The Ole Hand Squeeze Tire Pressure Gauge

[reed scott]

I confess to almost never using an actual pressure gauge on any bike tire since I gave up road bikes 30 years ago. I pump up my MTB tires until with both thumbs I can just make about a 1/4 inch dent in my tire with my fingers grasping the rim. ( I have pretty strong clod buster type hands. ) Maybe a bit less than 1/4 inch. I guess if I had a floor pump with an attached guage ( I need to get one ) I'd use it. Am I weird? Am I failing at proper tire inflation? Maybe I'm opening myself up to get a pinch flat one day.

 

[alphacarina]

The big question is . . . . do you use a ruler??

Don

 

[reed scott]

The big question is . . . . do you use a ruler??

Don

Ruler?! We don't need no stinking ruler! I'm a carpenter bro. Fractions of an inch are indelibly carved into our brains.

 

[soyabean]

This is fine for runing that Schwinn cruiser on Sundays around the home block, but that would be actually downright hazardous for an ebike where ECE-R75 expects a lab tested pressure in the tire.

But as long as you are riding those hand squeezed tires and no one else, don't let anyone stop you...

 

[Dallant]

I can testify that a floor pump with a gauge is great to have. That said, how accurate any gauge can be is open to discussion. I have done the squeeze test for years just to see if I need to add air. Then I always use the floor pump to get it right.

 

[indianajo]

I do that. About every 8th week or so I have to add 3 to 4 pumps of air. I've found that depressing the core of shraeder valves makes them leak about a fourth of the time, so I don't use a gauge on them.

 

[J.R.]

When I was younger I didn't stress about perfect tire pressure. When I started doing cross country touring on a motorcycle, where MPG and costly tire wear were real factors, I got real anal retentive about pressure and it just carried over to biking. Now regularly doing 50+ mile rides on the ebike I want the best watt hour per mile I can get. I don't know if it's a huge factor though because a regular riding buddy doesn't stress about it at all

 

[retiredNH]

A good way to get snakebite punctures. Good pumps with gauges aren't that expensive, especially compared to ebike prices.

 

[soyabean]

I got real anal retentive about pressure and it just carried over to biking. Now regularly doing 50+ mile rides on the ebike I want the best watt hour per mile I can get. I don't know if it's a huge factor

Yup, and keep it up.

It's your expensive ebike.

It's your ECE-R75 tire.

It's your health and safety.

Folks are still driving cars with 4 mismatched tires...

 

[fooferdoggie]

the thing is you cant just pinch and know. you have to do some training. every time you check or fill your tire just pinch it and get the feel of it. after awhile you will know when it is getting a little low and it is pretty much instant so you can check fast and often. I ride 4 times a day any other method would just get put aside as a big hassle. Hell if your worried use both methods. but the pinch is a hundred times faster then any other method. and if you check often you learn how the tube leaks over time. I always use a gauge when filling the tire.

 

[linklemming]

The big question is . . . . do you use a ruler??

Don

Digital calibers work best

I use my fingers just to make sure I dont crash when I take my first turn, That being said, they seem to be pretty well calibrated.

I also have a digital psi gauge and a gauges on my bike pumps(one is spot on and one (the more expensive) is 5psi high)

 

[theemartymac]

I have found that my fat tire tubes still hold air very well (<2 psi loss per month), so I "pinch test" before each ride to identify an acute problem, and throw the pump on for a good gauge check and minor top up every week or 2. Usually when I lube the chain. I find it's more about maintaining the right blend of efficiency and comfort more than safety on the Ebike, as the fat tires have much more margin for error than I need. That would likely change on very narrow road tires where rim damage or pinch flats might be more likely.

Now my motorcycle is more critical to me and I like my sweeping corners, so I check almost daily when I ride, certainly at least once a week or after it's been parked a while. I'll often even adjust +/- mid-ride when on a long mixed surface play days. Rim damage and traction-related safety are a real thing on a heavy ADV moto.

Don't sweat the small stuff until your 'system' starts to prove you wrong.

 

[PedalUma]

I do both. For me it is about the resonance. Try pumping a tire to the proper pressure some time and then tapping it with a finger. When it is right, it has that sound. As long as it has that sound you know it is right.
As for valve air loss I will put a dot of silicone gel into the valve along with the first pump.
It is funny to watch people walk into a bike shop and start pinching tires of $12,000 bikes and $400 bikes. What are they trying to determine?

 

[BlackHand]

This is fine for runing that Schwinn cruiser on Sundays around the home block, but that would be actually downright hazardous for an ebike where ECE-R75 expects a lab tested pressure in the tire.

But as long as you are riding those hand squeezed tires and no one else, don't let anyone stop you...

I don't know, maybe it's different for folks who keep their tires at the lower end of the recommended range or don't ride all the time.

I keep my Moto-x's near the top of their pressure range and the bike handles pretty differently if the tires get down anywhere close to the minimum.

I'll be putting new tires and tubes on soon. Then it will be a whole different story until my butt and fingers get calibrated to the new setup.

 

[BigNerd]

I just bought a floor pump with a gauge from Walmart for only $15... why worry about getting the right squeeze when "technology" exists?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I'm not only using a floor pump equipped with the pressure gauge. I also carry an MTB mini-pump with the gauge in my backpack. Priceless when you need to deflate tyres for rough terrain (on the ride) and them re-inflate them for pavement riding.

 

[fooferdoggie]

I just bought a floor pump with a gauge from Walmart for only $15... why worry about getting the right squeeze when "technology" exists?

well that 15 pump from walmart may be less accurate then your hand.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

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.

 

[antboy]

I confess to almost never using an actual pressure gauge on any bike tire since I gave up road bikes 30 years ago. I pump up my MTB tires until with both thumbs I can just make about a 1/4 inch dent in my tire with my fingers grasping the rim. ( I have pretty strong clod buster type hands. ) Maybe a bit less than 1/4 inch. I guess if I had a floor pump with an attached guage ( I need to get one ) I'd use it. Am I weird? Am I failing at proper tire inflation? Maybe I'm opening myself up to get a pinch flat one day.

I'm usually a little more picky with a gauge when I get a new tire, then I stop worrying about it.

Once I get used to a tire, and what PSI I like in it, the ol' pinch test works for me. If I pinch 'em before a ride and they feel borderline, I'll check with the gauge. I know my current tires well enough that I'll probably top them off every 7th or 8th ride usually about 250km give or take.

 

[Dallant]

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

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.