Sharpshin

A question from a touring noob......

I have always used a floor pump at home and all our bikes had Schraeder valves (I even had a couple of presta rims drilled out over the years). Pretty much tires could go a week, losing maybe 10-15 pounds of pressure before being topped off again at the beginning of the next week.

Pretty much same thing is true of my present 700x32 Presta valve set up. I'll inflate 'em to around 105psi on the gauge, and a week later they'll be around 90psi. The work of just a few moment to top them off.

On my upcoming tour attempt I'm bringing a Lenzine pump that looks like a miniature floor pump, it has a pressure gauge in the rubber hose. While it works, it does get hot enough in use I that worry about its durability.

I also have a handful of those screw-on Schraeder/presta valve adaptors.

What is the feasibility of topping off the tires periodically at a regular gas station/convenience store air pump using the valve adaptors on those presta valves?

Thanks,
Mike

sstorkel

FWIW, I carry one of those adapters but have never used it. Air pressure gauges on gas station air pumps are notoriously inaccurate (worse than most mini pumps, IMO) and some of them deliver air much too quickly to be used safely with a bicycle tire (even a higher-volume touring tire). I usually play it safe and top off my tires using my Topeak Road Morph pump.

The Lezyne products I've seen and used have all been well made, so I wouldn't worry about relying on a Lezyne pump on tour. If the pump does start to go bad, any bike shop you encounter will likely have pumps available for purchase.

mtnbud

One thing I've learned by experience, but I should have already known: The smaller the diameter of the pump, the easier it is to pump a tire to high pressure. It does take more time though.

mdilthey

I keep an eye visually on my tires. If they start to deform under weight more than usual, I top them off. I wish I had a better system, but I don't have a gauge.

I will be watching this thread closely, as I'm sure many others will be.

robert schlatte

I just press on the tires with my fingers. If they are fairly hard, they're okay. If they start to feel a little soft, I add air.

Null66

Long time ago, before I carried water, let alone a pump... I received a rather vivid black eye by using a garage hose at a western auto.
Air went in real quick, over pressured the tire. It blew as I was letting air out. Ears rang all day too.
They had a new tube at the western auto, so at least I didn't have to walk...

hueyhoolihan

i wouldn't tour with a pump i thought would fail. it's that simple.

Doug64

I don't have a gauge on my frame pump. I use the squeeze test on the sidewalls as part of my daily pre-start ritual, adding air as needed. While not as accurate as a gauge, this method gets me pretty close. However, you have to have a good idea how the sidewalls feel when the tire is properly inflated. On long tours I'll usually stop at bike shops occasionally to check the pressure and adjust using their floor pumps.

Thulsadoom

I am yet another member of the thumb-checker club. I can usually tell, pretty close, to how much pressure is in the tire by pressing on it with my thumb.

I actually carry a little digital guage but I almost never use it because I end up losing 5-10 pounds of air trying to get it to read.

tarwheel 

I would highly advise you against filling up bike tires at a service station pump. They fill up tires so quickly that they can easily explode. How do I know this? Personal experience from my younger days. Like Null66, my ears were ringing for a long time.

I've got a Topeak Road Morph that I use for bike tours. It has a gauge that is fairly accurate and can fill up a tire in a reasonable amount of time.

indyfabz

+1.

MassiveD

The lezine pumps look better than the road morph, but get worse reviews (last time I looked). The road morphs do a good job, and I have had mine about 10 years. I only use it on the road though, mostly to save me the work, but also to save it some wear.

I had one bad day when I had to repump my tire 5 times as a result of punctures and a subsequent torn casing. That was a day I greatly appreciated my road morph. Road Morph (or similar), quick stick, and PSA patches, pretty much eliminate the hardship of punctures. Along with skewer wheels (I use the Allen key ones), and Kevlar tires (allow me to use very light tires that roll really well). It is also important to have parts that fit easily together. Some tires are very difficult to get off a rim, so don't use those.

Here is the quick stick:

Fastest Bicycle Tire Change - Instruction - Quik Stik Makes It Happen - YouTube

Machka 

Many of those gas station/convenience store air pumps are regulated now so that you'll only get 50 psi or something fairly low out of them. Might be OK if you're running mtn bike tires, but they'll deflate a road bicycle tire.

Just get a decent frame pump and use the squeeze test.

fietsbob

brought a Plastic Zefal dial P/V tire gage .. though fitting thorn resistant tubes , (622-40)

they let me know with a rolling resistance increase,, when I needed to top them up.. to 6 Bar

I Used a long, Frame fit Pump ..

spinnaker

First off if you max tire pressure is 105 there is no need to inflate to 105. 90psi seems about right for a 32C, you might even get by with less. My 32C tires rarely need air. When I am on tour I top off at a Warmshowers host or at a bike shop. If none is available then I use my Topeak Road Morph.

mdilthey

I was advised by a bike mechanic I met on tour in Colorado last november that you should always max out tire pressure according to manufacturer's spec, in order to avoid rolling a tire over the rim in a sharp braking situation.

ChooseTheWrench

The best is the Topeak Road Morph tire pump. It is a frame pump that has a tire gauge and a fold out toe hold. It also has an extending hose. This is the best option and only runs $40-45. There is also a mountain biking model. I have used this many times while touring and it is the best frame pump I have used. It is especially impressive in the 80-120psi range.

Bezalel

I wouldn't worry about melting anything on the Lyzene. I treat frame pumps more as emergency gear, I can get enough pressure to ride for days but to get to optimal pressure I look through campgrounds and try to make a guess about who might have a floor pump to lend me. I always carry a Presta adapter because I don't think most people understand that their pumps can be easily and safely converted between Presta and Schrader.

Dc5e

You should check if your pump is serviceable. I have a Topeak Road morph G and found out that you can replace the o-ring and clean/lubricate the inside pretty easily. The o-ring is the thing you'd probably need to replace if a pump is damaged from heat (assuming the one-way valve doesn't get damaged).

Machka 

No, not necessary. It's not good if the tire is rated at 100 psi and you've only got 30 psi in there, but if you're running 90 psi, you're OK.

Thulsadoom

I have a Topeak Road Morph pump and I've been perfectly happy with it for many years. But I can say with surety that the guage becomes junk after a few years. Mine started sticking and jumping forward 10 pounds at a time years ago and then the sight glass became cloudy and you can barely see through it at all. But I have no complaints about the pump itself. I did have to replace the o-ring once.

imi

Another Topeak Road Morph with gauge fan here.
Gator Hardshells pumped to 8 bar (116 psi) give me the hard, fast feel I prefer on asphalt. In New Zealand chipseal I went down to 7 bar (102 psi)

I top up every morning on tour

ekibayno

Yes, the Lezyne Micro Floor Drive HP is the pump I take touring. I tried a Turbo Morph but it broke first tour - rubbish. Also I don't like mounting pumps on the frame - the Lezyne is more compact and easier to pack in my rack bag. Use it a couple of times a week.

The Lezyne comes in two versions. You should make sure you have the high pressure (HP) and not the high volume (HV) version of the pump. Also, you don't need any more than 80psi in 32mm tyres, even with a touring load. That's all I use even on unsealed roads, and I'm definitely a clydesdale.

Sharpshin

Thanks fopr the tip. No markings at all on the pump to indicate which version. The pressure scale goes up to 120psi but that prob'ly doesn't indicate anything.

Mike

pdlamb

I replaced a Topeak Road Morph when the gauge became unreadable, after maybe 7-8 years. Before that it was still a bit of a hassle, requiring me to kneel down, take off my bifocals, and squint at the gauge.

The replacement unit was also a Topeak Road Morph. Yes, it's that good.

We ran across a father and son pulling trailers who carried an honest-to-gosh floor pump. Their racing bikes with thin tires needed to be pumped up daily, while our fatter tired (700Cx32) bikes needed it only 2-3 times a week. Bike tourists are nice people - they let us borrow their wonderful pump that morning.