 |
Tire pressure is surprisingly complex, in that it’s affected by everything from your rim width to how much you brake on descents. Alse, a good rule of thumb is that a 10º change in Fahrenheit temperature will increase pressure by roughly 2%. It makes sense to maintain your tire pressure, regardless of weather fluctuations. |
4ES |
If you spend a lot of time on your bike, then you know that keeping
your tires maintained is
vital to your cycling enjoyment. And, if your
bicycle's tires are low on air pressure, your ride won't be very
pleasant. Bicycle tires' air pressure may, on some bikes, be more PSI
than we are used to putting into our car tires - but comparably in
cubic-foot
quantity, those skinny bike tires don't hold much!
That means when they lose tire pressure, just a little is a lot.
Don't eat into your ride time continually checking your bike's tire
pressure. Make sure the pressure stays up, and that your tire rubber
itself is maintained for long tire life. It won't take long for you to
see what a difference nitrogen inflation makes for your bicycle tires.
This article below says it all, much better [I think] than I can:
Proper tire inflation is important for many reasons - your bike rides better at the correct inflation pressure, your tires will last longer, and your chance of getting a flat are significantly reduced.
What is the proper inflation? That will vary based on many factors, but you can easily figure this out with a quick look at your tires. On the sidewall is all the information you will need.
Always refer to your tires for correct inflation pressure. In general, you will find three pressure ranges, depending on the type of bike - mountain bikes, comfort bikes, and kids bikes will often be in the 40-65 psi range; hybrid bikes will usually be 70-90 psi; road bikes will be 90-130+ psi.
Except in performance situations (i.e. rigorous mountain biking), you always want to run your tires at or near the maximum recommended tire pressure. If your tire gives you a range, inflate to the highest number. If it gives you a single pressure rating, use that.
This answer is based on a couple different factors. Rubber is porous, like skin - much like sweat leaks out of you, air leaks out of bike tires. Over time, the pressure inside will diminish; depending on your tire size, and what pressure it contains, the air will escape in a matter of weeks, or even days. A skinny tire with a pressure over 100 psi will lose 6-10 psi in just a couple days time!
Here is a general rule of thumb for good tire maintenance:
Mountain bikes, Kids bikes, Beach
Cruisers, Comfort bikes (20x1.75-2.35, 26x1.75-2.7, etc.)
- pressures of 35-65 psi - every 2 weeks (minimum)
Hybrid bikes (26x1.0-1.50, 700x32-45+)
- pressures of 70-90 psi - once a week (minimum)
Road bikes (650x23, 700x23-28)
- every 2-3 days, or
every ride (minimum)
If you can remember to keep your tires inflated properly, you will
notice a better ride quality, longer tire life, and hopefully less
trouble with flats!