bumpy, no cornering
08-04-10, 11:42 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: san jose
Posts: 12
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
bumpy, no cornering
I am a new, when I ride my road bike, it seems like I am damaging the rim whenever I go over a small crack in the sidewalk, and also, I seem to "bottom out" when I am taking a sharp corner, is this normal? I do not have an air pressure gauge just yet, but it feels by touch that there is enough air, even if it isnt at the highest pressure, could this also be my tubes? my rims?
08-05-10, 02:16 AM
#2
MARGINALS
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 420
Bikes: 09 Tarmac Pro SL / Sunday BMX /
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Check your air pressure first. It is not normal to "bottom out" your tire anywhere. If that is the case you will eventually get a pinch flat, the easiest flat to prevent. Its really hard to judge air pressure in road tires so buy a pump or get a friend who has a pump with a gauge. Road bike tires should be topped off every few days to once a week.
08-05-10, 05:37 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Backwoods of Ontario
Posts: 2,152
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I find trying to gauge tire pressure by feel is completely inaccurate, resulting in riding in under-inflated tires. If you have no pressure gauge, you can get an idea of adequate inflation by observing the tire deflection when you sit on the bike. The tires should barely have any visible deflection when you sit on the bike, this will probably feel rock hard to the thumb.
08-05-10, 05:47 AM
#4
Thrifty Bill
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mountains of Western NC
Posts: 23,523
Bikes: 86 Katakura Silk, 87 Prologue X2, 88 Cimarron LE, 1975 Sekai 4000 Professional, 73 Paramount, plus more
Mentioned: 96 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1236 Post(s)
Liked 964 Times
in
628 Posts
How often are you adding air? Bike tires need supplemental air to top them off every couple of days. A bicyclist is going to own a pump and gauge, that's part of the basic equipment.
08-05-10, 06:56 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,656
Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2026 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,095 Times
in
741 Posts
Bike tires, particularly road bike tires are not like car tires.
Car tires run relativly low pressure, have thick tread and sidewalls, a large air volume and can go for months without losing significant pressure.
Bike tires run much higher pressure, have thin walls and a very small air volume. They have to be topped up every few days and squeezing them is totally inadequate to tell what pressure you have. +1 to getting a decent pump with a pressure gauge.
Car tires run relativly low pressure, have thick tread and sidewalls, a large air volume and can go for months without losing significant pressure.
Bike tires run much higher pressure, have thin walls and a very small air volume. They have to be topped up every few days and squeezing them is totally inadequate to tell what pressure you have. +1 to getting a decent pump with a pressure gauge.
08-05-10, 07:02 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Madison, WI USA
Posts: 6,149
Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2362 Post(s)
Liked 1,746 Times
in
1,190 Posts
What kind of bike (road, mtn, hybrid, etc)? You'd be surprised how underinflated "hard" tires can be. I find with my road tires, they feel rock-hard to the touch at 60-ish psi, but they need to be inflated to 100-110, and anywhere from 60 up doesn't feel any different to the touch. And yeah, I made that mistake on one ride, hit a crack and flatted BOTH tubes (underinflation + impact ==> "snake bite" puncture). No cell phone, only one spare tube, long walk home.
What you really need is a decent quality floor pump with a built-in gauge.
What you really need is a decent quality floor pump with a built-in gauge.
08-05-10, 08:32 AM
#7
Thrifty Bill
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mountains of Western NC
Posts: 23,523
Bikes: 86 Katakura Silk, 87 Prologue X2, 88 Cimarron LE, 1975 Sekai 4000 Professional, 73 Paramount, plus more
Mentioned: 96 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1236 Post(s)
Liked 964 Times
in
628 Posts
On my road bike, it really starts riding squirrelly with the air pressure just down 10 pounds. Pressure really makes a difference.
08-05-10, 12:01 PM
#8
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,498
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7346 Post(s)
Liked 2,452 Times
in
1,430 Posts
Your thumbs are mis-calibrated. Get a floor pump with a built-in gauge.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
vol
General Cycling Discussion
33
05-25-13 04:17 PM
