Tires Valves - Flash FLASHV1 User Manual

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 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.

2. Tires Valves

There are primarily two kinds of bicycle tube valves: The
Schraeder Valve and the Presta Valve. The bicycle pump
you use must have the fitting appropriate to the valve
stems on your bicycle.
The Schraeder valve is like the valve on a car tire. To in-
flate a Schraeder valve tube, remove the valve cap and
clamp the pump fitting onto the end of the 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 ap-
propriate object.
The Presta valve has a narrower diameter and is only
found on bicycle tires. To inflate a Presta valve tube
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 Schraeder pump fitting,
you'll need a Presta adapter (available at your bike shop)
which screws on to the valve stem once you've freed up
the valve. The adapter fits into the Schraeder pump
45