New bike tires need air....?

Question

My fiance and I just bought new bicycles. We have inflated the tires until they are rock hard but the pressure gauge says they are about 15 psi short. When we try to put more air in with the hand pump nothing happens. No more air goes in. LIke it got to a certain point and stopped. Is the hand pump faulty or the pressure gauge? When we get on our bikes the tires look low (We aren't over weight) What do we do?

Answer 1

Your pump may be worn out and unable to create enough pressure, or the gauge is not accurate.  

Take apart the pump and lube the seal inside the barrel.  The grease allows for a better seal and prevents blow-by.

Answer 2

if the tires look low then the gauge is probably right, you need some more air.  if the pump was working before and seems not to be now (you must not be doing it wrong!) then maybe just keep trying to get more air in--ignore the gauge.  The way I inflate my tires is until they are very hard and don't look (too) low when I get on--no gauges involved!  hope this helps a bit...maybe take it to a shop if you really have a problem with it...

Answer 3

If I were you I would go back to where you got the bikes and get a lesson on how to properly use your pump and what is the ideal tire pressure for you (depending on tires, surface and rider).  This is not a knock on you, but I always believe in learning how to do something from someone who knows more than you (at the moment).  The bike shop should be more than happy to help you.  If you bought your bikes from a department store, do not go back there for help!  Get to a bike shop and they will tell you the error of your ways.