OK. new rider here and i am becoming quickly acquainted with the fact that tire inflation seems critical on my bike especially while waiting on a new rear shock and sporting aluminum panniers. i got some cheapo stick gage and then a cheapo digital gauge and each are off enough to be a problem. actually the digital should be in the trash by now. anyway, i'd like something light for long hauls. my tire inflator seems to do a great job of telling me what the PSI is but i'd like something to check this against and also when at air pumps that have had ends shaped and patched together with duct tape - i need something to verify with. THANKS for any good info
Recent thread (many good suggestions. You may find the one that suits your need.) http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/a-good-bike-tire-pressure-gauge.1173706/
interesting. for home use someone suggested using a bicycle floor pump. this would be more convenient than my portable electric. i wonder if there is such a thing as a presta to schraeder connection so i can get it on my motorcycle tire.... > edit: ach i think i have one of these. got to go look...
arg. i have a presta valve to schraeder /pump/ adapter for my bikes in case i need to get air at a conventional air pump. i need a schraeder /valve/ to presta /pump/ which presumably i could put in my toolbox so i can use any kind of pump - including the floor pump i have. wonder if such a thing exists....
Most pumps these days have both valves built in. Not sure about your airhead, but mine originally came with a hand pump (I don't have it) but the standoffs are on the frame. I carry a mountainbike mini pump on the DRZ. It's a lot of pumping but it beats walking. I have a full blown compressor with a hose reel on the ceiling and still grab the stand-up floor pump unless filling a new tire. It's faster and easier. I carry cheap stick gauges on the bikes (metal at least seem to hold up longer than plastic) and have a couple dial gauges at home. I can usually get 2 gauges to agree and use that as a baseline to see how far the others are off. a couple lbs either way really makes no difference for me so I wing it a bit too. The exception on all that is I have a low pressure gauge on the drz. the low pressure is 0-20psi so it's much more accurate when i'm setting the drz to 8lbs (dirt) or 15-18lbs (street)
yeah. thanks. i have compressed air on the bike and an electric pump with the whatever it's called connection to the bike. i also carry the alligator clips for it. i have a foot pump here but it just has a presta connection so it doesn't fit the bike tire schraeder. i have an adapter on the bicycle but that works the other way around. i guess i need to check he mfr website to see if there is a schraeder connection for this pump. if i also get a couple of 6" metal stick type gauges maybe i'll have it covered. - jon
Slime digital gauge. It's small, super accurate. I've tried it versus many other tire gauges. It's smaller than a hotdog. I also have one of theirs with the dial and a hose. I like it because I can let air out with a button press, but it doesn't pack small. I have a hand pump with a floor foot pad and pumps my rear tire effortlessly in a few minutes. Topeaka (forgot exact name) mountain bike with psi gauge hand pump.
Take presta valve out of an old tube. Jam it in one end of a short length of 1/4" hose designed to take pressure. Buy a schrader pump end from the bike shop for the other end of hose. Assemble with hose clamps. You now have a custom presta pump to schrader valve adapter. You could also change your existing pump head to be a presta/schrader combo, as mentioned above. Bicycle shops sell them or may be able to rob one off a dead pump. Depending on design of your presta fitting and the schrader chuck you end up with, you may be able to simply jam SV chuck's barbed fitting into PV opening, skipping the hose I mentioned above.
This pump works great: https://www.amazon.com/Nashbar-White-Floor-Pump/dp/B004UM773C and is cheap with both fittings. Gauge not accurate at low MC tire pressures, but you can get close and then fine tune. I have 2 milton metal low pressure pen type gauges - they both read identically, which indicates a certain accuracy - and low pressure gauges offer more precision.
Well, all this talk about Slime gauges - I just had to get one! Went to Walmart (I could cross-post this to the "Adventure Gear from Walmart" thread!) and got the #20247 digital "Sport Gauge" for around $10 (and - it figures - I see it's now on sale). I liked that both the gauge and the nozzle are lighted (Slime green) for easier reading/positioning at night and that it has a long slender "nose" at an angle. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Slime-Digital-Tire-Gauge/45791102
OK. great info. help me here a little more. i have a presto pump for my bikes. i have schraeder valve on my motorcycle. presumably i could be out on my bike and need to use a presto pump. you are saying i can cut off a schraeder valve from an old bicycle tire, then try to find a piece of rubber or something that will tight fit over a schraeder valve? seems like a good item to have in my kit...
thanks a ton to all. also thanks to folgore for the link. there was a link to a review of gauges and i bought two of the NAPA stick gauges. apparently a little drop of oil once in awhile these things last awhile and get great ratings.