In this article I will share my thoughts about the Topeak Shuttle Gauge Digital that I use in combination with the SKS Germany Rennkompressor floor pump and a Tire Pressure Calculator. Getting your tire pressure right is extremely important, and something I certainly got wrong for a long time (to much pressure in my road race tires).
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key features Topeak Shuttle Gauge Digital
On the product page of the Topeak Shuttle Gauge Digital you can read the following brief description:
Easy-to-read digital gauge can be attached to a pump or used alone and provides accurate pressure readings up to 300 psi / 20.7 bar. Rotating head works with Presta, Schrader or Dunlop valves on bike / motorcycle / car tires, forks or shocks while the Thumb Lock lever ensures an airtight seal. The air release button allows fine tuning pressure.
It is a compact easy to use digital gauge, while there is also an analogue version of shuttle gauge available with product number TSUTG-02. You could potentially attach it to a pump to directly see the tire pressure on the digital display of the Topeak Shuttle Gauge. The digital display is large and easy to read, while the display part can be rotated which makes it easy to use.
Personally I use the SKS RennKompressor Floor Pump which is my floor pump for more than 25 years and put 1 bar or so more into the tires. After that I use the simple 3 step process with the Topeak Shuttle Gauge too release air to the required tire pressure. In preparation you should have used a tire pressure calculator to understand what the optimum tire pressure is for you.
Key advantage for me is the CR2032 battery that is the standard battery for my preferred heart rate monitors Garmin HRM PRO Plus Heart Rate Monitor and 4iiii Viiiiva Heart Rate Monitor and ANT+ to BT Bridge but also for the power meters on road, mountain and gravel bike: 4iiii Precision 3 Power meter Deore XT M8100. So one battery type does it all and easy to pack when on a short bike trip.
Using the Topeak Shuttle Digital Gauge
Everyone can use a pressure gauge, especially the Topeak Shuttle Digital Gauge, but you need to do some preparation in using a tire pressure calculator. Most of the times I use the Silca or Vittoria Tire Pressure Calculator (and recently started to have a look at the Wolf Tooth Tire Pressure Calculator).
Step 0 – Tire Pressure Calculators
- SILCA Professional Tire Pressure Calculator
- Bicycle Tire Pressure Calculator | Vittoria
- Bike Tire Pressure Calculator – Wolf Tooth Components
After you have figured out the required tire pressure of front and rear wheel given the steps to follow are really easy.
- Pump the with your SKS RennKompressor Floor Pump to the required tire pressure plus 1 extra bar.
- Put the Topeak Shuttle Digital Gauge over the valve of your inner tube for example RideNow TPU Inner Tubes for Road and MTB
- Rotate the thumb-lock lever, which closes off the Shuttle Gauge “valve”
- Release air from the inner tube with the small release button (on the backside of the digital display), to the required tire pressure that you have figured out in the tire pressure calculator.
This drill of checking the tire pressure is almost like zero-offsetting your power meter before you start to ride. Every respectable floor pump brand has an analogue pressure gauge installed on the pump. So in all fairness I personally don’t see much value in the use case to attach the Topeak Shuttle Gauge Digital to a pump. If you want to learn more about this use-case than please checkout the user manual.
Concluding thoughts and wrap-up
The price point of the Topeak Shuttle Gauge Digital with product number TSUTG-03 is around the € 48,00 which is not very cheap. There are two decision criteria that were important to me. Product quality that can be expected from a brand like Topeak and the CR2032 battery that powers this digital version. The compact size makes it easy to put in your toolbox (even if it is just for a short trip).
It is a perfect companion to the SKS RennKompressor Floor Pump, that is a must-have in every garage.
- Would you invest in a Digital Gauge, to finetune the tire pressure ?
- If you own a Digital Gauge please let me know in the comments which brand and model ?
- Do you use other Topeak products ?
Here is another Topeak product review: Topeak Nano TorqBit for TorqBar. Are you interested in other product reviews, than check out the categories below.
