This sounds like a leak to me as well. That needs to be fixed first. You can get cheap replacement tubes at wally mart for this tire. I have a bikeE with a 16x1.75 in the front and I prefer to inflate them not that much. With this tiny wheel potholes have become a lot bigger. Therefore I prefer to dampen it it a bit with a lower tire pressure. Plus the front wheel on a recumbent like the Sun EZ-1 or my bikeE hardly carries any weight.