Tires & Inflating

[lph]

Yes, heat will cause them to be more inflated, cold the opposite. Humidity, I'm not sure??

Anyone?

Yup, I had a mtb tube and tire explode on me with an almighty bang last summer. I had inflated it (a bit too much) that morning, it turned into a hot summers day, and I left it lying in the sun in the afternoon by the beach. The noise sounded just like a gunshot, almost gave me a heart attack

If you're not a heavy rider you don't have to inflate to the absolute max. Tires with high pressure will roll more easily, but only up to a certain point, after that you start to bounce about too much. I read somewhere that you should be able to see the tires flatten just a little bit under your weight once you're on the bike.

PS. I doubt humidity makes a difference given the same air pressure, since the tube is virtually airtight.

[surgtech1956]

Thanks for all the advice. Our roads here are terrible, if its not pot holes, its some stones & ??? on the side of the roads. Like anything else, its just a good habit to get into.

[RubyTuesday]

Interesting read for a newbie. My sister got a flat by leaving her bike in the car when it was 100 degrees outside. I guess those old molecules just got to her tire.

I never realized that you had to pump up the tires so often either. I didn't do it for the first five or more rides on my new bike. When I finally checked the tire pressure it was 60! Ooops.

Thanks for the info.

[Owlie]

PS. I doubt humidity makes a difference given the same air pressure, since the tube is virtually airtight.

It might make a difference if you fill it with "wet" air and leave it in a warm place (vs. dry air in a warm place)...water vapor is a very non-ideal gas!

(And if I had a chance, I'd fill my tubes with argon. )

[Don Deitz]

While on the topic of inflating tires, has anyone had much success with pedal-driven airpumps lasting very long? It seems like mine last 1-2 years at most.
Either the connector to the valve stem breaks or the foot pedal ruins the compressor tube.

Any suggestions for a good brand?

Thanks,

Don Deitz