I just got a proper track/bike pump. It works great with the pressure gauge but not sure if the gauge is working proper before I used this I had a little valve pump, and I never got the tire anywere near this pressure. The thing is when I pump it up to around 80psi the tire is ROCK hard does this sound right?, on the tire it says pump to max 120 psi, to give example at 80 psi as it says on pump I can bearly dent the tire at all I would presume 100 would be like solid?, also when I put the pump on to check the pressure it does not tell me pressure am i doing something wrong?

presta valve should be no problem to get the pressure reading when first putting pump on.
Make sure valve is open all the way and the pump head is pushed all the way down before locking down.
Kenal0

Sounds suspicious. Unless your fingers are weak, 80psi is firm but not rock hard. I inflate from 100-145 psi depending on what I'm riding and where. 100 is also not rock hard.

The reason you're not getting a reading is that no air is coming to your gauge. Just press the Presta valve briefly to loosen it, attach and lock your pump on, and pump it one or two times. You should have a reading.

This is incorrect. All the presta pumps I have do not give the correct pressure reading until I begin pumping.

noobs: What pump do you have? What kind of tires do you have? 80psi is pretty low for road tires, despite seeming "rock hard". For wider tires, 80psi might be adequate, but it depends on what type of tire you have.

With my pump (joe blow), I seat the pump head on the presta valve, then I have to give it one or two pumps and it'll tell me the pressure.

The way you described it, there's no way for anyone to tell you if your gauge is correct. If you're curious, compare the pressures from your pump to someone else's pump.

My tires are typical 700 23c up to 120psi it just seems they are very hard at 80psi like finger wont dent the tire? the pump is a Truflo Easitrax Track Pump it has a nozel for both presta and the other one there is also a screw that you can turn to release the pressure near the bottom?

If a finger "dented" a road tire, you'd get a pinch flat in the first block. If you're really light and ride smooth roads, 80psi might be enough. I used to ride about 90psi, and occasionally got pinch flats. After moving up to the 110-120 range, I haven't gotten a single pinch flat.

It's wayyyy too subjective to say, at 80psi, you can press a little bit into the tire, everyone presses a little harder/softer. If you suspect your pump's gauge is off, then you'll have to validate it with another gauge.

Small point, maybe, but this is not my experience with my Specialized pump as well as many others that I use.

That is how my pump works as well. I do not know the brand name off the top of my head, but it is supposedly a good pump. It was like $60 at my LBS.

Dan

"finger" tests do NOT work for tire pressure. That is why we have pressure gauges. noobster you are fine. Pump the tire to the pressure you want to ride at. Do not ride below the MINIMUM pressure listed on the sidewall of the tire, but do not feel obligated to ride at the maximum either. You can vary your pressure greatly both within this range, as well as above the max.

Inflate to a pressure that will give you a decent ride with your given weight and tire size. Some good guide;ines can be found at Sheldon Brown's website

As for pumps showing pressure when the head is attached...some use a mechanical means of depressing the presta valve when the head is placed on it. These pumps will read a pressure before pumping begins. Other pumps do not do this. In order to read the pressure in the tire they must be pumped up until the pressure in the pump head and hose equals the pressure in the tire before the presta valve will "open" to allow more air into the tire. You can hear when this happens. When you've reached that point then the pressure you are reading on the gauge is "equal" to the pressure inside the tube....at least until the pressure decays due to the leaks in the pump or pump head, etc....

That is interesting. My understanding of how Presta valves works is that the "cap" doesn't have to be physically pressed down for air to enter. When the pressure in the pump exceeds the pressure in the tube, the pressure difference allows air to enter the tube. In fact, at least one of my pumps has no moving parts in the "nozzle"-area. I suppose it is possible that some pumps have a mechanism which physically presses the presta "cap" down, although I haven't encountered one.

A while back I made a chart that one could use to determine tire pressure recommendations based on an assumption of linear equations from Sheldon's site recommendations. I, as well as others I ride with, have found it useful.

FWIW

dont think the gauge is reading right, I have tried opening the valve fully then pushing the pump all the way to the cap still doesnt read pressure?, Only way I get pressure reading is if I deflate tire and start from scratch, not to bothered as the pump only takes 10 secs to pump up, just would of liked the gauge giving me acurate reading, the highest I dare pump to on the GAUGE is 75psi which to my touch is rock hard much harder than what I have been riding on, which shows that the reading is not acurate. 100 and the tire would most likely explode lol. This is a good example of do not believe everything you read .

Maybe it's pure happenstance that my own pump as well as most that I've used away from home work just that way, whereby you insert the nozzle flip the lever and you get your pressure reading.

Maybe things work differently in Wisconsin

Noob...you didn't read the post. The reason you don't read pressure when you place the pump on the tube is because you have to equalize the pressure differential between the pump and the tube. Finger tests are meaningless and do not serve to adequately serve as an indicator of the pressure inside of the tire.

You are fine. Pump away to 100, nay even 120. I dare you. *you will be fine*

Again some pumps mechanically depress the valve when the head is placed on the tube - providing an instantaneous pressure reading of the pressure in the tube. Others depend on equalizing the pressure differential between the pump and the tube before there is a reading of the actual tire pressure on the gauge (read - you have to pump it a couple of times). Both exist.

The "switch hitter" head on the specialized pumps will depress the presta valve when applied to the valve stem thus showing the pressure in the tire prior to pumping.

Bingo! As well as most of the floor pumps the LBS's have around for customers.