# Deflating tires...?



## kerob (Mar 29, 2010)

Is there a rule on storing your bike with air in the tires? A guy I know asks me every now and again if I let the air out of my roadbike tires when I hang it up...? Should I be? 
 :confused5:  :confused5:


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## Hank Stamper (Sep 9, 2009)

If you mean long term, like for the winter, the air is going to come out anyway.

There is no point in letting the air out of your tires any time.


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## kerob (Mar 29, 2010)

Thats what I was thinking...I know that the air leaks out over time, I think my MTB has a slow leak...probably should take the tube out and investigate but I just give it a few pumps prior to peddling.


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## Jerry-rigged (Jul 24, 2009)

If you are gonna leave your bike out in the sun (like on the rack on your car) I say let some air out of the tires... Sun on the rubber can heat the tire enough to cause a blow-out. Expecally if you aired up early in the cool of the morning, or you are one of those that like to air your tires at max PSI.

along the same thought lines, on hot summer rides, I will start out with my tires under-inflated by about 10-15 lbs. Although I don't take a gauge with me on the bike, so I am not sure how much pressure they gain on a 95 deg summer day.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Jerry-rigged said:


> I am not sure how much pressure they gain on a 95 deg summer day.


Not all that much—2 % change in pressure for every 10 deg F change in temperature.


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

kerob said:


> Thats what I was thinking...I know that the air leaks out over time, I think my MTB has a slow leak...probably should take the tube out and investigate but I just give it a few pumps prior to peddling.



Just get a new tube for the MTB. Tubes are cheap to buy


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Overkill*



Jerry-rigged said:


> If you are gonna leave your bike out in the sun (like on the rack on your car) I say let some air out of the tires... Sun on the rubber can heat the tire enough to cause a blow-out. Expecally if you aired up early in the cool of the morning, or you are one of those that like to air your tires at max PSI.
> 
> along the same thought lines, on hot summer rides, I will start out with my tires under-inflated by about 10-15 lbs. Although I don't take a gauge with me on the bike, so I am not sure how much pressure they gain on a 95 deg summer day.


This is way overkill. If you inflated to 100 psi at 70 F, you'd be at 113 psi if the temperature got to 140 (hot pavement or sitting in the sun). If your tires blow off the rim at that point, you have some other problem than heat-caused tire pressure.


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

the only reason I would let the air out of my tires on purpose is if I was changing them out and they did NOT have a flat.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Touch0Gray said:


> the only reason I would let the air out of my tires on purpose is if I was changing them out and they did NOT have a flat.


Slightly off topic, but I can think of another. If I'm out on the road, flat, repair it and inflate with CO2. Once I get back home, I deflate and reinflate with 'high quality" air.


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## andulong (Nov 23, 2006)

Waste of time... but I know people who do it and so what? They will probably have to air up before the next ride anyway.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Don't bother to deflate them. They'll do that all by themselves. If you're going to store your bike for a long time I have a couple of suggestions:
Store the bike in a garage if you have one, not in the house. The house has a bunch of electric motors, AC, fridge, dishwasher, furnace, etc. Electric motors create ozone and ozone is death to rubber. It ages them prematurely, dries them out, and they may develop cracks. Many people "baby" their bikes by keeping them in the house, but IMO they're doing them a disservice. Security is always a concern, but if you're able to garage them safely hang them upside down by the wheels in a garage.


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## kerob (Mar 29, 2010)

tednugent said:


> *Just get a new tube for the MTB.* Tubes are cheap to buy


I have many new tubes...I'm a cheap guy. I'll stretch one out as long as I can...HaHa


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## kerob (Mar 29, 2010)

I store my bike in my house...I hang it from the ceiling on some hooks into some studs. For now i just lean my MTB up against the wall.


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

PJ352 said:


> Slightly off topic, but I can think of another. If I'm out on the road, flat, repair it and inflate with CO2. Once I get back home, I deflate and reinflate with 'high quality" air.


never thought of that....are CO2 molecules smaller than O2 or Nitrogen atoms?


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Touch0Gray said:


> never thought of that....are CO2 molecules smaller than O2 or Nitrogen atoms?


Yes, and IME they shrink with age, like people.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

PJ352 said:


> Yes, and IME they shrink with age, like people.


*HEY!* I resemble that remark.


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

Mr. Versatile said:


> *HEY!* I resemble that remark.


YOU?????? crap I used to be 6 foot 4...............................


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

kerob said:


> Is there a rule on storing your bike with air in the tires? A guy I know asks me every now and again if I let the air out of my roadbike tires when I hang it up...? Should I be?


Under certain circumstances, it might be helpful. In early May 1945, a soldier assigned to the General Kutznetsov's Soviet 3rd Shock Army entered my grandfather's house in Berlin, Germany and demanded at gunpoint to be "gifted" my grandfather's bicycle. My grandfather had let the air out of tires in anticipation of such an occurence and managed to convince the Soviet soldier that the bicycle was "unrideable." The soldier accepted that assessment as the truth and walked away without the bicycle.


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

wim said:


> Under certain circumstances, it might be helpful. In early May 1945, a soldier assigned to the General Kutznetsov's Soviet 3rd Shock Army entered my grandfather's house in Berlin, Germany and demanded at gunpoint to be "gifted" my grandfather's bicycle. My grandfather had let the air out of tires in anticipation of such an occurence and managed to convince the Soviet soldier that the bicycle was "unrideable." The soldier accepted that assessment as the truth and walked away without the bicycle.


back in 5........................going to let the air out of 8 tires...........


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Touch0Gray said:


> back in 5........................going to let the air out of 8 tires...........


Laughing out loud imagining Red Army soldiers in Wisconsin. Somehow I think they would never even get into the house to "admire" your bikes.....


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

wim said:


> Laughing out loud imagining Red Army soldiers in Wisconsin. Somehow I think they would never even get into the house to "admire" your bikes.....


yeah...i have strategic high ground.....and a dog....LOL......that stops them every time....


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

PJ352 said:


> Slightly off topic, but I can think of another. If I'm out on the road, flat, repair it and inflate with CO2. Once I get back home, I deflate and reinflate with 'high quality" air.


Do you notice and difference after doing that? I realize that CO2 is heavier than air but I doubt that it's noticeable.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

ph0enix said:


> Do you notice and difference after doing that? I realize that CO2 is heavier than air but I doubt that it's noticeable.


No, I never gave the weight difference a thought. I do it because IME a tire inflated with CO2 drops PSI pretty quickly, so I consider its use a 'short term - stop gap' measure.


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