How important is a tire gauge?

[PamNY]

The gauge stopped working on my Joe Blow, and I'm wondering if I can just pump by feel without any dire consequences. My bike is a hybrid, if it matters. I do check the tires regularly, and I think I can tell when the pressure is where I want it.

[tulip]

I rely on a tire guage. You can easily be way off by feel; at least I can.

[DebW]

With a hybrid bike you're only running at 60-80 psi and the tires are wide enough to take some variation in pressure. If you feel like you have the experience to judge the pressure, you're probably fine without a gage. If you had a road bike with skinny tires and typically ran 100 psi, then a gage would be more critical.

[moonfroggy]

that makes a lot of sense to me. on my mountain bike i like to fill up my tires at home for riding on the road and when i get to a trail i let a lot of air out. i don't use a gauge i use my fingers but i have used a gauge enough to be pretty accurate with my fingers and i go by what the road conditions are for how much air i let out. so i never use a tire gauge except for the one on my pump. i guess when i get my luna orbit a gauge might be more necessary for me.

[Pedal Wench]

I've often felt that my road tires where "okay" but then thought I should add some air, just in case. Granted, I usually let a shot of air out first, but even when I thought they were close, they can be down to 60 and still feel okay.

[DebW]

Sometime a better gage than your thumb is to sit on the bike with your full weight and see how much the tires depress, or how large the contact patch becomes. When riding, the danger is that a sharp jab on the tire, like hitting a pothole, will compress the tire all the way to the rim and result in a pinch flat. I assume the tire may see several times your weight in a dynamic condition like that, so you're balancing that possiblity with an adequate contact patch for traction.

[Grog]

I really rely on the gauge.

This being said, if I find it really hard to pump, then I know I have to pump a few more times to get to 100 psi. (I run 100 psi and I have a hybrid too but the tires are made to handle it.)

[daisylubob]

I really rely on the gauge.

This being said, if I find it really hard to pump, then I know I have to pump a few more times to get to 100 psi. (I run 100 psi and I have a hybrid too but the tires are made to handle it.)

Have you tried one of these pumps? I would not be w/out mine!!

http://www.sunandski.com/Serfas_WFP_...2064550615.htm

[radicalrye]

if i don't have access to a gauge i use a combo of squeezing the tire by hand and sitting on the bike. if you bike sinks quite a bit then the tire probably needs to pumped up more.

you can always find a portable tire gauge at your LBS that is small enough to fit in your seat bag. they look just like the ones you would use on your car only they are made to measure bike tires