Pumping up tyres?

[dj092]

Hello,

I bought a new bike a few weeks ago and i've just had trouble putting air in the tyres at every gas station.

The problem for me is getting the knob to fit but with 2 front rotors i've found it a complete mission.

I've tried putting on the right angle pipe attachment but I get an error everytime I try it with the attachment.

Would anybody have any spare time to show me the tricks or advice?

Cheers

[RGVforme]

Hello,

I bought a new bike a few weeks ago and i've just had trouble putting air in the tyres at every gas station.

The problem for me is getting the knob to fit but with 2 front rotors i've found it a complete mission.

I've tried putting on the right angle pipe attachment but I get an error everytime I try it with the attachment.

Would anybody have any spare time to show me the tricks or advice?

Cheers

Had this issue with My RGV.....Twin rotors...

Found a High pressure Pushbike hand pump just fitted so bought one of those......At the servos I found some air fittings have a outlet both front and back of the nozzle and the left hand one fitted and worked well..

[oldiebutagoody]

Hello,

I bought a new bike a few weeks ago and i've just had trouble putting air in the tyres at every gas station.

The problem for me is getting the knob to fit but with 2 front rotors i've found it a complete mission.

I've tried putting on the right angle pipe attachment but I get an error everytime I try it with the attachment.

Would anybody have any spare time to show me the tricks or advice?

Cheers

There seem to be two common valve fittings in use at garages nowadays. The double sided standard with the stalk that won't fit a lot of front wheels between the hub and rim when two rotors are fitted, and the single end fitting with a push latch and flexible hose.

I always try to find a petrol station with the latter fitting, it is usually on a digital air setup.

If you have to use a double sided fitting with the long stalk I suggest looking for one that has been bent by previous bikers during past use (a slight bend in the steel tube stalk allows the clearance to fit between hub and valve/rim). If it is new and straight,........well I will leave the solution to your imagination.

[Ocean1]

I've tried putting on the right angle pipe attachment but I get an error everytime I try it with the attachment.

Bit weird, an error is usually caused by the fitting leaking slightly as the initial pressure is measured.

The right angle fitting you tried was one that attaches to the existing tyre valve? If so you're better off without it anyway, they can cause leaking issues.

The best fix is to get a proper 90 degree Schrader valve fitted next time you get a new tyre fitted. I can't believe bikes are still made with anything else. In the meantime just find another local garage with a fitting that works for your bike.

[OddDuck]

+1 on the bike pump - I use a column job with an air gauge. $50-ish and it's worked for car + bike for years.

[pete-blen]

I just look around... when no one is watching
I bend the fitting till it dose clear everything & fits...

but quite often someone has beat me to it....




...

[jellywrestler]

Hello,

I bought a new bike a few weeks ago and i've just had trouble putting air in the tyres at every gas station.

The problem for me is getting the knob to fit but with 2 front rotors i've found it a complete mission.

I've tried putting on the right angle pipe attachment but I get an error everytime I try it with the attachment.

Would anybody have any spare time to show me the tricks or advice?

Cheers

gas stations don't give a fuck about motorcycles....

[RGVforme]

Come to think of it most of the ones I see have a bend on them like the cock on a 70s pornstar..........

[Jin]

Angled valve stems

[oldiebutagoody]

Or a cheap 12v mini tyre compressor that has a cig lighter plug as an alternative so you don't need a petrol station pump, and can set your pressures correctly, stone cold before leaving the driveway. Always check them when they are cold not more than 1 km into a ride anyways.

Replace the cig lighter plug for bulldog clips to run off your bike battery.

I have run that for over 20 years. Which reminds me, mine is a bit worse for wear, time for a replacement.......

[pritch]

+1 on the bike pump -

Yeah, I'll second that. And the right angled valve stems.

I use a bicycle track pump and a gauge. Hopefully it's not about pumping the tyre up from flat - just adding a few pounds.
If you do it at home you can check the pressures cold which is recommended, hard to do that if you just rode half way across town to get to a gas station.
Anyway the gauges at the service stations are famously unreliable but tyre pressures are important.

If you check the gauge you buy against one that has been calibrated you will have a very good idea of what pressures you are putting into your tyres.
To do that though you need to have some sort of a relationship with a bike shop or tyre fitter.

[Luckylegs]

I got a small Antila compressor for $125 from Repco on sale. I was told the 12v ones are a waste of time as they take ages to build up pressure.

Sounds like you were under PRESSURE to pump your tyres as fast as others, eh sport...

[Paul in NZ]

Get one of these and put it in your jacket pocket.

Some bike shops have them.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/90-De...08.4.20.mUmtLG

[Tazz]

Get one of these and put it in your jacket pocket.

Some bike shops have them.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/90-De...08.4.20.mUmtLG

After I broke the valve on my CBR trying to be a smart shitter (10pm at night on the way to Chch ), I grabbed a couple of these and scattered them around my jackets and bike bags along with a few wee pressure gauges for good measure. Job done

[old slider]

Yeah, I'll second that. And the right angled valve stems.

I use a bicycle track pump and a gauge. Hopefully it's not about pumping the tyre up from flat - just adding a few pounds.
If you do it at home you can check the pressures cold which is recommended, hard to do that if you just rode half way across town to get to a gas station.
Anyway the gauges at the service stations are famously unreliable but tyre pressures are important.

If you check the gauge you buy against one that has been calibrated you will have a very good idea of what pressures you are putting into your tyres.
To do that though you need to have some sort of a relationship with a bike shop or tyre fitter.

Some great solutions, thanks guysngals, I never thought about tyre pressure gauges actually reading with much variance, thanks Pritch,

Has anyone found a particular brand of tyre pressure gauge that is reliable?