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Please don't apologize for asking those questions. Not silly at all.
Another possible culprit: the valve itself. I have a tube currently on the back wheel of my road bike that is really hard to inflate. For some reason, it works with one of our two floor pumps and not the other.
I suggest taking your bike and your pump to the shop.
Good luck. And please stop putting yourself down.
I went through something like this a few years ago. It turned out I was not pushing the stem far enough into the pump and it would get on just enough to let all the air out. Shove it on there firmly and then try it.
I am also small and have to use all of my body weight to pump my tires.
Are you using threaded or non-threaded tubes? I have found the threaded ones difficult to work with for a variety of reasons, one being latching the valve of the pump on or taking it off.
We've had several pumps and generally I've found this is a "you get what you pay for" situation.
Woo, hoo! I got one right. NO, I was typing my epic response :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Pedal Wench
I start struggling when I get to about 90psi on mine - have to lean really hard on my track pump to get the last 10 or so in, if I didn't use a track pump, I'd never manage it. But, I have found letting some air out before starting to pump really helps, it seems to open up the valve and it goes in much easier after that.
+1Quote:
Originally Posted by tantrumbean
Just press the valve lightly to break the seal, you don't have to let a lot of air out.
The pump you are using can make a huge, huge difference - and its not necessarily that the more expensive the pump the better.... we had a fancy, schmancy Italian Silca that I hated with a passion. It was fickle and took 3 hands and more than my entire body weight to operate. We have a Joe Blow now and other than the little rubber gasket on the head really needing replacing it is great - I can even get my TT bike tires up to 140 psi without having just pumping up the tires being an adequate warm up....
I also have a Joe Blow standup pump and once you get things going right, I can pump and pump! and i'm puny too.
I have a suggestion that might work.
A portable electric compressor (like this.
And then a presta to schrader valve adapter for about $2.00.
Now, I have not tried this yet, even though I always carry one of these adapters in case I want to use my compressor instead of my bicycle pump. You would also need some kind of gauge.
I have issues pumping my tires too. Here's what you have to do... you have to unscrew the presta-valve all the way... and then tap on the top. For some reason, they can get... stuck... and then when you try to put air in, the air won't go in. Sometimes it takes a few tries of me putting the pump on... taking it off... tapping the presta-valve... trying again.
I have drained my tires of all their air sometimes because that stupid valve gets stuck.
Sometimes I worry I won't get any air in the tire because it gets stuck.
Because of the above reasons I HATE PUTTING AIR in my TIRES!
Try tapping the presta-valve and pumping it then. If you are pumping and it feels like the air is not going in, then the valve is stuck.
This Is Such A Great Thread!!!
Thank You!
A lot of times, you need to really push hard on the very first pump to get it to open the valve, so don't give up. Get that first push in, and the rest get easier.
Very sorry that it is so frustrating! It is definitely frustrating to always take care of oneself and not have much help.
I train with professional athletes and if I don't have one of the "boys" help, I can't get the pump down either (they work up a sweat too)...I usually give up, as I do have people to help with the bike stuff but the day I don't, I am up sh-- creek.
The best thing is that it shows your perserverance!
All the above advice is really really great, thanks all.
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who has to use her body weight to pump up tires. My hubby and my other male riding buddies think it's hilarious to see me jumping down on the pump to get my tires to the right psi.
One thing I've found (with a Specialized floor pump and presta valves) is that if the pump handle seems "springy" and very difficult to push down, then I don't have it seated properly. Release and reapply until it doesn't feel springy.
Wow, what a terrific thread! I think most of feel like an idiot jumping our whole body down on a stupid pump to get it to work! LOL -- it lifts me off the ground sometimes! I've also let all the air out of my stupid tires a few times.
So, none of us are stupid or weak, it must have been a man that invented the bicycle pump :):):) Maybe the same man that invented mammograms!