Tire pressure gauges

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  • June 16, 2016 at 6:10 pm #918303
    lordofthemark
    Participant

    So. I check the air pressure in my tires using a small, handy auto tire gauge. However it’s highest numbered notch is at 50lbs (makes sense for auto tires) while the tires on my bike have a recommended pressure range up to 70lbs. Now I know that modern bike tire pumps have gauges that would work, but seeing as I have a powered tire pump (but an auto style one, with no gauge) in my building bike room, I am not inclined to buy one.

    Now I know one option would be to get a mini pump with gauge that I could carry with me. But I am curious, are there pressure gauges that are designed for bike tire pressures (IE well above 50 psi)?

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Viewing 13 replies - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
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  • June 16, 2016 at 6:19 pm #1053898
    mstone
    Participant

    @lordofthemark 141603 wrote:

    But I am curious, are there pressure gauges that are designed for bike tire pressures (IE well above 50 psi)?

    Yes. Truck tires also go 100+PSI, so it’s not a bike-specific requirement. In general, though, you should be very careful about using automotive tire pumps on high-pressure bike tires, because they go from 100 to pop pretty quickly.

    June 16, 2016 at 6:29 pm #1053900
    Tania
    Participant

    You should be able to pick up a small digital one (Topeak, SKS, Schwalbe) at your LBS (or amazon etc) for not a lot of money.

    I don’t usually pay attention to the gauge when inflating/topping off my commuter tires, I just do the squeeze test (like Charmin).

    I do have a few handheld gauges for when accurate pressure matters (like my 27.5+ tubeless tires where there’s a BIG difference between 9 psi and 11 psi) and I’m pretty obsessive about it then (I even make notes on what I was running, conditions and how it fared).

    June 16, 2016 at 6:58 pm #1053901
    lordofthemark
    Participant

    @mstone 141605 wrote:

    Yes. Truck tires also go 100+PSI, so it’s not a bike-specific requirement. In general, though, you should be very careful about using automotive tire pumps on high-pressure bike tires, because they go from 100 to pop pretty quickly.

    See that’s exactly the problem. I can check the pressure till it is over 50, and then I get real nervous. So even when I have just pumped, I am probably running well under the max recommended tire pressure. Not the only reason I go so slowly, but one of the reasons.

    June 16, 2016 at 7:06 pm #1053902
    huskerdont
    Participant

    I’ve been thinking of getting the Schwalbe Airmax pro gauge, but then that’d be another thing to carry around that I’ve gotten by without for years. Still, for your situation, it might be $18 well spent.

    June 16, 2016 at 9:51 pm #1053922
    mstone
    Participant

    @lordofthemark 141608 wrote:

    See that’s exactly the problem. I can check the pressure till it is over 50, and then I get real nervous. So even when I have just pumped, I am probably running well under the max recommended tire pressure. Not the only reason I go so slowly, but one of the reasons.

    Well, in general the “max pressure” doesn’t have much to do with how much air to put in. I use http://www.dorkypantsr.us/bike-tire-pressure-calculator.html as a starting point for road bikes and only increase if there are snake bites or the tire is squirmy. The gauge helps to be consistent and figure out what works.

    June 16, 2016 at 10:23 pm #1053925
    hozn
    Participant

    It’s probably true that if your max pressure is 70, then 50 is more than sufficient (or optimal).

    That said, I use the Topeak digital gauge; it works great after modifying it to remove the spring; before that it would always drain 10psi just trying to it on.

    I am have been carrying it with me on the commutes this week as am experimenting with different pressures on my gravel tires, trying to find that balance between on-road rolling speed and off-road handling.

    June 16, 2016 at 11:34 pm #1053928
    Vicegrip
    Participant

    I found that a ok grade bike floor pump with a good built in gauge to be well worth the investment. Testing the pressure on small volume tires can impact the pressure. Pumping up to and then stopping at or slightly above the desired pressure is easy and repeatable. I have a big high volume 2 stage multi cylinder compressor and built in air lines in the shop and still reach for the $35 floor pump for all the bike tires.

    For best accuracy and repeatability you want to use a guage that has your desired pressures roughly in the middle of the scale. Guages tend to be less accurate at the top and bottom of the full range than in the middle.

    June 16, 2016 at 11:39 pm #1053929
    KLizotte
    Participant

    +1

    June 17, 2016 at 1:08 am #1053934
    dkel
    Participant

    I have a handheld bike tire gauge and one on my floor pump. They read significantly different pressures, to the tune of 5+ lbs. Because I always run pretty huge tires, I don’t really care. For most applications on regular clinchers that amount of difference doesn’t matter anyway.

    June 17, 2016 at 2:35 am #1053939
    AFHokie
    Participant

    I went with a Planet Bike Dial Tire Gauge and I’m happy with it. It doesn’t need batteries which more often than not, I find devices like this usually need the batteries replaced in the most inconvenient times.

    June 17, 2016 at 11:41 am #1053943
    Harry Meatmotor
    Participant

    When only the finest shall suffice

    June 17, 2016 at 1:00 pm #1053945
    huskerdont
    Participant

    Hmmm, $200+ versus $18. For a gauge that’s going to work better than a floor-pump gauge, which has been good enough for several years. I know which side I’m going to come down on on that one.

    June 17, 2016 at 5:34 pm #1053966
    Vicegrip
    Participant

    For those of you with compressors and the desire for a slight but not too expensive overkill.

    Have used this one from time to time in harsher conditions than seen in a bike shop or home. Well made for the money and accurate to one tenth of a PSI with a 5 to 150 psi range. The end fitting has a gripper to hold it onto a standard schrader type tube or tire. This could be used to hold a presta adapter. this version has a 3 position inflation lever. Off, Fill and bleed. Slightly over fill and bleed back to target pressure. The battery is behind 2 small screws and the reviews make much of this. The guys in the shops don’t seem to have any issues with changing the battery in this unit and I see some that have years in shop automotive service.

    https://www.amazon.com/Astro-3018-Digital-Inflator-Stainless/dp/B002PUTC0M?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top

    I have a Joe Blow yellow floor pump and find it to be as accurate and consistent in its readings as needed for bikes. At 100 psi it was off by 2 pounds from my $$$ racing grade certified guadge. YMMV as i tested another one and it was off by 6 psi at 100.

    The key is consistency in the range you use. A gauge that reads well at 120 for your 700X19 mm might be 30% off at 6 psi for the fat bike’s tires. This might or might not be better than the “Thumb method” which I have to admit that I still use from time to time.

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