frame tire pump

[dobedobedo]

Gosh, this is embarrasing. I got a new bike a little while ago and I have not put air in the tires yet. I was away for a few weeks (without my bike, very sad) and was sooooo looking forward to going for a ride tonight. When I grabbed my bike, I checked the tires and saw that they needed some air. I reached for my frame pump and took it from the velcro strap, held it in my hands and . . . stared at it. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO USE A TIRE PUMP. What do I do with the valves? How does the pump actually attach to the valve? How do I know it is working? (it is just the little frame pump)

Thanks.

[melissam]

dobedobedo,

First things first. Whenever I see your name on the forum, I get the song "Strangers in the Night" stuck in my head.

A couple of questions:

Do you have a floor pump? They're a lot more efficient than frame pumps.

What kind of valves do you have? The following picture should help you identify which you have:



Schrader valves look like the ones on your car tires. If you have this kind of valve, all you need to do is take the cap off of the valve, push the pump head onto the valve, and start pumping.

If you don't have a Schrader valve, you probably have a Presta valve. Unscrew the top, then push the pump head onto the valve and start pumping.

Not sure what kind of frame pump you have. Depending on the type you have, it may take a lot of pumps to get your tires up to the recommended pressure on the sidewalls.

Good luck!

-- Melissa

[dobedobedo]

Perfect response! Now I understand the differences between the two-- thanks to the pictures. I really need to get a floor pump! Thanks again.

[Zen]

dobedobedo,

First things first. Whenever I see your name on the forum, I get the song "Strangers in the Night" stuck in my head.

that came to my mind immediately. When I was about 7, my mom and I would sing that together. Imagine a 7 year old girl singing "Strangers In The Night"

Depending on the type you have, it may take a lot of pumps to get your tires up to the recommended pressure on the sidewalls.

My tires are rated to 120 but I only put 90 in. It really does take a LOT of pumping to get it that high, you'll think they're going to explode!

Make sure when you buy your pump that it will go on a Presta valve.
I didn't

Good luck!

[HillSlugger]

melissam left out one crucial step: after you push the pump head onto the valve you usually have to lock the head to the valve. This is usually done by lifting a lever on the pump head but sometimes, depending on the pump, you may have to push down a lever.

[Tuckervill]

I got that song stuck in my head, too, but it was an obscene version I learned from my big brother in the '60s!

Karen

[AZSpinner]

I bought a couple presta valve adapters. You screw them onto the presta valve and it essentially turns your presta valve into a schrader valve. Then it doesn't matter what kind of pump you have. I usually carry a couple in my saddle bag - for myself and an occasional newbie that didn't realize there was a difference in valves.

I must say, I don't think I ever swore as much as the first time I tried to pump up my tires with presta valves. No one ever told me, and I didn't know that you had to unscrew the little thing on top of the presta valve in order to get air in. I finally did a search on youtube. I felt like an idiot.

[alpinerabbit]

Floor pumps are definitely better suited than the wee frame pumps.

For on-road fixes, I carry CO2 cartridges with the corresponding adapters. Very useful.
I've used them once so far and I would hate to see myself having to inflate a road tire with a hand pump. They have enough life in them for about 2 tires, I'd guess, but I'd always have a fresh one on hand as well.

The adapter sets that we get here can even be used to go and inflate a bike tire at a gas station. They separate into different parts so you can use any type of valve and pump it up using the compressors they have at gas stations.


*pump up the jam, pump it up....*


p.s. Does anyone recommend that goo stuff that came in my saddle bag, for fixing punctures?

[coyote]

I've got a Hurricane MiniMax pump. It has a foot that comes out of the base...voila a floor pump that you can carry on your bike. It will fit presta or schraeder. They even make one that has a gage on it. It is really quick and easy to fill up even a road bike tire. I was amazed.

http://www.bicyclebuys.com/item/0114588

[bikerchick68]

http://biketiresdirect.com/productde...FQ3YggodDBD-mg

I carry the Topeak Road Morph... converts to a floor pump and has a guage so you know what PSI you're at. I pump my 120 rated tires to 110 per my friend at Mavic.

Hope you've got the pump all figured out now...

check with your LBS too and see if they offer free maintenance classes. They teach basics such as the names of all the bikes parts, how to pump tires, how to fix and patch flats and how to make minor derailleur adjustments etc...

[melissam]

Perfect response! Now I understand the differences between the two-- thanks to the pictures. I really need to get a floor pump! Thanks again.

You're very welcome! Hope you got your tires pumped up.

that came to my mind immediately. When I was about 7, my mom and I would sing that together. Imagine a 7 year old girl singing "Strangers In The Night"

Gosh, Zen, I'd rather not imagine that.

melissam left out one crucial step: after you push the pump head onto the valve you usually have to lock the head to the valve. This is usually done by lifting a lever on the pump head but sometimes, depending on the pump, you may have to push down a lever.

Yikes, MDHS, I got so wrapped up in the Presta/Schrader thing that I totally forgot to include this step.

I got that song stuck in my head, too, but it was an obscene version I learned from my big brother in the '60s!

Karen

Hmmm, this could be interesting to hear. Maybe by PM....

[Geonz]

Sigh, now I'm trying to figure out obscene versions

I also have a road morph... and it works better than my Joe Blow which doesn't seem to want to work on either valve kind (I've got Presta, Schrader and I think Woods ... variety is the spice of life!)

[Tuckervill]

Sorry, I'm listening to the newest Barenaked Ladies and I don't want to turn it off to retrieve that version out of my head. It had something to do with exchanging something besides glances.

Maybe later!
Karen

[mimitabby]

with my road morph today I pumped up a flat tire long enough to hear it empty sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

then I changed the tube and dug out the glass and pumped the tire up again.

road morph RA RA!