Leonard & Peggy Brown wrote:

My question is about tire pressure. My tires say their max pressure
is at
90 pounds and that is what I kept my last bike at.

With the extra 80 ugly pounds I am hauling around now do I still
inflate the
tires that much or do I make some allowance for weight?

I wouldn't run the tires beyond rated pressure. This flea market bike
may have old tires, or early style rims that don't hold tires securely
at high pressures.

The best solution to extra weight is fatter tires. The danger is "pinch
flats" whuch happens when the tire bottoms and the rim cuts the inner
tube. Wide tires help prevent this as does a riding style that attempts
to soak up the bumps with your legs. If your rims are the old style
diameter (27"), your tire selection may be limited. Frame & brake
clearance can also limit max tire width, but often old frames are more
generous there. You could just get a bigger tire for the rear, they
don't have to match, and that's the wheel that has the heaviest load.


(as an aside... I am 6'1 and this bike is almost too big for me. I
have
never seen a bike this big, I think it was set up for 7 footer, I
have the
seat sitting on the top rail now and can at least pedal it now)

Before the 90's, large frames were in fashion. It was not uncommon to
see people on bikes where the saddle was nearly on the toptube. As a
near 7-footer myself (6'10"), I've ridden several of these old frames.
The 27"/68cm size that was so common years ago is virtually unknown in
new frames today.