General Cycling Discussion - Newbie

HEY all,

I am fairly new to Biking. I just got a Cannondale 500 over X-MAS and putting about 5-10 miles a day on it. Got to get in shape before I ride a long ride..

My question is how often should I be putting air in the tires? They hold 100/120 psi and it seems like every week when I check, they are down to 80.

I know it is probably a stupid question for all you who've been doing this for a long time, but any help is greatly appreciated.

They hold 100/120 psi and it seems like every week when I check, they are down to 80.

That seems to be within the "normal" range for road bike tires, especially during cold weather.

Hi bab. Welcome to the forums. Questions like yours is the reason we're all here - nobody knows it all. You should check your tires before every ride to make sure they have the correct pressure in them, even if you ride every day. Tubes will lose pressure with each ride and with changing temperatures. Also, feel free to experiment with the pressure you find the most comfortable. Just because the tire will take 120psi doesn't mean that you have to ride it that stiff. Many pros keep their tires around 100 - 110. Enjoy the ride.

The more you inflate a tire, the less rolling resistance you have. But the more you inflate a tire, the rougher the ride.

Further inflation past 100 psi, really will not reduce rolling resistance significantly.

Another point, is to be sure to put in enough pressure to keep the tire from deforming noticeable under your weight. Deformation can cause "pinch flats" which are a bad thing. A heavy rider on a really thin tire will need to put in more then 100 psi to avoid pinch flats. Of course, a heavy rider would be better off on a slightly larger tire. The larger the tire, the less pressure required to support the rider's weight adequately. If you want a slightly more comfy ride and you don't care about a bit more weight, go with a tire size one spot larger. Larger tires should also give you a bit more wear.