TYRES AND TUBES
Bicycle tyres are available in many designs and
specifications, ranging from general purpose designs to
tyres designed to perform best under very specific
weather or terrain conditions. Your bicycle retailer can
help you select the most appropriate tyre and tube.
The size and pressure rating of a tyre is marked on the
sidewall of the tyre. The part of this information which is
most important to you is Tyre Pressure.
The best way to inflate a bicycle tyre to the correct
pressure is with a bicycle pump. Your bicycle retailer
can help you select an appropriate pump.
TAKE CARE: When using compressed air, over inflation can
burst the tube and tyre. Never inflate a tyre beyond the
maximum pressure marked on the sidewall of the tyre.
If the tyre pressure on your tyres is not in kilopascals please refer to the
conversion table on Page 43.
Tyre pressure is given either as maximum pressure or as a pressure range. How a tyre
performs under different terrain or weather conditions depends largely on tyre pressure.
Inflating the tyre 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 loose or muddy surfaces.
Riding with your tyres underinflated can cause a puncture, the tyre deforms and pinches the
inner tube between the rim and the riding surface. Cornering with underinflated tyres can
cause the tyre to roll off the rim resulting in a fall.
Ask your bicycle retailer to recommend the best tyre pressure for your kind of riding.
