| Bike tires, unlike car tires, lose their pressure on a | | | | my bicycle tire pressure before setting off on a ride. |
| daily basis, so its necessary to check their pressure | | | | The more so because I have had a couple of flat |
| daily and reinflate when necessary. A few days ago, | | | | tires with that bike over the five years that I've |
| I was driving happily along the highway, heading | | | | owned it. Tire pressure is important for cars, because |
| home from a run to a bookstore. A passing motorist | | | | if a tire blows while the car is traveling at high speed |
| honked at me and then pointed toward my car as if | | | | that's a heavy piece of machinery that will go out of |
| there were something wrong with it. I nodded and | | | | control. But it's just as important for bicyclists, |
| waved and slowed down, and they passed me. | | | | because since you have to use your own power to |
| However, my car was behaving as it always had... | | | | muscle along the bike, flat tires will effect your ride |
| there was no "pull" or rough riding to indicate that I | | | | from the very beginning. And if you're far away from |
| had a flat tire. So, since I was only ten minutes from | | | | home when the tire gives up the ghost, you could |
| home I just kept on driving - albeit more slowly. My | | | | find yourself with a long walk home. There's no |
| mind being what it is, as soon as I pulled into the | | | | difficulty in knowing how many pounds of pressure |
| driveway I forgot all about the reason why I had | | | | need to be put into your bike tires - the |
| been driving slowly for the last ten minutes, and just | | | | manufacturer puts those specifications on the side of |
| walked into the house. The next day, I got into the | | | | each tire. Get yourself a tire gauge and always use it |
| car and had driven out of my apartment parking lot | | | | when you inflate your tires. However, although you |
| toward the access road for the main drag, before | | | | won't want to exceed the pounds per square inch |
| remembering that there was supposedly something | | | | that they recommend, there are reasons why you'd |
| wrong with one of the tires. So I returned to the | | | | sometimes want to use less. With a tire inflated to |
| parking lot, got out, and looked at my tires. The rear | | | | the correct pressure, your ride will be as smooth as |
| left was as flat as a pancake. I couldn't have driven | | | | the quality of your frame will allow it. If your tires |
| home with it like that - it surely would have effected | | | | aren't inflated enough it increases the chance of |
| the handling of the car. So yesterday the tire must | | | | getting a flat tire, but more importantly makes it |
| simply have been low, and continued going flat over | | | | harder to pedal. Too high of pressure will strain the |
| night. My dad, who had witnessed my return, asked | | | | tire itself, not to mention making the ride too bumpy |
| me if I didn't check the tires before I got behind the | | | | to be comfortable. Bike tires lose their pressure on a |
| wheel every single time, and I confessed that I didn't. | | | | regular basis, so before starting out on your ride, |
| I've been driving for years and years and never had | | | | always squeeze both front and back tires to ensure |
| a flat tire before, so why bother? But I learned my | | | | that they are hard. Mountain bikers do like their tires |
| lesson from that little incident, and now I take a few | | | | "mushier" than other bikers, and if that applies to you |
| seconds and check the tires before leaving. And that | | | | just become familiar with what the appropriate tire |
| little story brings me to the point of this essay, which | | | | pressure for you looks and feels like. |
| is that before you get on your bike - there are | | | | Alastair Hamilton is the consultant for . You can find |
| various things you should check to make sure you'll | | | | more information and resources on mountain bike |
| have a safe ride. Indeed, in spite of my carelessness | | | | reviews at his website. |
| with my car tires, I always had and always will check | | | | |