Good digital tire guage to dial in pressure on MTB?

[jh_on_the_cape]

Hey I tried to search but "guage" is used often in other contexts.
Note this is for off road cycling.

For years (decades?) I have been over-inflating my tires, then letting out air and doing the hand squeeze test, or sit on bike and see how much tires squish.

Then if it's still a little hard, let a little more out... repeat.

I think it's time I step up to a widget that lets me overinflate, then set a PSI (or bar, see what I did there "set the bar") pop it on the valve and let it do its digital magic. Or at least press a button a few times and watch the number go down.

I started looking online and went down an internet rabbit hole and need to go back to my work at home duties and thought I would ask here.

This will save me money so I stop researching carbon wheelsets! (27.5 non boost XD driver if you're holding).

[HenryA]

A pump with a gage lets you pump the tires to the desired pressure. Since bike tires lose a bit of air over time you just need a few strokes to get back to the desired inflation.

If you have been searching for a guage instead of a gauge or gage, that might be the problem.

[Jaybee]

Not digital, but I use a Meiser dial gauge with a 0-30psi range. And another with 0-15psi for fat bike use. The dial is very easy to read and there is a bleed valve on the gauge itself, easy to dial in your preferred pressure.

[crownjewelwl]

https://www.topeak.com/global/en/products/gauges/351-smartgauge-d2

this is what i use and what my shop uses

i had the problem of underinflating my tires because the gauge on my lezyne pump was faulty...kept burping my tires...then i got this and all good

[jh_on_the_cape]

That's the one I was eyeing.

https://www.topeak.com/global/en/products/gauges/351-smartgauge-d2

this is what i use and what my shop uses

i had the problem of underinflating my tires because the gauge on my lezyne pump was faulty...kept burping my tires...then i got this and all good

[mudhead]

+1 for the Topeak. I've had SKS's option which seems to get similar reviews but prefer the Topeak.

[thermalattorney]

Another +1 for the Topeak. It works great and is perfect for MTB use.

[jh_on_the_cape]

That's funny because if you search for guage in this forum you get plenty of matches!

A pump with a gage lets you pump the tires to the desired pressure. Since bike tires lose a bit of air over time you just need a few strokes to get back to the desired inflation.

If you have been searching for a guage instead of a gauge or gage, that might be the problem.

[Seamus]

+1 for the Topeak. Mine has held up well/no issues.

[bikinchris]

SKS makes a highly accurate digital air pressure gauge.

[Llewellyn]

Another + however many for the Topeak.

[m_sasso]

Thought about it briefly until I watched this review, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlLrdKw7HpQ , content with my pumps.

[Clancy]

SKS makes a highly accurate digital air pressure gauge.

3 out of 5 times when using the SKS I bungle it and end up losing air and having to repeat, over and over. I usually give up and just rely on the pump gage.

Anyone have the same problem with the SKS? Topeak not as fussy?

[HenryA]

That's funny because if you search for guage in this forum you get plenty of matches!

Sutims I have truble wit speling two, bud I dunt let it stup me.
:)

[KVN]

Another +1 for the Topeak guage. Works great on mtb and fat bikes.

The Meiser guage is also really accurate, but extremely fragile.

[mktng]

If you're not dead set on digital.
I picked up an accu-gage. It's been great.

Look it up.

[HenryA]

If you're not dead set on digital.
I picked up an accu-gage. It's been great.

Look it up.

I have an accu-gage as a check for my pump gages. Not digital but it’ll never need a battery either.

[Jaybee]

Another +1 for the Topeak guage. Works great on mtb and fat bikes.

The Meiser guage is also really accurate, but extremely fragile.

That's true. I'm on my second fat bike gauge - definitely make sure you won't be exceeding the upper limit of the range. I got lazy, grabbed the 0-15 gauge to measure a 29x3 tire I thought was probably around 12.5-14, turns out it was 17 and the gauge was blown.

[notsew]

3 out of 5 times when using the SKS I bungle it and end up losing air and having to repeat, over and over. I usually give up and just rely on the pump gage.

Anyone have the same problem with the SKS? Topeak not as fussy?

I have the SKS. Same problem. It's unusable from my perspective.

[bikinchris]

3 out of 5 times when using the SKS I bungle it and end up losing air and having to repeat, over and over. I usually give up and just rely on the pump gage.

Anyone have the same problem with the SKS? Topeak not as fussy?

Never. Not once have I had any trouble at all. Unfortunately, I have had two SKS gauges stolen from me when wrenching at big events. So I need another one.

[scopes]

I've used this for a few years now, no issues at all.

https://www.schwalbetires.com/accessories/helpful_tools/airmax_pro

[hmai18]

I have both the Topeak and the Schwalbe and prefer the latter.

The Topeak only displays PSI in whole number increments, which may or may not matter to you.

[MikeD]

I've got a Joeblow Mountain pump with an accurate gage. I've also got an external Topeak digital gage but it hardly gets used.

[hobbanero]

I have an accugauge and also like my Shimano Pro Digital Pressure Checker. Pumps have crap gauges that can be accurate or not, usually not. 5% error is considered okay for a typical pump gauge.

[MikeD]

I have both the Topeak and the Schwalbe and prefer the latter.



The Topeak only displays PSI in whole number increments, which may or may not matter to you.


My Topeak digital gage (not the latest version) reads to 0.5 psi.

[hmai18]

My Topeak digital gage (not the latest version) reads to 0.5 psi.

Odd. I bought mine when I started racing CX and that was only 4 years ago and it's definitely whole unit increments only.

[MikeD]

Odd. I bought mine when I started racing CX and that was only 4 years ago and it's definitely whole unit increments only.


Mine looks like this https://www.rei.com/product/628275/topeak-smarthead-tire-gauge

Probably 10 or more years old.