Best and cheapest cycling performance upgrade: Correct tyre pressure

Watching someone roll by with visibly deflated tyres makes us wince. A car will guzzle more fuel and a bicycle will need more grunt. Oh, and it makes a pinch puncture more likely.

Luckily, maintaining correct tyre pressure is a cheap, quick and easy task. Especially if you have the right tool for the job. A track pump makes the task a doddle.

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We're fans of the Topeak JoeBlow. With a steel barrel and connectors for Presta, Schrader and Dunlop valves, this robust floor pump can inflate tyres to well over 100psi.

We like that spares are readily available as we've found that with long-term use the head eventually stops sealing properly. However, it's a minor gripe.

We've used the Topeak JoeBlow at events, as well as the pump for our office bikes, for many years.

What's the correct pressure for my bicycle tyres?

There's no shame in being puzzled by bicycle tyre pressures. After all, the correct pressure will depend on the type of bike you ride. For example, the narrow tyres of a road bike require 80 - 130 psi (pounds per square inch); mountain bike tyres being used off-road, 25 to 35 psi; and hybrid tyres 40-70 psi.

Track pumps also make a good general-purpose household tool as they're perfect for inflating footballs, not to mention being powerful enough to top-up car tyres. And if you get your bike out of the shed to discover it's suffered a slow puncture, they help make repairs a breeze.

New to fixing flats? Our three-minute guide shows you how to mend a punctured bicycle tyre without breaking a sweat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRqbDamDLT0

Win a JoeBlow track pump

If you'd like to be in with a chance of winning a Topeak JoeBlow track pump, simply leave us a message below and we'll pick a name next week.

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The ethical choice

The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.

The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK's most ethical provider.