Mobility, sport and leisure: The right way to pump up bike tyres
So, you’ve got a flat tyre. What do you do now? If you ride a bike, chances are you’ve had to answer this question more than once. And the answer isn’t as straightforward as you might think. Bike tyres use a variety of different valves, designed for different types of bike. That means there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to pumping them up. In this guide, we’ll introduce you to the different types of valves, explain what you need to bear in mind when inflating your tyres, and show you how to work out the right tyre pressure for your bike.
What types of valve do bike tyres use?
When it comes to ensuring a safe, trouble-free ride, nothing is more important than inflating your tyres properly. As we’re sure you know, that means using the right bicycle pump. However, the pump also has to fit the valve on your tyre, so before you can buy a pump, you need to work out what kind of valve your tyres have. Almost all bicycle tyres use one of three types of valve: Presta, Schrader or Dunlop.
Presta valves, also known as French valves, are the narrowest of the three types, and are designed to cope with high pressures. That’s why they have long been the valves of choice for racing bikes, and are becoming increasingly common in mountain bike and tubeless tyres, too. However, the Presta’s narrow shape makes it less robust, and it can easily be bent when pumping up tyres. In the worst-case scenario, the valve can snap off entirely. For a Presta valve, the valve hole in the rim has to be 6.5 mm across. Before you can start inflating the tyre, you need to open the valve head by gently turning it clockwise. When you buy a new tube, make sure you check the length of the valve; an increasing number of aerodynamic wheel designs have appeared on the market in recent years, and you can now buy Presta valves in different lengths to fit them.
Schrader valves, also known as auto valves, are often used for touring and everyday bikes, and they are also common in mountain bike tyres. As the name ‘auto valve’ suggests, the advantage of Schrader valves is that they are compatible with the same standard pump used for inflating car tyres. If your tyres have a Schrader valve, you can pump them up at any petrol station, so they’re perfect for tourists. Schrader valves also have a wider shape, so they’re tougher than Presta valves. Schrader valves fit into an 8.5-mm opening in the rim. All you have to do to inflate your tyres is to insert the head of the pump into the valve.
Dunlop valves, sometimes known as Woods valves, are generally used for everyday bikes, commuter bikes, city bikes and fitness bikes. They also have a wide base, so there’s no danger of damaging the valve while inflating your tyres. This is the only major advantage Dunlop valves have over the other types. Dunlop valves need the same size hole as Schrader values – 8.5 millimetres. You can start inflating the tyre immediately without opening the valve cap; you only need the cap to let air out of your tyres.
What pumps and adapters do you need for the valves?
A flat tyre is always a pain, but it doesn’t have to put you off riding. Here’s how to find the right pump to fix the problem! There’s one thing we should get sorted out straight away: you can forget about using the old plastic pump in your cellar. Apart from anything else, you can only use it for bike tyres. Most modern compressed-air pumps, on the other hand, can be used for all three valve types. They are designed with a single head and two holes; a slightly larger one for Schrader valves, and a slightly smaller one for Prestas and Dunlops.
A lot of smaller manual pumps are sold with a range of adapters included. Just attach the right adapter to the pump, and you’re ready to get some air into your tyres. Since the adapters are small parts, and can easily get lost in bags or pockets, we recommend you check the adapter on your pump fits your tyres before you set off and carry the pump with you, rather than the full set of adapters.
The EasyPump battery-powered compressed-air pump from Bosch is a practical and easy-to-use alternative to a manual pump. It’s simple to use, easy to carry with you, and can inflate to any pressure up to 10.3 bar/150 PSI. Even better, all the adapters are stored safely in the handle, so they’ll always be there when you need them. The set includes the two adapters for the three different bicycle tyre valves, as well an attachment for balls and a special high-volume adapter for beach-balls and swim rings. It’s perfect for taking your bike to the seaside!
The right pressure
Getting your tyre pressures right is important for all sorts of reasons. First of all, it keeps you safe when you’re out on your bike. It also extends the life of your tyres; riding for long distances on under-inflated tyres wears them out faster. As a general rule, we recommend you use a high pressure for touring on level ground and smooth tarmac. The bumpier the road surface, the lower your tyre pressures should be. Reducing the pressure helps to increase the tyre’s contact patch and makes it less likely that running over stones or tree roots will unsettle the bike.
To give you some examples, the tyres on a mountain bike running off-road should be inflated to about 2.5 bar. If you’re riding a city or commuter bike, inflating the tyres to between three and four bar will give you a safe and comfortable ride. And if you’re looking to extract every ounce of speed out of a racing bike, you should pump up the pressure to at least eight bar to give yourself that decisive edge.
You should check your tyre pressures regularly and top them up as needed. As a guide, the tube in a bike tyre usually loses about 1 bar in pressure every month. To be clear, that doesn’t mean you have a puncture: it’s an inherent feature of the materials used to make your tyres. It’s also worth mentioning that the higher your pressures are to being with, the faster they will drop. That’s why you should check tyres on a racing bike more often than you would check a mountain bike, for instance.
Are you one of those people who checks their tyre pressures using thumb and forefinger? We don’t recommend this method because it’s not very reliable. You can hardly feel the difference between three and four bar, for instance. Ideally, you should measure the exact pressure in your tyres, and inflate them accordingly. Some pumps come with a built-in pressure gauge to help you. The EasyPump makes adjusting your pressures particularly easy, because it shows you exactly how much pressure is in your tyres and allows you to pump them up to a set pressure. Its automatic stop feature means you’ll always end up with exactly the pressure you want, so your bike will ride beautifully on every trip.
The battery-powered, compressed-air pump is simple to set up thanks to its clearly marked buttons, and the large display means taking readings is easy, too. It will show you your target pressure, current pressure, the pressure unit you have selected and the battery’s state of charge. Of course, you can also use the pump without setting a target pressure; just use the manual start/stop function instead. The LED light helps you to see your valve in the dark, so connecting the pump is a piece of cake, even in the dead of night!
Always make sure your tyres are inflated to the right pressure!
The recommended pressure range for your tyres will be printed on the sidewall of the tyre. If you’re carrying heavy luggage, the weight will bring down your tyre pressures, so remember to top up before you set off.
What else can you inflate with an EasyPump?
But what if you need to pump up a football, or the tyres on a wheelbarrow, cart or pram? Bosch has you covered! The EasyPump is great for bike tyres, but it’s just as good at pumping up car, motorbike, pram and cart tyres, as well as balls of all shapes and sizes, from footballs to rugby balls and everything in between. And best of all, you won’t need to worry about running out of puff.