Inflating your tyres
Riding with the correct air pressure in your tyres is important for comfort, control and rolling efficiency, as well as preventing premature tyre wear. Learn how to pump up your tyres here
- Remove dust cap.
- Unscrew the small top section of the valve with your finger tips.
- ‘Tap’ the top section so it releases a little air – this will open the valve ready for pumping.
- Fit the pump onto the valve – this is usually a case of pushing the pump ‘head’ over the valve so it fully covers the top section and some of the valve ‘stem’. Most pumps have a locking device to grip the valve stem to stop air escaping as you pump.
- Pump until the desired pressure is reached and then unlock the pump head and wiggle/pull the head off the valve stalk. You usually hear a very short ‘hiss’.
- Re-tighten the valve top section turning it clockwise with your fingertips fully. Do this carefully. Avoid accidentally pushing it as this will release the air you’ve just put in!
- Replace dust cap.
Recommended types of pump
We recommend a floor or track pump WITH a gauge so you can see when you have reached the desired pressure easily. Obviously a pump like this is not appropriate to take with you on a ride but if you have the correct tyre pressure before setting out, you are far less likely to have a puncture. It’s also much quicker and less effort to use.
On a ride we would recommend a long handled frame-fitting pump rather than a short mini pump. You will find the longer stroke action much more effective than the mini pump which may look nice and compact but will take much longer to achieve a reasonable pressure