Touring - Bike Pressure Gauge

Does anyone have a recommendation for a handheld tire pressure gauge? I'd be looking for something small and portable for touring, but don't want cheap and crappy. Thanks for all your help.

Not what you say you're looking for, but I no longer have a separate gauge. Instead I use a Road Morph G:
http://www.topeak.com/products/Pumps/RoadMorphG

Great pump, inline gauge, very convenient.

I have a Leyzne pump which I love and it's extremely lightweight. I'm looking for a stand alone tire pressure gauge so I can check where the tires are at since I don't trust me sense of feel to gauge pressure.

I have an old plastic one similar to this

http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Cycling/Pumps/PRD~5022-212/filzer-zephyr-ii-pressure-gauge.jsp

mine is very light, is probably similar in build quality to this and still works after having it I dunno, 15 yrs or more of being wrapped up in a cloth along with my other tools I have with me. That said, since getting a small pump with built in gauge, I tend not to take it with me anymore (and I have a floor pump with an easy toread gauge that I use at home)

you should be able to find a gauge like the one I put up, for somewhere around 15 bucks that will last a long time and doesnt weigh as much as a metal one.

here is what i use i have had it for about a year i got it from walmart it was like 1.97 not bad to seconds is what it takes to use it plus small and easy to carry it is a slime product so it isnt a piece of junk....

I have used a Zefal Twin Graph gauge for years on tour. Simple, lightweight, no batteries and seems to be very accurate. Last one I bought was on Amazon.

http://www.zefal.com/en/other-accessories/45-twin-graph.html

^^^^ I use the same one:

http://www.zefal.com/45-211-large/twin-graph.jpg

Leyzne makes an in-line gauge for their pumps that use a hose. Very convenient and right there all the time.

Not what you say you're looking for, but I no longer have a separate gauge. Instead I use a Road Morph G:
http://www.topeak.com/products/Pumps/RoadMorphG

Great pump, inline gauge, very convenient.

should mention how happy I am iwth this pump, well made, pumps to 90-100 fairly quickly and you dont have to be a body builder to do it, built in gauge pretty accurate (gotta use reading glasses tho if over 40....)

of course, only if you need a new pump. I did a few years ago, hence not using the small gauge much.

I have the digital SKS airchecker and it's really nice. Long battery life, works well with presta and shraeder, has a mechanism for letting out air, and gives very precise readings. Of course, I mostly got it to dial in low pressures for cylocross, and such accuracy isn't really so critical for touring in most cases.

Or use a Road Morph G. The gauge is reasonably accurate at typical touring pressures, and they're amazingly nice pumps aside from that.

i used to carry a gauge on tour, but now rely on a few pumps every other morning and the gauge on a topeak roadmorph.

may not be the most accurate, but within a bar.

Even without a gauge, a good strategy is a few pumps of air every other morning.

I used to use an AccuGage made for Presta. Worked well.
http://www.ghmeiser.com/bicycle.htm

I have also used a Topeak Smarthead digital that was both Presta and Shrader. It leaked a lot of my air taking a reading in Presta mode, but it works very well taking a reading with a Shrader adapter threaded onto my tube. In other words, I use it in Shrader mode. This model gauge is no longer on the Topeak website, they now sell a different digital gauge that I have not used.

I usually use the gauge on my Silca floor pump for my bikes. But on the bike I have on my trainer, the pump that I use on that does not have a good gauge so I use the Topeak gauge.

Schwalbe tubes sometimes come with a guage. They seem pretty good.

z

I would much rather have a built in gage / pump combo. There is not enough volume IMO in the tire to waste air getting the gage on and off. I give it the squeeze test and can tell if it’s low. But the recommendation to air each day or every other day is a good one. I have a cheap Bell pump that works really well up to about 80 PSI. Perfect for the touring bike. I like it because it’s small and light but still has a short 8 inch hose so I can pump against the ground. I always use it with an adapter and reverse the adapter and store it on the wheels as caps. The holder mounts to the rear rack and has storage for a patch kit and a spare adapter.The pop of air when I remove it is the air stored in the hose.

Schwalbe tubes sometimes come with a guage. They seem pretty good.

z

Can you elaborate on this?

I too use the Zefal gauge.

The important thing is to make sure that the nozzle will fit the type of valve you use.

And bek is right to a point. If you use a gauge and the finger-press test in unison over time, you should be able to judge with just the finger-press if your tyres are up to pressure each day and maybe dispense with having to carry a gauge.

But do be aware that initially, you will underestimate the actual pressure quite a bit just by pressing the tyre with your finger.

But do be aware that initially, you will underestimate the actual pressure quite a bit just by pressing the tyre with your finger.

I am often surprised how I lose accuracy of the "press" method if I dont do it regularly, but yes, underestimating is really common

I used to use an AccuGage made for Presta. Worked well.
http://www.ghmeiser.com/bicycle.htm

I have also used a Topeak Smarthead digital that was both Presta and Shrader. It leaked a lot of my air taking a reading in Presta mode, but it works very well taking a reading with a Shrader adapter threaded onto my tube. In other words, I use it in Shrader mode. This model gauge is no longer on the Topeak website, they now sell a different digital gauge that I have not used.

I usually use the gauge on my Silca floor pump for my bikes. But on the bike I have on my trainer, the pump that I use on that does not have a good gauge so I use the Topeak gauge.
This is the gauge I use on the road. I have a Topeak frame pump and check pressure with the gauge. At home I use my floor pump.