The new and the old.
Lezyne offers a digital pump gauge retrofit that I couldn’t resist. For $35 US one can pry out the old and thread in the new. The primary benefit for me was reading a digital scale rather than a needle on a gauge, way down there. Yes, I’m old. The new gauge reads out in single digits. The old needle gauge reads out depending on one’s eyesight and ability to see where the needle stops relative to the 2 psi marks. Houston, we have improvement.
The new Lezyne gauge also goes to 300 psi (20.6 bar)! FFS, who cares? This is a bike pump, who needs the 150 psi to 300 psi pressure? The Park and Silca both go up to 220 psi (15.2 bar) which is still 100 psi more than even track racers use. I dare a pump manufacturer to make a road pump that goes from 50 psi to 150 psi. Frank could use it as it still goes up to 150 psi and everyone else might have much more accuracy from the dial. I kid Frank.
The Lezyne digital gauge also claims a maximum 3% error which I assume means plus or minus 1.5 psi at 100 psi. Everything and I mean everything has an error associated with it and I appreciate knowing this error. Nothing is absolute, not even death. I’m not dead yet. The real question is what happens when one hooks all three of these pumps to one manifold. The Silca and the Lezyne were only off by 2 psi but I would not have been surprised to to see them off by 10. The Park and Leyzne were spot on which is reassuring because the Park gauge looks to be a very professional piece of work. Anything is accurate until one has two or more of them for comparison.
Yes, I know this last paragraph will be ignored and I should move it to the top. Should you care more about tire inflation? Yes, you should. Since not one person clicked on this link in my post about chains (yes I’m watching all of you, Google analytics knows everything), the take home message was this: Aero wheels do make a real difference in speed and tire pressure is the biggest (only?) influence on perceived “vertical compliance”/ride stiffness/road feel/comfort. With 25mm tires, one can experiment with lower pressure and not flirt too much with pinch flats. It’s just air; a very cheap way to dial in your ride.
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I roll 110 psi on my 25mm Conti 4 seasons, have an old school gauge on my Topeak pump.
Does anyone else have to bleed the tube a bit before pumping? Otherwise the gauge red lines and air is caught between pump and stem?
@rfreese888
Yup I always give the valve a nudge to free the seat before connecting a pump.
@Teocalli
Well, you are now, aren't you? So what's your take on that?
@KogaLover
On rider weight? Well if we assume that the tyre pressure relates to optimising the contact area and deflection of the tyre then a heavier rider would ride with a higher pressure than a lighter rider. So the logical extension of that is that tyre manufacturers should produce a recommended weight/pressure chart similar to what you have with suspension set up on a mountain bike.
Does it really make much difference? I tend to go for the poke test, and pump them up to 110-120psi if I'm racing.
@Teocalli
Jan Heine did that already: Tire drop/pressure graph
@KogaLover
if that's what they mean, they should say it. 3% error at 100psi is 3psi whichever way you look at it; whether it's plus, minus or a bit either side needs to be clear (not that it matters TBH; I wouldn't mind betting latex tubs will lose that over a race) - just throw some random numbers at it and hope no-one asks!
@rfreese888
Sure, I usually tap the stem first and it allows the floor pump (Park Tool) to give an accurate reading.
@Oli
Interesting, thanks for that. Glad to find it just about spots it for the pressures I ride.
@unversio
Me too. Always a quick push on the valve before the pump chuck goes on. I roll at about 90 psi on Michelin Pro 4 Endurances.