Unsure of where to post this but I was wondering, is it okay to pump bicycle tyres at a air pump at the servo - apparently I saw the sign that says not to pump bicycle tyres . if it is, what is the best PSI to pump it at?
Is it OK to Pump up Bicycle Tyres at a Servo?
LYRICALRAVER on 15/02/2017 - 22:20
Comments
yep do it all the time but use ur fingers to feel the pressure like a hand pump but if it doesn't work press the flat tyre button on the pump but be very careful and get ready to take off quick as not to over inflate.
I trust one of my local ones that lets you set the PSI before you start - I once tried a handheld PSI pump one and it popped the tyre straight away. My PSI range is higher than the local pump can go anyway (between 60-80) so I just pump it where it lets me (somewhere in the 60 range maybe 62?)
Just to clarify your question I assume you have a MTB or hybrid style tyre with the car-like Schraeder valve and you've arrived at a digital air pump?
The safe-man's answer is "no, you might over-inflate your tyre". The air that comes out is high-volume and high-speed, since it was designed to inflate car tyres. The auto inflation and deflation is too risky for high-pressure, low volume tyres and you probably could not set the correct pressure even if you wanted to (some machines only go up to 60).
But a lot of us with cheap-ass mountain bikes and big-ass tyres (that only need ~40-60 psi) that can't be bothered walking home do it all the time. You just squeeze down on the tyre, press "Flat tyre only" and get ready to disconnect the pump when the tyre feels stiff enough. When you've pumped your tyres enough to the correct pressure you get a feel for what's enough. You might have to do it more than once on some machines.
If you're lucky you'll encounter an old-fashioned analog pump. They're amazing!
Tip: Do not waste your money on the cheapest K-mart portable pump. They simply are not fit for purpose and wear away instantly. If ALDI sells the bike pump again you should get it - best ALDI purchase ever. It has a gauge, high-pressure or high-volume modes and it's easy enough to get to 50 psi by hand without killing yourself too much.
When I was a kid I filled up my Standish racing bike at a servo all the time. Never burst a tire even once that i can recall.
as did we, before the advent of the digital wall mounted jiggers.
you are referring to the thumb operated one with the flexible end that is attached to a hose with a hose clamp. some servo's started keeping them behind the desk because people flogged them. one of our local ones went up to 100 psi - awesome for 'racer' tyres.
Is it ok to pump but you will most likely blow up your bicycle tyres!..
yeah it works fine. Just remember they're designed for car tyres, so it pumps a lot of air in each time, even to go up a little bit.
Beware of the newer automatic inflators, they can quickly over-inflate a tyre.
Set the pressure you want, hold the locking clip on the inflater hose open and press it to your valve - with your other hand keep a check on the tyre hardness and pull off the hose as soon as it feels good.
I saw a kid do this and his tyre popped
I use the automatic ones all the time with no problems, and set to 60psi. I sometimes get an error message but just disconnect and reconnect and it sorts itself out.
I lot of misinformation in this thread! Don't pump your tyre by 'feel'.
What sort of bike are you talking about here? A road bike needs around 110 PSI; 60 is about what the servo pumps max out at. They'll get you out of a pinch, but an under-inflated tyre is the quickest way to a flat (less pressure = easier to pinch the tube between the rim and road surface when hitting bumps.)
As someone else here said, grab yourself an Aldi floor pump the next time they're up for grabs - it's what I use (I used to crack out the 12V Aldi tyre pump before that which also works well!)
Why not pump your tyres by feel? Yes, I do prefer to pump mine to the correct pressure, but in reality pumping by feel is close enough to get you home, as long as you know what it feels like at the correct pressure.
Sure, these new automatic pumps are not designed for a bicycle tyre, but it is compressed air and if used appropriately might save you a cab fare, wait for your friend/family to pick you up or a long walk.
If you only let a bit of air in at a time and do know what the tyre should feel like then it is possible to carefully inflate a flat tyre. Just don't pop the hose on and let the inflator do its thing, sure-fire recipe for a big bang, be ready to remove it quickly.
Makes me wonder how easy it would be to incorporate a 'bicycle tyre' mode on the auto pumps.
Because you can't tell the difference between 80PSI and 120PSI by feel :)
You can use the feel test to determine if your tyre needs air, but you most definitely want an accurate measure when filling.
But do you really need to be able to feel the difference between 80 and 120psi? If you are filling at a servo because your tyre is deflating and you need to make it home, you only need to be able to feel if it is inflated enough to ride on.
Besides, 120psi is too high for the vast majority of riders, so if your roadie tyre feels 'hard' then it is pumped enough to ride on. If it has some give in it, then it could do with a little more air. If it is soft, you'd better pump it up before riding.
MTB tyres are easier to pump by feel once you get the hang of it.
I ride bikes to work a few days a week, before I head off I give the tyre a squeeze and that tells me if I need the pump. IF I need the pump, I pump to my preferred pressure (90psi for skinny tyres). As I ride different bikes regularly I often leave them for long enough for the tyres to deflate a bit between rides, but I don't put the pump on every ride to check the pressure is 'right' every time. I do check the pressure with the pump guage before a long ride though.
I managed a Shell and KTAS when these Digital types I assume you are talking about came in and for next 7 yrs.
Hey it is your life, but not your world. I hate to sound over bearing but………..
The sign on someone elses property says do not use on your treadly so that should tell you do not do it, purely out of respect. This comes from the manufacturer and owner of the equipment.Yes it can and does work, it can and will inflate almost any pneumatic tubeless or tubed tyre/wheel assembly..
The issues is like almost anything else used incorrectly, they can explode your non automotive Tube/Type/Wheel assembly and kill you or someone close, apart from maiming - loss of fingers and face being the most common, property and or equipment damage.
Then you inconvenience the rest of us while the machine is out of order while we wait for your faceless body to be removed.
I could easily say I saw at least 1 in 10 bikes being walked away with destroyed tyres and or tubes from trying to use a high volume Digital Pump, where the information clearly states it is verbotten. Also, yes, in 7 years, a few bloody bodies were carted off to the medical centre too, and when these are school kids, it made us cry.
So, yes it is possible, yes it works, but unless(because we all know it will still happen) you are very switched on and very fast, no, you should not play with very high compressed air devices against the safety warning signs.
The release of the locking connection, the most always damaged due to mis-use component is also the main cause for eye injuries when it flies off at warp speed. The machine pulses on and off with spurts of very high volume and pressure air, with can over fill/over pressurize the incorrect type of tyre/tube assembly, hence they explode. Given your car tyres are eg 50 times the volume of your pushy, the math is very easy to understand.
hi everyone thanks for the 'helpful' replies but I'm still unsure and a bit confused frankly. My bicycle is a FLight Trail 2 Mountain Bike.
Have you looked closely at the side of the tyre? It should be in raised writing.
Pump it up with a hand pump first to get the right pressure, or perhaps ask a bike shop to help first time. Squeeze the tyre to see how it feels once it is set.
Are you riding on the road or trails? Road riding consider the upper end of the pressure range on the tyre, it will feel quite firm. Trail riding consider the lower range to increase grip. For trail riding it should feel a bit squishy for the best grip. With a tubed tyre (not tubeless) you can go as low as 30psi, depending on suspension and you riding weight.
By all means pump it up at the servo, but if it is an auto inflator be aware that it will inflate quickly and you may need to pull the hose off before the pump has finished, repeat if the pressure in the tyre needs more. If it is a manual one with a gauge where you need to push a lever to get the air in, just give it a second or so inflation and test the pressure. Repeat until inflated.
How about motorbikes? Safe?
Yes. Motorcycle tyres are more closely related to car tyres in construction, mounting, volume and pressures, so there is no problem inflating them using service station equipment.
It will say on the tyre wall.