bike maintenance - pumps

Pump it up.

Here’s a little secret.

You don’t need much pressure if you are off-road. If it’s soft you just enough to keep the tyre off the rim, maybe 25lbs/inch.

Most tubes for 2.00” tyres in Australia, certainly the thornproofs, have car, (Schraeder), valves. But avoid the temptation to use the road house air compressors. The gauges are often wildly inaccurate and it’s worth spending the small amount to buy your own pressure gauge.

A decent pump is a good investment when you are grimly pumping away after fixing your occasional puncture. It’s then when you appreciate one that works well.

Get one that has a dual setting to get high pressures without encouraging a coronary. You’ll appreciate it when you finally make it to the end of the dirt and hit the seal where doubling the pressure makes a lot of sense.