Operation Manual

p. 24
Tire pressure is given either as maximum pressure or as a pressure range. How a tire performs under different
terrain or weather conditions depends largely on tire pressure. Inflating the tire to near its maximum
recommended pressure gives the lowest rolling resistance; but also produces the harshest ride. High
  pressuresworkbestonsmooth,drypavement.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 sufficiently to pinch the inner tube between the rim and the riding surface.
CAUTION: Pencil type automotive tire gauges can be inaccurate and should not be relied upon for
consistent, accurate pressure readings. Instead, use a high quality dial gauge.
Ask your dealer to recommend the best tire pressure for the kind of riding you will most often do, and have
the dealer inflate your tires to that pressure. Then, check inflation as described in Section 1.C so you’ll know
how correctly inflated tires should look and feel when you don’t have access to a gauge. Some tires may need
to be brought up to pressure every week or two, so it is important to check your tire pressures before every ride.
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. Tire Valves
  Thereareprimarilytwokindsofbicycletirevalves:TheSchraderValveandthePrestaValve.Thebicyclepump
you use must have the fitting appropriate to the valve stems on your bicycle.
The Schrader valve (fig. 18a) is like the valve on a car tire. To inflate a Schrader valve tire, remove
the valve cap and clamp the pump fitting onto the end of the valve stem.
The Presta valve (fig. 18b) has a narrower diameter and is only found on bicycle tires. To inflate a
Presta valve tire using a Presta headed bicycle pump, remove the valve cap; unscrew
(counterclockwise) the valve stem lock nut; and push down on the valve stem to free it up.
Then push the pump head on to the valve head, and inflate. To inflate a Presta valve with a
Schrader pump fitting, you’ll need a Presta adapter. (available at your bike shop)
WARNING: We highly recommend that you carry a spare inner tube when you ride your bike, unless
the bike is fitted with tubeless tires.
Patching a tube is an emergency repair. If you do not apply the patch correctly or apply several
patches, the tube can fail, resulting in possible tube failure, which could cause you to loose control
and fall. Replace a patched tube as soon as possible.