HOW TO AIR UP PEDEGO ELECTRIC BIKE TIRES

Every bicycle rider should know how to put air in their tires. Airing up a Pedego Electric Bike is pretty much the same as any other bike, but there are a few differences.

Most important: Always make sure your power is turned off. You don’t want to risk accidentally twisting the throttle or activating pedal assist while working on an ebike.

HOW OFTEN?

It’s normal for tires to lose air over time, so you should check your pressure before each ride. With practice, you might learn to give your tires a quick squeeze and have a rough idea of whether or not you need air, but until then, use a tire pressure gauge. Good bike pumps have them built in. You might only need to actually add air once every few weeks, but it’s worthwhile to check more often in case you pick up a thorn or something.

WHAT PRESSURE?

Every tire should have its recommended pressure range marked on its sidewall, although sometimes it’s really hard to see. Most Pedegos come with tires that are rated for about 35 to 65 psi. For these, we recommend inflating to about 50 to 55 psi. This gives a good balance of comfort and rolling resistance. (Trail Trackers with their fat tires typically have a range of 8 to 22 psi, and we usually pump to around 18 to 20 psi.)

As a general rule, if you want more comfort, lower the pressure a bit, and if you want less rolling resistance (which can increase your range), raise it. Lighter riders could go a little lower, and heavier riders could go a little higher. For better traction in dirt, go lower, but if you go too low, you increase your chance of getting a pinch-flat or bending a rim.

SLIME

Pedego Electric Bikes come from the factory with a puncture sealant called Slime in the tube. (That’s why the valve stem covers are green.) This could save you from having to fix a flat while out on a ride, but if you’re not careful, Slime can gunk up the air valve. This can make it hard or impossible to pump air into your tire. 

To minimize the chance of this happening, whenever you add or remove air, you should rotate your tire to put the valve stem at roughly halfway between 3 o’clock and 6 o’clock or halfway between 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock (45 degrees). That way, if there’s any Slime in the stem, it can drain into the tube. This also keeps the stem from sitting in the Slime that collects at the bottom of the tube.  After removing the pump from the stem, give one last pump to blow out any Slime that might have gotten into the nozzle.

WHICH PUMP?

Get a pump that fits Schrader valves (same as on car tires). All Pedegos come with Schraders. Many bicycle pumps can switch between Schrader and the other most popular kind of bicycle tire valve which is called Presta. You might want to choose one that fits both, just in case you ever have to replace a tube with one that has a Presta valve.

We recommend high-volume floor pumps which are often identified as being appropriate for mountain bikes. A high-volume pump will make it easier to get your tire filled quickly. You should probably avoid high-pressure or hand pumps as they will just be much harder to use.

Some people like to use compressors rather than bicycle pumps. They’re less physically demanding, but they tend to be noisy. There’s a wide variety available since cars also use Schrader valves. Be sure to get one that can plug into a wall outlet, not just a car’s cigarette lighter, and make sure its maximum pressure is high enough for your bike.

IT’S EASY!

Maintaining your tire pressure is one of the easiest and most important things you can do for your Pedego. Take care of your tires, and they will take care of you!