How to Inflate and Maintain Stroller Air Tires

What air tires are on a stroller

Air tires, sometimes called air-filled tires or pneumatic wheels in a listing title, are wheels with an outer tire and an inner tube that holds air. You inflate them through a valve on the wheel. They show up on many jogging stroller and all-terrain stroller listings because the maker expects the wheel to be used on varied ground.

A listing tells you that a wheel is air-filled, but it does not state the pressure range, the tube size, or the valve type. Those details live in the maker's manual. The catalogue also does not say how a tire rides, only that it is air-filled rather than foam or solid. To compare air, foam, and solid tires as listing words, see tire types on stroller listings. Some listings say all-terrain or jogging in the title even when they do not name the tire type. The tire type is a feature word; if it is missing, the listing does not state it.

Checking tire pressure

Checking tire pressure is part of owning a stroller with air tires. You need a pressure gauge that fits the valve, and the maker's manual states the pressure range for the wheel. Check the tires before a long outing and after the stroller has been in storage.

To check, remove the valve cap, press the gauge onto the valve, and read the result. If the reading is below the range, add air with a pump; if it is above, let a little out. The manual is the only place to read the range, because the catalogue never states it.

An air tire that looks flat while the stroller is standing is a sign the pressure is low. A wheel that needs air every few days has a slow leak. The manual describes how to find it; most methods involve pumping the tube up and holding it in water to watch for bubbles.

Valves and the pump you need

Stroller wheels use the same two valves as bicycle wheels: Schrader and Presta. A Schrader valve is the wider, spring-loaded valve found on many car tires. A Presta valve is thinner and has a small lock nut at the top. Both work the same way: air goes in when you press the pump head over the valve.

Look at the end of the valve on the wheel to tell which type you have. Your pump needs the matching fitting, or an adapter. The manual tells you what type the stroller uses and what pump head fits it.

A listing may not name the valve type at all. Read the maker's page for the model and keep the manual with the stroller. The two types are explained in general terms in valves on stroller wheels.

Replacing an inner tube

When a wheel loses air quickly, the inner tube may have a puncture. To change it, remove the wheel from the frame, let the remaining air out, and ease one side of the tire off the rim so you can pull the tube out. Check the inside of the tire for grit or debris before you fit a new tube.

Put the new tube in with the valve lined up with the hole in the rim, then work the tire back onto the rim and inflate it to the range in the manual. Replacement tubes are sold by tube size; read the size in the manual before you buy. The same steps, written for your model, are in the maker's manual.

Follow the maker's manual for your model and check the official recall pages listed in the sources before you buy or repair.

Cleaning wheels and storing the stroller

Wheels collect sand and small stones from the ground. Wipe the rims with a damp cloth and pick grit out of the tread with your fingers or a soft brush. Keep the valve caps on when you are not using the stroller. For wheel removal and a deeper clean, see removing and cleaning wheels.

When you store a stroller with air tires between seasons, keep it in a dry place and let the wheels carry the weight as the manual advises. If the stroller is stored folded, the manual may tell you to release some air. Read the storage section of the manual before you pack it away. If you store the stroller in a shared hallway or a building storage room, keep the manual and a spare tube with the stroller.

Ordering spare parts for air tires

When you need a new tube or a valve cap, the maker's support page lists replacement parts for your model. The manual states the tube size, and the frame label carries the model name and date of manufacture. Write those down before you order.

Third-party tubes exist, but the maker's page is the place to read which size fits. Your stroller's manual is the source for the tube size; a listing never states it. Accessory compatibility, including spare tubes, is a question for the maker, not for a listing.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

What does air-filled mean on a stroller listing?

It means the wheel has an inner tube you inflate through a valve. The listing does not give a pressure number; the maker's manual does.

How do I know how much air the tire needs?

Read the pressure range in the maker's manual. The catalogue does not state it, and this article does not invent a figure.

What valve do I need for my pump?

Look at the valve on the wheel. It is either Schrader, the wider spring-loaded type, or Presta, the thinner type with a lock nut. The manual names the type.

Can I replace an inner tube myself?

Yes. Remove the wheel, release the air, pull the tube out, check the tire inside for debris, and fit a new tube of the size in the manual. The manual gives the steps for your model.

How often should I check tire pressure?

Before long outings and after the stroller has been stored. The manual may state a schedule; the listing never does.

Do I need a special pump?

The pump needs the fitting that matches your valve. Look at the valve on the wheel and read the manual for the type.