PROPAIN tyee 2020 - Tires and Tubes

// MANUAL
G. TIRES AND TUBES
WARNING: Some bicycles intended for competition are tted with tires which are
glued on to specially made rims. These are called “sew-up” or “tubular” tires. Properly
mounting these tires requires specialized knowledge and skills. Ask PROPAIN or your dealer
to teach you how to mount tubulars before you attempt it on your own. An incorrectly
installed tubular tire can come off the rim, causing you to lose control and fall.
1. Tires
Bicycle tires are available in many designs and specications, ranging from general-purpose
designs to tires designed to perform best under very specic weather or terrain conditions. If,
once you’ve gained experience with your new bike, you feel that a different tire might better
suit your riding needs, PROPAIN or your dealer
can help you select the most appropriate
design. The size, pressure rating, and on
some high-performance tires the specic
recommended use, are marked on the sidewall
of the tire (see g. 17). The part of this infor-
mation which is most important to you is Tire
Pressure. But some wheel rim manufacturers
also specify maximum tire pressure with a
label on the rim.
WARNING: Never inate a tire beyond the maximum pressure marked on the tire’s
sidewall or the wheel rim. If the maximum pressure rating for the wheel rim is lower than
the maximum pressure shown on the tire, always use the lower rating. Exceeding the
recommended maximum pressure may blow the tire off the rim or damage the wheel rim,
which could cause damage to the bike and injury to the rider and bystanders.
Bar PSI Kilopascals
Tire pressure Mountain Bikes 2.5 – 4.5 35 – 65 241 – 448
The best and safest way to inate a bicycle tire to the correct pressure is with a bicycle pump
which has a built-in pressure gauge.
WARNING: There is a safety risk in using gas station air hoses or other air compres-
sors. They are not made for bicycle tires. They move a large volume of air very rapidly, and
will raise the pressure in your tire very rapidly, which could cause the tube to explode.
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. Inating 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 suciently to pinch the inner tube between
the rim and the riding surface.