What would anyone recommend ? Probably needs to have a hose for best access but it's accuracy that I'm looking for
Digital, something like this Longacre Standard Digital Tyre Pressure Gauge - 2 Inch - Demon Tweeks Aneroid ones are prone to breaking if dropped and go out of calibration real quickly. Or if you want to be really flash Sparco Digital Tyre Pressure Gauge - Demon Tweeks
Perfect, thanks. I was wondering about analogue or digital but it looks like digital is the way to go
After buying and losing a million cheapo digital ones, I've now got a mechanical pen type one which shoots the stick out. I got given it with a goody bag at the performance bike mag trackday. Ironically it's as good as anything I've used, doesn't have any connection difficulties and probably only cost a quid!
Seriously, it's fine for most things. I only carried it as a backup check to start with and would check with more accurate gauges when I got home but it's never been inaccurate. Garage forecourt gauges are way less accurate anyhow, and often are completely out to the point of being dangerous. If I'm at a track with gear then I do take something more accurate but I just dont find it necessary to use. I certainly dont think there's any need to spend hundreds on those fancy devices unless you are racing and taking tyre temperature readings after every run which most people are not. Only my opinion but it's getting a bit carried away if you are spending hundreds on a pressure gauge. That £35 one is what I have in the garage.
I still use one of those old metal pen style ones with the telescopic bit. Maybe its time to upgrade. lol.
Get a compressor and then buy a decent (certified) tyre inflator connection for the hose. I have one that appears (just checked against another digital Oxford gauge admittedly - maybe £20), to still be accurate and has lasted years as it's akin to the garage forecourt setups so handles the knocks OK. No good checking the tyres if you can't inflate them easily and who pisses about with foot pumps having any sort of fun. The compressor makes drying the bike easier as well and as you build up air tools, it is worth the investment.
metal telescopic type pen for me too. did check it's accuracy a few years back and seemed fine. didn't they used to be supplied in the old kawasaki or suzuki tool kits??? just can't remember where i got it from. ian
I use a draper one. you may laugh but it's quality. as accurate as my mates snap on one which cost a stupid amount. lets you fine tune the pressure with the little bleed valve too. Draper Tyre Pressure Gauge c/w Hose & Air Release 69924 | eBay
been using my right boot for years, never a problem a bit off info for you. tyre machines on forecourts, ones you pay for have to be calibrated, free ones don't. put an extra .4bar in if tyre warm.
As Royalwithcream says the mechanical metal pen type ones I found to be super accurate and don't rely on batteries. Been through 2 digital ones(Michelin and something else) and found they're fiddly being an inline design whereas the mechanical pen type is at almost 90 degrees. Magazines that did tyre gauge tests a few years ago also found the mechanical pen type to be very accurate too.
i recently attended a talk by a Bridgestone MotoGP person, he said they only use the old fashioned pen type. Cheapo digital is good enough for me.
another vote for the draper, simple and bullit proof mines 3 years old and seen a lot of banging about and when it was tested in a calibrated feed recently it was still spot on for accuracy and longevity after being dropped a few time sWhich? rated the big Michelin Programmable Digital Tyre Pressure Gauge but its bloody useless for some bikes without side facing valve stems and even then the nose is so large you can't get it into many wheels Which? also highly rated the Ring pressure gauges too i think
