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Tire pressure is given either as maximum pressure or as a pressure range. How a tire performs under different terrain or weather
conditions depends largely on tire pressure. Inflating the tire to near its maximum recommended pressure gives the lowest rolling
resistance; but also produces the harshest ride. High pressures work best on smooth, dry pavement. Very low pressures, at the
bottom of the recommended pressure range, give the best performance on smooth, slick terrain such as hard-packed clay, and
on deep, loose surfaces such as deep, dry sand. Tire pressure that is too low for your weight and the riding conditions can cause
a puncture of the tube by allowing the tire to deform sufficiently to pinch the inner tube between the rim and the riding surface.
CAUTION:
Pencil type automotive tire gauges can be inaccurate and should not be relied upon for
consistent, accurate pressure readings. Instead, use a high quality dial gauge.
Ask your dealer to recommend the best tire pressure for the kind of riding you will most often do, and have the dealer inflate
your tires to that pressure. Then, visually check inflation by sitting on the saddle with your weight and noticing your tires
response. You should also squeeze tires and
feel resistance so you‘ll know how correctly inflated tires should look and feel.
Some tires may need to be brought up to pressure every week or two. Other high-performance tires may also have
unidirectional treads, similar to the factory tires on your Stride 500: their tread pattern is designed to work better in one direction
than in the other. The sidewall marking of a unidirectional tire will have an arrow showing the correct rotation direction. When
replacing your tires with tires that are unidirectional, be sure that they are mounted to rotate in the correct direction.
There are primarily two kinds of bicycle tube valves: The Schrader Valve and the Presta Valve. The bicycle pump you use
must have the fitting appropriate to the valve stems on your bicycle. The Stride 500 uses Schrader valves. The Schrader
valve is like the valve on a car tire. To inflate a Schrader valve tube, remove the valve cap and clamp the pump fitting onto
the end of the valve stem. To let air out of a Schrader valve, depress the pin in the end of the valve stem with the end of a
key or other appropriate object. The Presta valve has a narrower diameter and is only found on bicycle tires. To inflate a
Presta valve tube using a Presta headed bicycle pump, remove the valve cap; unscrew (counterclockwise) the valve stem
lock nut; and push down on the valve stem to free it up. Then push the pump head on to the valve head, and inflate. To
inflate a Presta valve with a Schrader
pump fitting, you‘ll need a Presta adapter (available at your bike shop) which screws
on to the valve stem once you‘ve freed up the valve. The adapter fits into the Schrader pump fitting. Close the valve after
inflation. To let air out of a Presta valve, open up the valve stem lock nut and depress the valve stem.
WARNING:
Patching a tube is an emergency repair. If you do not apply the patch correctly, the tube can
possibly fail, which could cause you to lose control and fall. Replace a patched tube as soon as possible.
To remove a tire or tube, follow these instructions (you will need tire levers or a similar tool to hold open the bead of the tire):
Let all the air out from the tube of the wheel having the replacement.
Remove the wheel as described in detail in the previous sections.
Remove the inner tubes air valve cover.
Pull back the tire bead away from the rim. You will see the tube and the inside of the tire. If it requires too high
pressure to pull back the tire bead, there may be still air in the tube. Check to confirm all the air is out of the tube.
Using 2 tire levers or similar tools, insert one lever end in between the tire bead and the rim but make sure
the lever is on top of the tube and you are not pinching the tube.
Slide the second lever about 4-6 inches to the side of the first lever. Be sure not to pinch the tube and to
confirm you have the lever on top of the tube and not under the tube. Slide the lever down the side of the
wheel between the tire bead and rim edge while lifting the tire bead and sidewall over the rim edge.
If removing only the tube, you can now pull the tube outside the side of the tire wall. If replacing the tube,
you can now install the new tube.
If removing the tire, use the tire levers and repeat the previous steps and remove the opposite side of the
tire‘s sidewall bead on the same side of the rim you removed the first tire bead. The tire may easily come off
the rim if you pull the tire bead over the edge of the rim and the tire levers may not have to be used.
To install a new tire, follow these instructions:
When installing a new tire you should first insert the tube into the tire. The tube should have been partially
inflated to a soft but full feel removing any wrinkles in the tube.
Check the mounting side of the rim and confirm the directional path of the tire. High performance tires are
usually directional tires and the arrow on the sidewall represents the rotation of the tire.
Place the valve of the tube into the valve hole of the rim and slide the bead of the tire over the edge of the rim.
Push the one side wall and bead of the tire around the edge of the wheel‘s rim. The tire will slide into place
and may become tight as you finish.
Once one side of the tire is inserted in the rim, check to make sure the valve stem lines up properly and the
tube is smooth across the rim and inside of tire. The tube should not be bunched up in any area.
Where the tube valve is, slide the second wall and bead of the tire into the edge of time rim. Follow pushing
the tire wall and bead into the inside edge of the rim.
You will get to an area of only a few inches left and you will need to apply pressure to push the tire side wall
and bead behind the edge of the rim.
Once the tire is fully inserted, check for any areas on both sides if the tube is exposed. The tube must not
get trapped between the tire bead and rim edge.
Locate the tube valve and use your hand to push on the tire on the outside of the valve to help push the
valve further out through the rim.
Fill the tube with 50% air and then check the tire bead and rim edge again to see if the tube is protruding
anywhere. Once you confirm the tube is not protruding, you can fill the tire to your desired air pressure.
You are now ready to install the wheel back onto the bicycle according to the previous sections.