Tyre gauges

[shambolic]

Can anyone recommend an analogue tyre pressure gauge with an angled end for ease of attachment to the valves that is acceptably accurate please? Thanks. Perhaps the tyre gurus could suggest what percentage accuracy is acceptable....where can one test their gauges for accuracy?

[sprintster]

I wouldn't get too anal about testing gauge accuracy if I were you.I would have thought any gauge bought from a respectable shop(not the 99p shop!) would be reasonably accurate.Anyone who tells you they can feel the difference in 2psi is a bullshitter....imho! :whistle:
I would have though the old style pencil gauge would do the job for getting into awkward places.That's what I'm using but I've no idea how accurate it is....I got it free from Bike magazine. (thumbs)

[redbikejohn]

Stay away from digital ones - extra crap. Been through quite a few, most lack or corrode. I also use the free one from bike mag!

[Dutchgit]

I squeeze them by hand and think: "Yeah that'll do"

[felco]

Hi, I use a digital one from halfords, 4yrs old and its still accurate with my other two, which are analogue !!
edited for folks who can only read 2 lines in sentence

[Ruiz]

+1 for Halford's digital one. Not a huge expierience with it, but so far cheap, small, light and easy to use. It lives in the tool bag and still working... it has never been hammered too much or been wet, though.

[sprintster]

Hi, I use a digital one from halfords, 4yrs old and its still accurate with my other two, which are analogue, I prefer the halfords one as its only key fob size and can fit in tight places, I have tried the pen type ones but seem very inaccurate, if your doing big miles then correct pressure is a must, not just for handling but also for tyre life, feeling the tyre is a little pointless as carcasses are all different, obviously off road use isent as important but its good to no your not risking a puncture due to uninflated tyres.its important.

It's important to know your not running on a flat tyre but I don't know how important it is to know you've got exactly 36psi or whatever in a tyre.As that's the cold tyre pressure it's got nothing to do with what the pressure is when your actually riding.Ambient air temperature,how fast your riding,how hard you corner and brake,for how long you ride are all going to affect the tyre pressure when your riding.

[lancashirelad]

I bought a digital footpump from Halfords & its a great piece of kit:)

[-Ralph-]

It doesn't really matter whether a pocket sized gauge is accurate or not, only whether its consistent. Recommended pressures don't mean much on a bike, unlike a car where you can load 5 passengers and luggage, and one 16 stone bloke climbing onboard makes little difference, on a bike a 16 stone rider vs a 12 stone rider makes a big difference. On a bike suspension is adjustable too. Different tyres have different sidewall stiffness. All this makes a difference on a bike.

So forget what it says in the book, and find a pressure that suits you, your bike, your tyres and your riding style, measure what that pressure is with your gauge, and stick to it. Whether your gauge says that's 36 psi or 38psi really doesn't matter, so long as you inflate to the same every time.

[sprintster]

+1 for Halford's digital one. Not a huge expierience with it, but so far cheap, small, light and easy to use. It lives in the tool bag and still working... it has never been hammered too much or been wet, though.

I also used to use one of these.Tested by Ride magazine to be accurate to within 0.5% but when my eyesight gave up and I couldn't read it without glasses anymore I gave up with it!
Now,so long as tyres are within 1 or 2 psi I'm happy and I still get 6/7k miles from a rear tyre.