• Proper inflation for a road bike (narrow tires) is usually 90-120 psi; check the rating on the tire sidewall

• Proper inflation for a mountain bike (wide tires) is usually 40-70 psi (lower for off road, higher for road use); check the rating on the side wall

• Under-inflation lets the rim touch bumps, rocks and holes and may cause a puncture

• When inflating, the valve stem must be perpendicular to the rim; if it is not, try deflating the tire and massaging the tube inside to move it to the correct position. This will avoid a rip at the stem. Tears by the valve stem cannot be repaired.

• Hold the pump firmly and at a right angle to the valve stem; pump with full strokes

• Disconnect the pump by lifting straight off the valve - do not twist the valve stem as this can damage the valve and cause a tear

Presta & Schraeder

• Inner tubes will have either a Presta or Schraeder valve

• The Schraeder valve has a larger diameter than the Presta and is comparable to a car tire valve. The pin inside must be depressed to release or pump air. These can be inflated at a gas station pump; to deflate you can press the pin in with your finger.

• The Presta valve is narrow and often used on road bikes. You must unscrew the top to open the valve and screw it in to close. The end must be depressed to release air or to pump air in.

• Many pumps come with an adapter so that it can be used for both valve types, or you can buy a separate adapter; adapters that screw on to the valve are also available

Presta valve

Shraeder valve

• Disaster prevention
• Tire inflation & valve types
• Tools and equipment
• Obvious tears
• Removing the wheel
• Removing the tire & tube
• Inspecting the tire & tube
• Patching the tube
• Reinstalling the tube
• Reinstalling the wheel
• Temporary boot repair
• Causes of punctures