Do you trust your tire pressure gauge?

[Freelancer]

A friend and I were going over our bikes today and this topic came up.

I brought out my airhose that has an integral pressure gauge. Was topping off my tires(they felt a little low when stopped) but they didn't show to need but a pound or two.

Offered the line to my friend and he goes an gets two gauges. Perplexed I asked him why. He replied that he always uses two gauges and that the last time he used my line that my gauge was reading higher than actual pressure. He then went on to explain that tire pressure guages lose callibration pretty quickly so he buys a new one every year and always uses two gauges when checking tire pressure (one older and the new one).

I asked him to check my tires and between 3 different gauges there were 3 different readings.
What he usually does when this happens is to split the difference
He then goes out, buys a new properly calibrated gauge and keeps eeps whichever of the older gauges that most closely matches the new one.

Figured I would pass this along to any who are as I was. Trusting in just one gauge.

Comments/advise on best tire gauges welcome.

Thanks,
Freelancer

[Chaos]

yeah, pressure gauges are notoriously inaccurate.  Cheap ones are cheap and expensive ones are delicate.  I use both a dial and pencil type and look for consistency.  Never trust the service station built in gauge except to keep from riding on the rims :eek:

[BobZ(IL)]

I use several different gauges depending on which one is convenient and which fits between spokes. None of them read the same, but none are off more than a pound or two. I don't obsess over this.

[argent brick]

I use several different gauges depending on which one is convenient and which fits between spokes. None of them read the same, but none are off more than a pound or two. I don't obsess over this.

I would have to agree with BobZ. One or two pounds PSI is not a big deal. I saw a write up on air gauges a while back. You know, Digital vs Analog, Which one is best?  Conclusion of the writer was that, after all the test, digital was a little better, but not by much. He felt that the important thing was to keep the tires aired and maintained properly, and to USE THE SAME GAUGE EVERY TIME. 

[Freelancer]

Thanks for the responses, guys.

I want to make a little clarification here. The difference between the gauges was around 10 psi.

 The one that read lowest seemed to work fine( No sticking or leak and had smooth progession of readings as pressure was added). I was quite suprised by the difference and the faulty gauge. Past experiences had me believing that I could easily tell when a gauge was going bad. It took the steering feeling heavy and my friend showing me the differece before realizing that there was a problem with this guage.

Just an fyi here:
I run Pirelli Ange ST's front and rear with the bike carrying 2 people. The Angels are similar to the Metzlers in that they handle and wear best when pumped up to the near max listed pressure of 42-ish psi. My gauge was indicating 42 psi but the other gauges showed that the tires were only at 33-ish psi.
When the tires were finally aired up to an accurate 42 psi my old gauge read 55 psi.

Hope my experience here can help someone avoid having dangerously inaccurate tire pressures.

Later,
Freelancer

[frankenduck]

The pencil ones are crap.  I have a few digital ones that I trust that are usually about within 1/2 psi of each other.

My rear tire pressure this morning was 12.5 psi! :yow