will leak out much faster. 

As far as pressure goes, inflate enough to avoid pinch flats (when there are two parallel holes in the tube) but not so much that you encourage punctures. 110 seems a tad high for everyday riding even if you are a bigger rider. Although, if your floor pump reads 110, who knows what you actually have in there. 

I recently replaced an older Rav-X to a Lezyne and those two pumps must be 30psi different. 

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn – Large molecules and short frames

Technical FAQ with Lennard Zinn: Tubular vs. tubeless, tire pump gauge accuracy, and more

http://www.bikequarterly.com/images/TireDrop.pdf


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## sherlock (Aug 6, 2011)

Pinch check before & after a commute, floor pump every couple of rides or prior to a proper (non-commute) ride.

Takes very little time and I'd much rather spend two minutes topping the tire off over walking a few kilometres in cleats from a pinch flat.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

wim said:


> Agree with the thumb pressure check before each ride. But if my thumb says "no air needed," there's no point in inflating. In about 50 years of riding on skinny tires, that procedure has translated into one inflation per week. Bonus: you learn to gauge tire pressure with your thumb pretty accurately.


Fifty years of experience here, too. I check mine with my "tire gauge" which consists of my thumb & index finger, prior to every ride. I ride 4 days per week & usually need to air them up once per week.


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## siclmn (Feb 7, 2004)

My reason for inflating before every ride is that the pressure gage on the pump will tell me if I have a pinhole leak going on, for one tire will take a lot more air then the other.


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## Jesse D Smith (Jun 11, 2005)

looigi said:


> Lot's of stinky BS in this thread.
> 
> Assuming no pinholes or leaking valves, all tubes lose pressure because the air leaks through the rubber of the tube. More expensive "lightweight" tubes lose air faster because they are thinner. Even more expensive latex tubes lose air even faster because latex is more porous than the butyl rubber of "standard" tubes.
> 
> ...


I'd be willing to bet the every-rider-pumpers experience excessive pump and valve wear to a greater degree than the experienced "pinchers" suffer pinch flats and bad handling. 
I'd be skeptical if it was a lone, senile duffer advocating the pinch method, but I give it some credit when a consistent number of more experienced riders do.


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## DonDenver (May 30, 2007)

Jesse D Smith said:


> I'd be skeptical if it was a lone, senile duffer advocating the pinch method, but I give it some credit when a consistent number of more experienced riders do.


Good god I don't credit anyone advocating pinching their tires as a model to follow. 50 or whatever years some have quoted means nada in my book if you are promoting such what...lazy comes to mind...behavior. All a "pinch test" means is you accept less than optimal performance, period. I would question the sage wisdom coming from anyone who accepts less than optimal as where else does "it's good enough" apply for them especially when these factors in cycling are under your control. Further Jesse, what other advise is given around here that you've thought to respect but is framed by a good enough perspective? For me I normally think to each there own. But when a collective bunch has some thinking good enough is the right approach...:mad2:

I'll be riding this week with a couple of continental pro's and their coach. As usual, I will be taking a few seconds to pump up my tires for proper f/r pressure. Two days later I will be riding with a disabled cyclist, on a MUT, as more of a social/supportive ride. I will pump up my tires to optimal pressure as well. Oh, and I've been cycling for 45 years and have pretty damn good pinchers:thumbsup:

Now...let the flame begin


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## dmong2 (Sep 14, 2011)

siclmn said:


> My reason for inflating before every ride is that the pressure gage on the pump will tell me if I have a pinhole leak going on, for one tire will take a lot more air then the other.



If you have a pinhole, your tire will be flat by the next time you ride. 

Are you uncomfortable changing flats out on the road?

It's gonna happen...


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## captain stubbing (Mar 30, 2011)

*Don't listen to the OCDs!*

alot of people with ocd on this forum, if u listened to everyone of them, you'd be degreasing your chain, relubing, cleaning your bike, pumping your tyres, checking your tyres for glass etc before/after every ride......sheesh, its a bike not the space shuttle! if u enjoy doing it then no problem there but don't think u have to.

fwiw, no one really knows their ideal PSI....mostly just guesswork and approximates.

once a week will suffice, i like my tires around 90 - 95 psi so i pump up to about 100 and i find they lose about 10 - 15 psi during the week......with no ill effects.

btw, i run lightweight tyres/tubes and get a puncture maybe once every 5000 miles.


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## Jesse D Smith (Jun 11, 2005)

DonDenver said:


> Good god I don't credit anyone advocating pinching their tires as a model to follow. 50 or whatever years some have quoted means nada in my book if you are promoting such what...lazy comes to mind...behavior. All a "pinch test" means is you accept less than optimal performance, period. I would question the sage wisdom coming from anyone who accepts less than optimal as where else does "it's good enough" apply for them especially when these factors in cycling are under your control. Further Jesse, what other advise is given around here that you've thought to respect but is framed by a good enough perspective? For me I normally think to each there own. But when a collective bunch has some thinking good enough is the right approach...:mad2:
> 
> I'll be riding this week with a couple of continental pro's and their coach. As usual, I will be taking a few seconds to pump up my tires for proper f/r pressure. Two days later I will be riding with a disabled cyclist, on a MUT, as more of a social/supportive ride. I will pump up my tires to optimal pressure as well. Oh, and I've been cycling for 45 years and have pretty damn good pinchers:thumbsup:
> 
> Now...let the flame begin


I can see you have some strong feelings on the subject.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

DonDenver said:


> I'll do the "thumb test" after fixing a flat...but even the best at feel are off 5 to 10 lbs no matter how good they think their feel is. Tires drop pressure overnight. For me, without question, air is added before each and every ride. I can't imagine riding off with less than my optimal f/r tire pressure especially when it adds only a minute to bike prep.
> 
> All the best to you but I would never ride off with max confidence cornering at the margin for example if my tires only "seem" good.


if only the rest of us were going to the edge..... 
Which method did you use to determine your optimum tire pressure, how does it vary according to compound, road surface quality, tire temperature and whether it's raining or not?


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## antonlove (Sep 30, 2009)

captain stubbing said:


> alot of people with ocd on this forum, if u listened to everyone of them, you'd be degreasing your chain, relubing, cleaning your bike, pumping your tyres, checking your tyres for glass etc before/after every ride......sheesh, its a bike not the space shuttle! if u enjoy doing it then no problem there but don't think u have to.
> 
> fwiw, no one really knows their ideal PSI....mostly just guesswork and approximates.
> 
> ...


You're right. A part of my pre-ride check is checking the tires for glass. Unfortunately, I've found some in the past so I think it's helpful. Maybe not. Now I ride with kevlar tires and tire liners and I consider myself lucky that I haven't had as many punctures this year (2) as I had last year (5). [Knocking on wood] I'm about 3800 miles in right now. Last year, I only road about 2000 miles.

Congrats on getting a puncture every 5000 miles or so. I WISH!!!


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

Pump up your tires and do the pinch test for a good number of rides to get a pretty good feel of how YOU want your tire to ride. Once you are comfortable with Your ability to perform a pinch test you shouldn't need to put a pump to the tires every time, just when they feel they need it.

But I suggest that you use the same pump or gauge every time that you perform the learning exercise unless you know that all the gauges that you are using are calibrated the same. I say this because if one gauge reads 100lbs when the other reads 96lbs and the tire really has 105lbs it really ain't no more accurate than a good pinch test.


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## Spike Chili (Apr 18, 2011)

I used to be in the "pinch test" group of people for the longest time. Then I bought a new pump with a built in gauge and decided to just pump it up every time. Once I made that switch I found that my number of flat tires dropped dramatically. Up until the end of this season, I went 6,000 miles (three years) without a flat tire. I'm now a convert to gauge-checking before every ride.


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## rdbikenewb (Sep 1, 2011)

I find the tips quite helpful.


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## captain stubbing (Mar 30, 2011)

antonlove said:


> You're right. A part of my pre-ride check is checking the tires for glass. Unfortunately, I've found some in the past so I think it's helpful. Maybe not. Now I ride with kevlar tires and tire liners and I consider myself lucky that I haven't had as many punctures this year (2) as I had last year (5). [Knocking on wood] I'm about 3800 miles in right now. Last year, I only road about 2000 miles.
> 
> Congrats on getting a puncture every 5000 miles or so. I WISH!!!


definitely worth doing, but for me its about a once a month thing......when i clean and lube the chain.....and i do find heaps!

not sure the reason for my good luck, running gp4000s but i'm fairly lightweight (70kg) and try to avoid riding in the gutters.


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## antonlove (Sep 30, 2009)

captain stubbing said:


> definitely worth doing, but for me its about a once a month thing......when i clean and lube the chain.....and i do find heaps!
> 
> not sure the reason for my good luck, running gp4000s but i'm fairly lightweight (70kg) and try to avoid riding in the gutters.


Hey, if it works stick with it. You don't have to know the reason for the good luck as long as it continues. I'm now going to consider the gp4000s when I resupply. No better advertising than someone running around 5k miles per puncture.

Thanks!:thumbsup:


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## BostonG (Apr 13, 2010)

I pump up 1-2 times/week, depending on how often I ride that week. I do the pinch test between pumps just to make sure they don't feel overly low. I do think that the pinch test can give you an approximate reading - for me, I know the feeling of too soft a tire that may result in a pinch flat, but I can't say that I can tell what the psi is by pinching. Maybe after another 30 years I'll be able to though.


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## tystevens (Jul 10, 2008)

captain stubbing said:


> alot of people with ocd on this forum, if u listened to everyone of them, you'd be degreasing your chain, relubing, cleaning your bike, pumping your tyres, checking your tyres for glass etc before/after every ride......sheesh, its a bike not the space shuttle! if u enjoy doing it then no problem there but don't think u have to.
> 
> fwiw, no one really knows their ideal PSI....mostly just guesswork and approximates.
> 
> ...


Awesome. I feel the same way. It is just a bike. I don't have enough time to ride as it is, and I don't want to spend another 10 minutes every ride preparing for take-off. Or maybe I'm just lazy. I also don't need my tires to be precisely 111 psi, and I don't claim to be able to tell if they aren't right there.

If I've been riding every day, I just give 'em a quick pinch. As inaccurate as it may be, I can tell if they've lost some pressure or not. I like them around 110 psi, which means I really cant compress the tire if they're "about there." If I haven't ridden in a week or more, I'll just hook up the pump. I haven't had a flat in a few months, and the last couple I got, I'm chalking up to worn-out Gatorskins, as I haven't had one since I put the new tires on.

As far as CO2, I put it all in the tube, and even then, they usually feel a bit squishy after I've fixed a flat.


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## Aggdaddy (Jun 18, 2010)

I use to be lazy about checking my tires, but since every ride I'm doing 25+ miles .. I don't want to be concerned about my tires. I usually fill my tires up to about 10 psi below the max. I don't want any pinch flats. I'm also on the heavy side, working on losing it (190lbs -- 5'10")

Also I use to ride bikes before there were gauges built into the air pump, so using your hand to check the pressure is totally justified. Nowadays' we are "informed". Why not use the gauge and avoid problems.

I ride two bikes every week. But usually its like three or four days between rides (CX and road bike). So I check before the ride every time, unless I'm just going around the corner. In that case, I'll just use the hand check and ride out.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

IME inflating tires to the precise, exact, unquestionable, no doubt about it, perfect, spot on, pressure just isn't that freakin' important.

Besides, what makes you think that the gauge in your hand or on your pump is accurate? Can you prove it?


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## Yolajeff (Aug 24, 2011)

Mr. Versatile said:


> IME inflating tires to the precise, exact, unquestionable, no doubt about it, perfect, spot on, pressure just isn't that freakin' important.
> 
> Besides, what makes you think that the gauge in your hand or on your pump is accurate? Can you prove it?


Bingo


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## discheme (Nov 6, 2007)

I'm a pretty novice rider, but I don't reinflate after every ride. More like once every one or two weeks. When I have my bike on the indoor trainer, it even loses air pretty quickly. On the road, having properly inflated tires does make all the difference, though. Sorry for the rant, I'm trying to get to 10 posts so that I can post my stupid images.


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

Yolajeff said:


> Bingo


I inflate maybe once every 3 rides or so, basically twice a week, and I don't think it is necessary to do it every day, but having consistent pressure means having reliable handling. Letting it go 5 days or a week or so between fill-ups means potentially losing enough pressure to make bike handle quite different.

In other words, it may not be the absolute value that matters, but having consistent measure, even if what you think is 110psi turns out to be 100psi, as long as it's consistently the same, the bike will handle the same.

also, with floor pump, it only takes 30 seconds to fill tires to right pressure.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

55x11 said:


> I inflate maybe once every 3 rides or so, basically twice a week, and I don't think it is necessary to do it every day, but having consistent pressure means having reliable handling. Letting it go 5 days or a week or so between fill-ups means potentially losing enough pressure to make bike handle quite different.
> 
> In other words, it may not be the absolute value that matters, but having consistent measure, even if what you think is 110psi turns out to be 100psi, as long as it's consistently the same, the bike will handle the same.
> 
> also, with floor pump, it only takes 30 seconds to fill tires to right pressure.


would be fun if someone did a blind test of +-10psi on tires and their "feel". No I am not near a bike atm but I have been at low pressure (by the standards of this thread) and only noticed when I got home.


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## captain stubbing (Mar 30, 2011)

55x11 said:


> I inflate maybe once every 3 rides or so, basically twice a week, and I don't think it is necessary to do it every day, but having consistent pressure means having reliable handling. Letting it go 5 days or a week or so between fill-ups means potentially losing enough pressure to make bike handle quite different.
> 
> In other words, it may not be the absolute value that matters, but having consistent measure, even if what you think is 110psi turns out to be 100psi, as long as it's consistently the same, the bike will handle the same.
> 
> also, with floor pump, it only takes 30 seconds to fill tires to right pressure.


still don't think its that important.....my mate often doesn't pump up for 2 or 3 weeks, and last time i pumped up his tyres they were down to 45! and i can't remember him ever having a puncture or handling issues. i pump once aweek and am hard pressed to notice and difference apart from it being slightly harsher ride after pumping up.

oh, and i do recall that during the TDF, PL or PS was saying that the riders usually run 130psi but often run at 70 - 80 in wet conditions for better grip.


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## Jesse D Smith (Jun 11, 2005)

*Flame extinguished*



DonDenver said:


> Good god I don't credit anyone advocating pinching their tires as a model to follow. 50 or whatever years some have quoted means nada in my book if you are promoting such what...lazy comes to mind...behavior. All a "pinch test" means is you accept less than optimal performance, period. I would question the sage wisdom coming from anyone who accepts less than optimal as where else does "it's good enough" apply for them especially when these factors in cycling are under your control. Further Jesse, what other advise is given around here that you've thought to respect but is framed by a good enough perspective? For me I normally think to each there own. But when a collective bunch has some thinking good enough is the right approach...:mad2:
> 
> I'll be riding this week with a couple of continental pro's and their coach. As usual, I will be taking a few seconds to pump up my tires for proper f/r pressure. Two days later I will be riding with a disabled cyclist, on a MUT, as more of a social/supportive ride. I will pump up my tires to optimal pressure as well. Oh, and I've been cycling for 45 years and have pretty damn good pinchers:thumbsup:
> 
> Now...let the flame begin


Know what? I just got a Blackburn HP floor pump with a really nice gauge and a really nice head. The head has a blow-off valve. I checked the pressure and I was surprised to find my pinch test for "good enough" read around 40 psi. (28mm Ruffy Tuffy's and a 130lb rider).
I double checked it with a Schwalbe digital gauge and got the same reading. So I pumped it up to 50 psi and although it felt firmer than I'm used to, I went ahead and took it for a 2.5 hr ride and did fine. 

So I'll humbly apologize for poo-pooing your opinion. With the new pump and blow-off valve, I think I'll stick to the 50 psi as a good empirical number. I may still do a pinch test, but could easily see how a confirmation check with the pump before each ride is an easy way to head out with a bit more confidence.


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## 68gtosca (Aug 7, 2011)

I got tired just reading this thread. It is just air - check your tires before you ride. Air when necessary. This not rocket science. These type of issues makes my brain hurt. 

Check your gear - go ride - ride hard and enjoy yourself for tomorrow it may rain.


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## acid_rider (Nov 23, 2004)

its a funny and yet evergreen thread..... i used to pump before each ride and now I think I was "overthinking" this topic. Now I pump every 2-3 days, for last few years, never any issues. What is more important after each and every ride is to inspect your tyres for any embedded objects and if found to flick them out with a fine point screwdriver (or deflate the tyres before doing so, if deep). You may find that majority of flats you have is a peice of glass you picked up days ago that slowly drilled itself in and punctured the tube..... Otherwise pump them up every 2-3 days and use high quality tubes like those Michelin Butyl A1 Aircomp (?) as they tend not to leak much.


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## Pirx (Aug 9, 2009)

acid_rider said:


> Otherwise pump them up every 2-3 days and use high quality tubes like those Michelin Butyl A1 Aircomp (?) as they tend not to leak much.


Well, if you use and like Latex tubes (those are high-quality, and expensive, too), then you're going to have to pump them up before every ride. Otherwise, yes, with good Butyl tubes, once every few days is usually good enough. On the other hand, two or three pump strokes before the ride won't break your back...


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