so much obsessing over psi.
from a practical standpoint most tire/rim combos will tolerate a huge range of pressure, well beyond the variance of the cheapest gauge.
imho most 'big bangs' are the result of improperly installed tubes.
make sure that tube isn't trapped under the tire bead at any spot!
;-)
I agree that most blow-outs are caused by improper installation of tubes... and while I don't "obsess" over PSI, I do like to run higher pressure. You're right that most rims and tires will operate under a very wide range, but when you weigh 250lbs (I'm down to 241lbs as of Monday!), if you're on the low side, you'll pinch-flat, AKA "snakebite", if you hit any potholes or other irregularities (roots and such, squirrels... whatever bumps i n the road you encounter...) I like to be within maybe 5psi of the recommended max, and if I'm going to play it that close, well, I'm going to wanna play it safe.
Beyond that, I have a tendency to experiment on stuff, such as how different rubber performs under different conditions, with the most obvious variables being terrain and pressure. What's the point of buying a 26x2.3" tire that can take 80psi, if I'm not going to pump it up to 81 before going all hooligan all over the neighborhood? It's not exactly obsessing, it's just a fun aspect of owning, riding, and maintaining a bicycle.
Depends on a lot of variables but the main one is what is the PSI recommendations on the side wall of your tires. Some rims have PSI recommendations as well like some of the Worksman wheels.
Excellent point, and that's why I tend to stay away from the Worksman steel wheels, and similar steel wheels in general. I think Worksman says nothing over 50psi? Might even be 45psi. And yes, under my incredibly high-tech scientific garage conditions, i did find that the hook will lose the bead in the upper 50's (psi) with a cheap Kenda cruiser tire. I tend to run alloy MTB rims (usually Sun products) b/c PSI simply isn't a factor there.
i alway pump up my new tube before instaliing it to check for deffects &t hen deflat it till it's slightly round before in stalling in to tire !
This is excellent advice; inspect the tube for problems beforehand, and it doesn't hurt to take a very close look at the tire, too. In my more naive days, I took a wheel in to the shop to be trued, but the wheel was pretty close to perfect and the tire had an incurable wobble in it.... The wrench on-duty was very cool to point that out, rather than take my money needlessly. Since then, I've found lots of cheap tires with similar defects, plus I've found that quality tires can form bulges and wobbles if they're stored improperly....
