Instructions / Assembly

Tires and Tubes
porous nature of bicycle inner tubes, it is normal for your bike tires to lose pressure over time. For this reason it is critically
1. Your bicycle has been equipped with tires which the bike’s manufacturer felt were the best balance of performance and value for the
use for which the bike was intended. The tire size and pressure rating are marked on the sidewall of the tire. CAUTION: Pencil type
automotive tire gauges and gas station air hose pressure settings can be inaccurate and should not be relied upon for consistent, accurate
pressure readings. Instead, use a high quality dial gauge.
WARNING: NEVER INFLATE A TIRE BEYOND THE MAXIMUM PRESSURE MARKED ON THE TIRE’S
SIDEWALL. EXCEEDING THE RECOMMENDED MAXIMUM PRESSURE MAY BLOW THE TIRE OFF THE RIM,
WHICH COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE BIKE AND INJURY TO THE RIDER AND OTHERS. THE BEST WAY TO
INFLATE A BICYCLE TIRE TO THE CORRECT PRESSURE IS WITH A BICYCLE PUMP. NEVER USE A SERVICE
STATION AIR HOSE TO INFLATE A BICYCLE TIRE. IT IS DESIGNED FOR LARGER TIRES AND IT CAN EXCEED
THE RECOMMENDED MAXIMUM PRESSURE AND IT MAY BLOW THE TIRE OFF THE RIM.
Tire pressure is given either as maximum pressure or as a pressure range. How a tire performs under different terrain or weather conditions
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
Some special high-performance tires have unidirectional treads: their tread pattern is designed to work better in one direction than
in the other. The sidewall marking of a unidirectional tire will have an arrow showing the correct rotation direction. If your bike has
unidirectional tires, be sure that they are mounted to rotate in the correct direction.
2. The tire valve allows air to enter the tire’s inner tube under pressure, but doesn’t let it back out unless you want it to. There are primarily
two kinds of bicycle tube valves: The Schraeder Valve and the Presta Valve. The bicycle pump
The Schraeder is like
the valve on a car tire, this is the type of valve stem you should have on your bike.
valve stem. To let air out of a Schraeder valve, depress the pin in the end of the valve stem with the
end of a key or other appropriate object.
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