Air is important: How to pump a tire

There are a bunch of reasons to make sure your tires have enough air. Not having enough air in your tires makes your bike slower and harder to ride. Low air in your tires also increases the possibility that you will get a flat tire from sharp road debris.

Pumping up tires can be intimidating the first time, but once you know what to look for it's really easy!

Step 1- Make sure your bike is stable by leaning it against something or flipping it over. Find the tire valve, which should be sticking out of the inside of the tire's rim, and unscrew the little cap on it. Put the cap somewhere safe!

Step 2- Attach the pump to the tire. There are two different types of tire valves. Schrader valves are the big, fat valves just like on car tires. With the lever down, press the pump onto the valve. Lift up the lever, which will lock the nozzle in place, and start pumping.

The other type of valve is called a Presta valve, and is taller and skinnier than Schrader valves. With a Presta valve, first unscrew the little nut at the top of the valve, which will let air in and out. Then press the pump's nozzle onto the valve, lift the lever, and pump.

Step 3- How do you know when the tire is full? Your tires will say along the rim how much air pressure they are supposed to take. If your pump tells you the air pressure, then pump to the amount listed on the tire. If you don't have the kind of pump with a pressure gauge, then you can figure it out by squeezing the tire until it feels firm.

If you're riding in bad weather, it's advised not to inflate to the full amount, because it will give your tires more surface area.

Step 4- When you're done, push down the lever and take off the nozzle. If you have a Presta valve, screw the little nut back down. Make sure to put the screw-cap back on! (if you're like me, you'll have to search through all your pockets trying to find it).


Sometimes it's easier to see how to do it, so here's a short video on how to pump a tire from BikeRepairVideos.com.