Tyre pressure: choosing it and pumping up

No single pressure fits everyone

A pressure gauge measures the air pressure. A floor pump with one is useful at home; a mini-pump belongs in your ride kit.

Consider rider and luggage weight, tyre width, tubes or tubeless setup, and surface. Start with the manufacturer’s guidance or calculator. Respect both tyre and rim limits. The rim holds the tyre. The maximum printed on a tyre is not automatically your ideal pressure.

Too much pressure can feel harsh. Too little can cause rim strikes and damage. Tubeless tyres also need enough air to work safely. Check your setup rather than copying a clubmate’s numbers.

Pumping up

Identify the valve. Presta, common on road bikes, is narrow with a small top nut. Remove the cap, loosen that nut, attach the correct pump head and inflate. Remove the head and gently tighten the nut again.

Schrader resembles a car valve and has no small top nut to undo. Do not force an incompatible pump head onto it. Use the correct head or adapter.

Before each ride

Tyres lose air gradually. Check before leaving, especially after storage. Sudden pressure loss needs investigation, not repeated pumping. A workshop can check it.

In Moscow, plan for the actual surface of your route. A smooth-road number may not feel right on broken pavement, but adjustments must stay within your equipment’s limits.

What to do now

1. Identify the valves and your tyre and rim limits.
2. Find a starting recommendation for your setup and total weight.
3. Inflate with a gauge, record the pressure and try a short familiar route.