So spring is almost upon us up north - the weather has been pretty good and I have seen a few bikes out. I just got my bike ready so that if its warm enough I can take it out riding in the next few days.

The only issue is when I was going over my bike I noticed the front tire was really low (not on the rim but low enough that the pressure did not pick up on my crappy tire guage). Is this something I should be concerned about? I imagine its normal to lose at least some pressure over a long winter of below freezing temps......I just pumped her up to normal pressure but should I be riding this thing tomorrow?

The only reason I ask is that I dont remember this ever happening before and I have had this bike for coming on 5 seasons.

 

Mine loses at least 5 psi of pressure during winter storage. If it was practically flat then you might look for something in the tread.

 

Its normal.

 

Make sure to look at the valve stem for cracking and rotting. Put some soapy water on it and wiggle it around. You will see a leak if it has one. Look the tire over carefully. Get it wet and look for bubbles. If all still looks good, fill it and keep a very close eye on it.

 

The valve, inside the stem, can go bad over time, or leak slightly.
During the riding season, when you regularly check pressure (you do, right?),
you won't notice. Sitting through storage allows it to go lower than you
would normally allow.

+1 to all of the previous input, just adding one more layer to the cake.

Ern

 

I rode it yesterday and checked it before and after riding (when tire cooled down). It seemed good. I will keep a closer eye on my pressure then I usually do for the next few weeks, and soap down the tire good on my next wash as suggested.

thanks for the input (i didnt even think about the valve stem)