which bike pump?

smithers1981
smithers1981 Posts: 824 Forumite
Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
in Public transport & cycling
I've noticed the tyres in bike shops are rock hard, i have a foot pump single barrel car one, and i can never get my tyres to that rock hard pressure, not sure if my technique or pump, i do always lose some air when i disconnect pump as well.

Can someone recommend a decent pump for at home, and also a lighter one to take out and about with my bike.

All bikes in household have shrader valves, i have bought several cheap hand pumps but they were really poor.

thanks
«1

Comments

  • vacheron
    vacheron Posts: 1,603 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Photogenic
    edited 2 May 2017 at 10:53AM
    A car pump is designed to deliver lots of volume but at a low pressure, especially the double barrel versions.

    For our bikes, I use a Topeak Jow Blow Max II track pump which is current available online for about £20. £50-60 will get you some great pumps, but for basic home use the Topeak has done us fine and is a far better experience than your basic "supermarket" pumps.

    It has enough volume to do our mountain bikes quickly and easily and I find it easy to get 110psi+ for our road bikes, however I weigh over 100KG so may be able to comfortably apply more force than some.

    Good pressure gauge, lots of control and presta and schrader valves without breaking the bank.

    PS, the hiss you hear disconnecting is the air in the pump tube escaping, not from the tire. When you reconnect the pump the air in the tire re-pressurises the pump tube, resulting in the small pressure reduction each time you connect / disconnect.
    • The rich buy assets.
    • The poor only have expenses.
    • The middle class buy liabilities they think are assets.
    Robert T. Kiyosaki
  • Keep_pedalling
    Keep_pedalling Posts: 16,591 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper Photogenic
    For home get yourself a track pump.

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/topeak-joe-blow-max-ii-track-pump/rp-prod4949?gs=1&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Chain%20Reaction-UK-PLA-PLA-All-TB-SE-Shopping%20QLB%20Generic%20Tablet&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mkwid%7CsqWUYRCue_dt%7Cpcrid%7C161824956629%7Cpkw%7C%7Cpmt%7C%7Cprd%7C17722UK.

    On the road I use one of these.

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/lezyne-micro-floor-drive-hp-mini-pump/rp-prod36289

    I actually have 2 of these the high pressure (HP) version which I use for my CF road bike, and the High volume (HV) version for my touring bike which has fatter tires.

    Trying to pump up bigger tyres with a HP pump will take a lot of time and effort, and you will struggle to get sufficient pressure in skinny tyres with a HV pump, so their is no single one pump fits all needs as far as modern compact pumps are concerned.
  • Johnmcl7
    Johnmcl7 Posts: 2,816 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    I'd echo the recommendation for a track pump, the flexible hose makes it easier to get a good seal on the valve and no problems getting tyres up to high pressure. I've got a £20 Bontrager track pump so nothing fancy but does the job fine, the gauge isn't very accurate at low pressure but I don't find any of them are.

    John
  • esuhl
    esuhl Posts: 9,409 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    I just bought a Bike Hut (Halfords own brand, I think) track pump. It's £22 in the shops, but £15 online (so you can order online and collect in the shop!).

    The head automatically adjusts to both Schraeder and Presta valves. It works really well.

    http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-maintenance/bike-pumps/bikehut-performance-track-bike-pump-with-gauge

    My friend had a branded track pump which was double the price. But it doesn't pump as much air with each stroke, and has two fiddly screw-on valve attachments for Presta/Schraeder. :-/
  • Lord_Baltimore
    Lord_Baltimore Posts: 1,348 Forumite
    edited 18 May 2017 at 3:39PM
    smithers1981 wrote: »
    I've noticed the tyres in bike shops are rock hard, i have a foot pump single barrel car one, and i can never get my tyres to that rock hard pressure, not sure if my technique or pump, i do always lose some air when i disconnect pump as well.
    I reckon most of us will have been through the car foot pump thing. I know I used to knacker myself before every ride trying to get a decent pressure using a car pump and it was never really any good. I bought a Joe Blow and the difference is phenomenal; I actually look forward to using it and it only takes a few strokes to get rock hard (sounds a bit filthy that :p) tyres.

    A proper bike pump is a godsend and I cringe at all the years when I made do with a car pump. Twenty quid or so is a steal for this 'must have' bit of kit.
    Mornië utulië
  • parking_question_chap
    parking_question_chap Posts: 2,694 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    As this is money saving expert, I will just say that about a year ago I purchased the second cheapest pump I found in my local bike shop. I have tried to find it on google images and very close match is the Lowerider 08 black.

    I paid £9 and it works perfectly fine, gets me more than enough psi.

    Dont really see the need to spend any more than that for moving some air from point A to point B.
  • Lord_Baltimore
    Lord_Baltimore Posts: 1,348 Forumite
    parking_question_chap wrote: »
    Dont really see the need to spend any more than that for moving some air from point A to point B.
    And did you apply that principle to the bike you ride from point A to point B ;)?
    Mornië utulië
  • parking_question_chap
    parking_question_chap Posts: 2,694 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Lord_Baltimore wrote: »
    And did you apply that principle to the bike you ride from point A to point B ;)?

    No, why would I?

    That needs to move me, many miles over varied terrain.

    Rather than a few air molecules a matter of inches.

    What a bizarre question to ask. Very strange :mad:
  • Lord_Baltimore
    Lord_Baltimore Posts: 1,348 Forumite
    parking_question_chap wrote: »
    No, why would I?

    That needs to move me, many miles over varied terrain.

    Rather than a few air molecules a matter of inches.

    What a bizarre question to ask. Very strange :mad:
    Keep yer hair on, it was a simple question that your defensive reaction answers. I was just exploring the thinking behind the 'money-saving idea' that cheap is not a false economy.

    If you find a simple query 'bizarre', daily life must be a struggle :o
    Mornië utulië
  • parking_question_chap
    parking_question_chap Posts: 2,694 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Lord_Baltimore wrote: »
    Keep yer hair on, it was a simple question that your defensive reaction answers. I was just exploring the thinking behind the 'money-saving idea' that cheap is not a false economy.

    If you find a simple query 'bizarre', daily life must be a struggle :o

    I wish this website had a block user feature.

    ;)
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.1K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.9K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173K Life & Family
  • 247.8K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards