The Ole Hand Squeeze Tire Pressure Gauge

[linklemming]

How do you check the accuracy of that little gauge? I just bought a new mini but no gauge. I’m looking at a separate ACCU-GAGE to check mine against.

I had the same question. Seems like accuracy might not be its strongpoint, perhaps JWs dont care (I know my SSs do)

I use this gauge, works on presta and schrader, a little pricey. Work great on car tires as well

I did check this gauge against a friends longacre pro precision 4 gauge (used in motorsports) and it read the same (with 1/2 psi)

 

[linklemming]

I had the same question. Seems like accuracy might not be its strongpoint, perhaps JWs dont care (I know my SSs do)

I use this gauge, works on presta and schrader, a little pricey. Work great on car tires as well
View attachment 87595
I did check this gauge against a friends longacre pro precision 4 gauge (used in motorsports) and it read the same (with 1/2 psi)

My 20 year old accugauge was 2psi low (not surprising). My cheapest floor pump gauge matched this digital gauge within 1 psi. My more expensive floor pump gauge was off around 5psi.

As the saying goes, a man with two watches never knows what time it is

 

[Dallant]

My 20 year old accugauge was 2psi low (not surprising). My cheapest floor pump gauge matched this digital gauge within 1 psi. My more expensive floor pump gauge was off around 5psi.

As the saying goes, a man with two watches never knows what time it is

2psi low compared to what?

 

[ruffruff]

I haven't checked actual air pressure in my tires in 10 years.

 

[Dallant]

I haven't checked actual air pressure in my tires in 10 years.

I check mine before almost every ride, FWIW.

 

[linklemming]

2psi low compared to what?

The digital gauge I referenced, which was withn 1/2psi of my friends super accurate longacre gauge (which he has calibrated yearly as he is heavily into racing)

 

[ruffruff]

I check mine before almost every ride, FWIW.

I do too, but with the hand squeeze and body weight test. I watch how much the sidewall deflects.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

How do you check the accuracy of that little gauge? I just bought a new mini but no gauge. I’m looking at a separate ACCU-GAGE to check mine against.

Just by comparing the read-out with the large pump's manometer. The MTB mini-pumps are quite accurate at the low pressure end because MTBers typically ride at low inflation, which is acceptable for tubeless wheels. It is, for instance, allowed to run a 2.6" tubeless tyre at as low as 20 psi.

For me, it is not a rocket science. You need to know the low value (as not to pinch the inner tube) and the high value (as not to blow the tube). For my Vado, and 1.75" Smart Sam tyres (tubed setup), I ride at 40 psi in rough terrain (sand, forest with tree roots) or at 60 psi when I expect a long trip on asphalt.

 

[reed scott]

Said mini-pump. The length is 25 cm (10"). The nozzle can be rotated to allow either Presta or Schrader valves. It is Topeak Mountain TT_G Twin Turbo. The design is every stroke (either way) delivers air in high volume.
View attachment 87572

Dang Stefen, is that like World War II era? Can you get me one?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Dang Stefen, is that like World War II era? Can you get me one?

Go buy it yourself, like everybody

 

[reed scott]

Go buy it yourself, like everybody

No seriously Stefan, I've never seen such a pump. Just a link, please.

 

[linklemming]

No seriously Stefan, I've never seen such a pump. Just a link, please.

https://www.topeak.com/global/en/products/216-Mini-Pumps/1144-MOUNTAIN-TT-G
https://www.jensonusa.com/Topeak-Mountain-TT_G-Pump

 

[Stefan Mikes]

No seriously Stefan, I've never seen such a pump. Just a link, please.

MTB Mini-Pump

The feature of MTB mini-pumps is their capability to deliver huge volume of air fast at the cost of lower maximum pressure than floor pumps can deliver (60 psi max here). I had a nasty puncture of my 2.6" tubeless off-road tyre out in wilderness last Summer. A bit of quartzite made so large hole the sealant could not repair it initially. I rode a mile or so back to a camping place and waited (thinking how to come out from the situation). Meanwhile, the sealant worked (I was even not aware of that). Yet I took the pump from my backpack and reinflated the tyre - many strokes were needed but re-inflation was surprisingly fast. Eventually, I could continue the trip

 

[Mike TowpathTraveler]

This here's a story about the time I did "The ole hand squeeze tire pressure guage it's good enough" test out on the road.......10 miles from Homebase. And no telly phone cause I just don't carry one. I bet you can see where this is going?

10 miles from home and I catch two quarter inch thorns that go right through my rear tire, through the Mr Tuffy Tire Liner and puncturing the tube. As this is old hat, just a simple tire patch job and I'll be one my way. Fatal Mistake Number One: No cell phone. Fatal Mistake Number 2: I left my spare, new tube at home, too. Probably next to the cell phone.....

Here's one of the two blasted devils right here. I've had back to back to back days catching thorns like this and it's usually on the Canal Towpath trail I ride on, closer to home. This time, I caught it on the shoulder of a road.

First order of business, take off any rear bags, your ebike drive display and flip the bike on it's saddle and handlebars. A spare rag is handy to protect your expensive saddle if you are in dirt or concrete. Remove tire and tube, then set about trying to find the near microscopic pin hole. Prep with a piece of sandpaper in your roadside flat repair kit.

Over the years of fatbiking and e-bike fatbiking, I've had alot of great luck with the stick-on tire patches. They hold up nicely but keep in mind if you are constantly raising and lowering your tire pressures to meet the road conditions in front of you (hard asphalt or deep sugar sand); then you might be better off with a patch and glue kit.

Note the hole through the Mr Tuffy tire liner from the little bitty thorn. So if you are running tire liners, be warned. Nothing on the market is infallible. And for the record, I caught a thorn through the Tannus Armour I installed last year........

Fatal Error Number 3: I reassembled everthing and pumped up my rear tire. But instead of carrying my 0-30 pound AccuGage tire pressure guage, (I left it home-Fatal Error Number 4); I just used the "Ole Hand Squeeze Tire Pressure Guage" to what I guestimated to be somewhere between 25 and 30 psi (max pressure on a Schwalbe Jumbo Jim tire is 30 psi. Then I set off. Early Sept sunny Sunday road temperature had to be over 100 degrees.......and with a guestimated tire pressure squeeze test rising within the tire, well, the tire let go with the sound of a 12 guage shot gun. The tire was damaged beyond repair as the kevlar bead was damaged. And so was the tube. Which was perfect, being I had no spare tube, let alone a spare tire. The good news is, I was a 4 mile walk to my niece's home with the great fortune of her husband being home. He felt pity on me and was able to transport me back to Homebase.

Aftermath of guestimating my tire pressure instead of just using my tried and true AccuGage. Never again, is the learning lesson for me. YMMV and good luck to you and you and you!!

Here is the spot where the tube exploded; destroying the tire's kevlar bead in the process. This tire could never be trusted to seal against the rim ever again.

 

[BlackHand]

Thanks for sharing! How the heck is your bike so clean after 10 miles on a trail?

 

[Mike TowpathTraveler]

Thanks for sharing! How the heck is your bike so clean after 10 miles on a trail?

BH-That run was all on asphalt shoulders of local, county roads. Anyways, in the warm wx months, I make it a point to spritz the bike down with auto detailing spray and wipe her down, gives me some good bike bonding time, looking for loose components and what have you!

 

[fooferdoggie]

This here's a story about the time I did "The ole hand squeeze tire pressure guage it's good enough" test out on the road.......10 miles from Homebase. And no telly phone cause I just don't carry one. I bet you can see where this is going?


10 miles from home and I catch two quarter inch thorns that go right through my rear tire, through the Mr Tuffy Tire Liner and puncturing the tube. As this is old hat, just a simple tire patch job and I'll be one my way. Fatal Mistake Number One: No cell phone. Fatal Mistake Number 2: I left my spare, new tube at home, too. Probably next to the cell phone.....


Here's one of the two blasted devils right here. I've had back to back to back days catching thorns like this and it's usually on the Canal Towpath trail I ride on, closer to home. This time, I caught it on the shoulder of a road.


First order of business, take off any rear bags, your ebike drive display and flip the bike on it's saddle and handlebars. A spare rag is handy to protect your expensive saddle if you are in dirt or concrete. Remove tire and tube, then set about trying to find the near microscopic pin hole. Prep with a piece of sandpaper in your roadside flat repair kit.


Over the years of fatbiking and e-bike fatbiking, I've had alot of great luck with the stick-on tire patches. They hold up nicely but keep in mind if you are constantly raising and lowering your tire pressures to meet the road conditions in front of you (hard asphalt or deep sugar sand); then you might be better off with a patch and glue kit.


Note the hole through the Mr Tuffy tire liner from the little bitty thorn. So if you are running tire liners, be warned. Nothing on the market is infallible. And for the record, I caught a thorn through the Tannus Armour I installed last year........

Fatal Error Number 3: I reassembled everthing and pumped up my rear tire. But instead of carrying my 0-30 pound AccuGage tire pressure guage, (I left it home-Fatal Error Number 4); I just used the "Ole Hand Squeeze Tire Pressure Guage" to what I guestimated to be somewhere between 25 and 30 psi (max pressure on a Schwalbe Jumbo Jim tire is 30 psi. Then I set off. Early Sept sunny Sunday road temperature had to be over 100 degrees.......and with a guestimated tire pressure squeeze test rising within the tire, well, the tire let go with the sound of a 12 guage shot gun. The tire was damaged beyond repair as the kevlar bead was damaged. And so was the tube. Which was perfect, being I had no spare tube, let alone a spare tire. The good news is, I was a 4 mile walk to my niece's home with the great fortune of her husband being home. He felt pity on me and was able to transport me back to Homebase.


Aftermath of guestimating my tire pressure instead of just using my tried and true AccuGage. Never again, is the learning lesson for me. YMMV and good luck to you and you and you!!


Here is the spot where the tube exploded; destroying the tire's kevlar bead in the process. This tire could never be trusted to seal against the rim ever again.

myself I always use a gauge to fill my tires I only use the pinch to check on the amount of air loss.
I had a tire blow off a rim twice When I had a new wheel built. it was pretty bad the nit was pumped to 70psi. the rim was defective.

 

[J.R.]

This here's a story about the time I did "The ole hand squeeze tire pressure guage it's good enough" test out on the road.......10 miles from Homebase. And no telly phone cause I just don't carry one. I bet you can see where this is going?

View attachment 87775
10 miles from home and I catch two quarter inch thorns that go right through my rear tire, through the Mr Tuffy Tire Liner and puncturing the tube. As this is old hat, just a simple tire patch job and I'll be one my way. Fatal Mistake Number One: No cell phone. Fatal Mistake Number 2: I left my spare, new tube at home, too. Probably next to the cell phone.....

View attachment 87776
Here's one of the two blasted devils right here. I've had back to back to back days catching thorns like this and it's usually on the Canal Towpath trail I ride on, closer to home. This time, I caught it on the shoulder of a road.

View attachment 87778
First order of business, take off any rear bags, your ebike drive display and flip the bike on it's saddle and handlebars. A spare rag is handy to protect your expensive saddle if you are in dirt or concrete. Remove tire and tube, then set about trying to find the near microscopic pin hole. Prep with a piece of sandpaper in your roadside flat repair kit.

View attachment 87779
Over the years of fatbiking and e-bike fatbiking, I've had alot of great luck with the stick-on tire patches. They hold up nicely but keep in mind if you are constantly raising and lowering your tire pressures to meet the road conditions in front of you (hard asphalt or deep sugar sand); then you might be better off with a patch and glue kit.

View attachment 87782
Note the hole through the Mr Tuffy tire liner from the little bitty thorn. So if you are running tire liners, be warned. Nothing on the market is infallible. And for the record, I caught a thorn through the Tannus Armour I installed last year........

Fatal Error Number 3: I reassembled everthing and pumped up my rear tire. But instead of carrying my 0-30 pound AccuGage tire pressure guage, (I left it home-Fatal Error Number 4); I just used the "Ole Hand Squeeze Tire Pressure Guage" to what I guestimated to be somewhere between 25 and 30 psi (max pressure on a Schwalbe Jumbo Jim tire is 30 psi. Then I set off. Early Sept sunny Sunday road temperature had to be over 100 degrees.......and with a guestimated tire pressure squeeze test rising within the tire, well, the tire let go with the sound of a 12 guage shot gun. The tire was damaged beyond repair as the kevlar bead was damaged. And so was the tube. Which was perfect, being I had no spare tube, let alone a spare tire. The good news is, I was a 4 mile walk to my niece's home with the great fortune of her husband being home. He felt pity on me and was able to transport me back to Homebase.

View attachment 87794
Aftermath of guestimating my tire pressure instead of just using my tried and true AccuGage. Never again, is the learning lesson for me. YMMV and good luck to you and you and you!!

View attachment 87795
Here is the spot where the tube exploded; destroying the tire's kevlar bead in the process. This tire could never be trusted to seal against the rim ever again.

Great anecdote! Thanks for taking the time to post the pics too.