Tyre pressure gauge/pump - recommendations please

[MrsC_772]

I like to check my tyre pressures before setting off on my bike for the day. Now the Monster has been pressed into commuter duty, that's every day.

At the moment I use a little digital tyre pressure gauge to check the pressures and then a rather cheap and nasty foot pump with a useless gauge on.

I'm sick of having to faff around with several iterations of "put gauge on (which in itself lets air out), remove gauge (more air comes out), put foot pump on and inflate, try to remove footpump (without letting more air out), put gauge on to check new pressures (without letting out the air I'd just put in), repeat" every morning. All of which inevitably leads to black and filthy hands from reaching around the wheels several times ...

There must be a better way!

Can anyone recommend a better way of getting air into tyres e.g. electric pump with accurate gauge. Ideally something that only requires connecting to the tyres once each morning, rather than having to swap between pump and gauge.

[Stafford]

If you're riding once a week then check them. But do you actually find much difference from day to day?

[the_adam]

I got a double footpump with gauge from Halfords for about £15, no complaints yet (plus it's bright yellow, so I can find it at night when I accidentally leave it outside :D)

[utopia]

No helpful suggestions, but I thought you might be amused to know that my footpump is over 35yrs old.
I got it with Green Shield Stamps.

Actually, on second thoughts, if you like to check the pressures that often, why not fit some of those valve caps with little colour coded pressure indicators in them (from Busters or the like) ? That way you can tell at a glance if they need any air, without losing any as you put the gauge on.

[Nickj]

Or some internal sensors, techno wizardry

[MrsC_772]

The reason I check my pressures every day is in case I've driven over a nail on my way home from work. I have enough to contend with on my ride into work in the morning (hideous bumpy road surface on the A31, eejits in Audis randomly changing lanes as I try to filter etc etc) without wanting to worry about a flat.

Our wake up call with tyre pressures was on our first trip to the Isle of Man with Andy's first Scooby. Over there with some car clubs, we'd managed to wangle a road closure order for the Ramsey to Douglas bit of the mountain section.:D Andy checked his pressures that morning and we'd picked up a slow puncture. It had slowly gone down over the course of a few days. Pumped it up, got us over the mountain with big cheesy grins, and first chance we got on the mainland that afternoon we got it properly sorted. Very glad we checked - and that's on something with 4 wheels that normally corners like it's on rails. When I think of the size of the contact patches for my little monster, I don't want to take any chances.

Had asked at Bykebitz in Yateley (our favourite local bike stuff shop) about those indicator pressure gauge caps, and the guy there said they didn't stock them because too many people had bad experiences with them actually letting air out over time - they don't work as well as proper valve caps.

[Capo]

Checking tire pressures regularly is a good habit. After a while you develop a feel for how much air to put in, compensating for that phsst when you connect the gauge.
I would not recommend the gauges fitted to pumps, the hand held digital you have will be more accurate.
While I still have a foot pump, the little compressor built into the jump starter that I now use is a lot easier, but it's inbuilt gauge is about 10psi off!!!

[slob]

I was sick of cheap Halfrauds footpumps folding up after 3 uses and couldn't readily find a better quality one. I bought an Oxford Products stirrup pump from Infinity Motorcycles, like this (http://www.oxprod.com/index.php?pg=3&action=dept&id=13&pid=357) but with a digital gauge built in. After checking it against a Snap-On pencil gauge for a year, I've learnt to trust it.
Still going strong after three years and still on the original battery, I still use the pencil gauge at petrol stations etc. where I can't trust the gauges and periodically to check the Oxford one.

[the_adam]

Our wake up call with tyre pressures was on our first trip to the Isle of Man with Andy's first Scooby. Over there with some car clubs, we'd managed to wangle a road closure order for the Ramsey to Douglas bit of the mountain section.:D Andy checked his pressures that morning and we'd picked up a slow puncture. It had slowly gone down over the course of a few days. Pumped it up, got us over the mountain with big cheesy grins, and first chance we got on the mainland that afternoon we got it properly sorted. Very glad we checked - and that's on something with 4 wheels that normally corners like it's on rails. When I think of the size of the contact patches for my little monster, I don't want to take any chances.

Know what you mean about the slow punctures, I rarely used to check mine until I took it over to Ducati John for something else and he happened to notice my back tyre was a bit flat. Pumped it back up, rode back to Manchester by a nice twisty route and then spent another week on it before I got round to checking. The gauge pressure was around 0.5bar and I had hardly even noticed the difference :eyepopping:

Needless to say, after that close one they get checked a lot more frequently now!

[satan916]

1. Take thumb
2. Press tyre you wish to check with said thumb
3a. If thumb doesn't depress the tyre any appeciable amount, put on your helmet, boots and gloves and ride it.
3b. If however thumb does depress tyre, THEN faff around with a pump and gauge, once this is done put on your helmet, boots and gloves and ride it.

[polecatpete]

I forget the name of it but they do a gauge for cycles which screws onto the valve to prevent air loss and then onto the pump. I guess if you like, an in line pressure gauge.

[gary tompkins]

I like to check my tyre pressures before setting off on my bike for the day. Now the Monster has been pressed into commuter duty, that's every day.

At the moment I use a little digital tyre pressure gauge to check the pressures and then a rather cheap and nasty foot pump with a useless gauge on.

I'm sick of having to faff around with several iterations of "put gauge on (which in itself lets air out), remove gauge (more air comes out), put foot pump on and inflate, try to remove footpump (without letting more air out), put gauge on to check new pressures (without letting out the air I'd just put in), repeat" every morning. All of which inevitably leads to black and filthy hands from reaching around the wheels several times ...

There must be a better way!

Can anyone recommend a better way of getting air into tyres e.g. electric pump with accurate gauge. Ideally something that only requires connecting to the tyres once each morning, rather than having to swap between pump and gauge.

Pump + gauge isn't the problem it's the method

1. Just pump the tyre up 5-10psi more than needed - easier if footpump has gauge fitted

2. Remove footpump

3. Let a little air out at a time while checking with gauge

4. Once pressure is correct re-fit valve cap

If you need to do this every day you probably have a slow puncture

[utopia]

Seconded.....the method that Gary describes.
Also, what Satan says.

My footpump is very old.....I got it with Green Shield Stamps.:eyepopping:
Its on its second replacement hose and third replacement connector.
I find it no problem, if used in the way Gary describes.
And personally, I prefer the pencil type gauges to the digital ones.

[S4Rs MacK]

Hi Ele,
I bought a bicycle track pump from Halfords for about £15. It does the small schrader bicycle valves as well as normal large car/ motorcycle valves and has a gauge on it too. I find it a lot more user friendly than foot pumps.