Bike Pumps

[pbsmick]

Hey guys,

I just got delivered a Giant Mini Pump 1+ and for some reason the bracket it comes with is off centre??

I tried mounting it on the frame under my seat but it sticks out on the side. I didn't try and go for a ride but I'm sure my leg will rub it.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/au/control-mini-1plus

Can't think of why they would make a bracket like that??

The pump seems to work ok but my tires say they'll hold between 55-75 (I think) psi and I can only get the pump to go to 40 when the tire seems hard enough and it starts getting hard to pump more air.

Thoughts?

[find_bruce]

Usually brackets are designed to go under the bottle cage

[Nobiker]

Old topic but still valid and the following are my solutions:

Before leaving home always check tyres' pressure.
Carry some CO2 tyre inflators.
Depending on where you are biking, you could pop in a shop.
In public parks sometimes there are free DIY bike service stations, check Google Maps.
At home, I found it stupid spending $50-150 for a silly floor pump so I bought a mini 220V electric pump from Supercheap Auto (no stock right now) for $50 (was on sale).
Another option, you can go to any petrol station.

[P!N20]

1. Before leaving home always check tyres' pressure.
2. Carry some CO2 tyre inflators.
3. Depending on where you are biking, you could pop in a shop.
4. In public parks sometimes there are free DIY bike service stations, check Google Maps.
5. At home, I found it stupid spending $50-150 for a silly floor pump so I bought a mini 220V electric pump from Supercheap Auto (no stock right now) for $50 (was on sale).
6. Another option, you can go to any petrol station.

1. I usually only check if I'm going for a ride, but each to their own. (boom-tish)
2. Or a mini pump
3. I went into Myer, but just came out with some nice ladies shoes. (boom-tish)
4. Usually on bike paths too.
5. Floor pumps aren't silly.
6. A lot of the modern pumps at service station don't do anywhere near road bike tyre pressures, plus they don't work on presta valves. Yes, you can use an adaptor if you remembered to pack it.

[brumby33]

Floor pumps are far from Silly I bought myself a decent floor pump a couple of years ago from a good bike shop but it's more than just a bike pump, the guage is pretty accurate judging by another hand pressure meter, I always use it on my car especially before trips, I get more an accurate reading from this than a service station or even the battery operated mini- compressor and that thing i gotta hold down all the time anyway and pumping the tyres using my floor pump is generally quicker....oh and i get a free workout

brumby33

[DavidS]

Not crazy about CO2, lots of waste involved with cannisters and who know how much energy goes into making them. Can't stand the mini pumps, they are a pain.

But, I have this:



A portable floor pump, now that's far from silly. I have a large floor pump at home and they are great, wouldn't be without it.

They also come in a very elegant colour scheme:



DS

[P!N20]

A portable floor pump, now that's far from silly.

Does it fit in your jersey pocket? That's why I like the Topeak Mini Morph pumps that work like a mini floor pump. Sure, they're not as pretty as the Lezyne.

[wongaga]

Blowing a CO2 cylinder then chucking it away is incredibly wasteful, unless there's a real good reason why you can't buy and use a decent pump.

Talk about First World Problems!

[DavidS]

A portable floor pump, now that's far from silly.

Does it fit in your jersey pocket? That's why I like the Topeak Mini Morph pumps that work like a mini floor pump. Sure, they're not as pretty as the Lezyne.

Not sure, never tried, but likely a little long. It does have an attachment to put it on the frame. I carry it in my pannier as I have 2 bikes.

Haven't seen the Topeak, sounds like it is smaller than the Lezyne, pretty impressive by the sound of it.

DS

[Mr Purple]

I stopped carrying a minipump after the one I'd carried around for years completely failed to actually inflate a tyre, and the expensive one I replaced it with literally broke in half when I actually needed it. I think they're just attached to frames for decoration.

Just two CO2 cannisters now. Given I've used a total of two in two years I'll accept the environmental impact on my conscience.

Everyone needs a decent track pump at home though. I have no idea why you'd find an electric one easier - it's not particularly hard to pump up a bike tyre manually.

[Mike Ayling]

Those of us who ride older steel framed bikes can usually fit a Zefal HPX pump somewhere on the bike.
I have a #4 on our tandem and another #4 on my Thorn Mercury.
Zefal used to claim you could inflate up to 120psi with one of these pumps but with wider tyres 50psi is enough for me now.

Mike

[Andy01]

Everyone needs a decent track pump at home though. I have no idea why you'd find an electric one easier - it's not particularly hard to pump up a bike tyre manually.

Unless you already have an electric workshop compressor in the garage It is a bit noisier though. I usually check both our bikes and cars every couple of weeks. With the bikes I usually pump a little higher (around 40psi - MTBs) and drop the pressure to the required setting using my digital shock pump.

[JPB]

The one thing I want is my track pump (? The one in the garage) to have it's gauge at the top so I can read it without my glasses.
I know they are out there and I will probably ask for one for my birthday.

[Nobiker]

My options should cover any need either at home or on the road, or wild area.
And I forgot to mention that I also carry a mini pump and a repair kit.
The electric mini pump that I bought from SupercheapAuto was on a 50% discount so it was a winning choice compared to a $150 "reliable" floor pump.
Consider also that I inflated 2x MTB tires (didn't touch the bike for 4 years) without any issues.
Regarding the CO2 canisters that I probably would never use (touch wood), if I'm the one polluting the environment, I think that all governments around the world should ban the production.

[Gordonhooker]

I keep one of these in my workshop for bicycle and car maintenance:

https://www.ryobi.com.au/products/detai ... y-r18dpi-0

[bychosis]

I have a workshop compressor and a 12v one for the 4wd but still mostly use the floor pump for bike tyres - and it’s only an Aldi one. The floor pump has no set up time, can be ‘instantly’ moved to anywhere around the garage and is silent for early mornings/late nights for epa noise restriction hours and not upsetting the rest of the household.

[warthog1]

https://cycletechreview.com/2024/news/b ... shot-pump/

BBB doubleshot. Looks interesting.
Still new I think. Anyone heard anything or used one?


hmmm, this bloke was not impressed.
Total rubbish!!!
A completely useless product for serious amateur athletes!

Pro
Design (after all, it won an award for it); but it is completely unimportant!!!
Contra
Function - over 100 pumps for 0.5 bar?!?!! Is that still possible!!!

https://www.galaxus.ch/en/s3/product/bb ... s-23496645

[CmdrBiggles]

Many hundreds of pumps have come and gone in my 47 years of cycling.

Naturally, whatever I used with my last road bike has long ago vanished during two moving-house events.

The search for a pump before the bike began last November. Eventually landed on a Blackburn CO2'Fer pump; the attendant bracket cannot be fitted to my GIANT downtube due to that tube's big width and squarish shape. No matter; a CO2 canister is stored in my Blackburn seat pack and the pump hitches a ride in my back pocket. Easily gets up to 120psi (which is the limit of my tubeless tyres), easier still with a blast from the cannister.

https://www.blackburndesign.com/p/core- ... 00045.html

The garage has a dedicated Presta-fit Syncros floor pump with bypass bleed that has served both the MTB and e-scooter for several years now.

I have little interest (other than getting a chuckle!) in equipment reviews of people who have not been dedicated cyclists for more than 20 years, as a minimum. Experience counts. Knowledge counts even more, and "reviewers" out to 'make a splash' too often have neither; they're just there to make a silly, unfounded and unqualified comment. The foregoing posts quoting reviews illustrate this!

[warthog1]

Sorry for posting a review on a pump!
I am after feedback from somebody who has used that one.
I like the look of that doubleshot. Mainly because it is small and will go in a jersey pocket or saddlebag.

Currently using a racerocket hp https://road.cc/content/review/270937-t ... -mini-pump
Largely because it fits in my jersey pocket. If the bbb doubleshot works I will grab one though. Great size.

[CmdrBiggles]

Sorry for posting a review on a pump!
I am after feedback from somebody who has used that one.
I like the look of that doubleshot. Mainly because it is small and will go in a jersey pocket or saddlebag.

Currently using a racerocket hp https://road.cc/content/review/270937-t ... -mini-pump
Largely because it fits in my jersey pocket. If the bbb doubleshot works I will grab one though. Great size.

NO need for a Bendigonian to apologise to a Castlemaniac.

The pump you have with the retractable hose — that is the deal maker for any pump, and a feature you should continue to preference if any replacement is considered. Pumps without a hose will be imparting to-and-fro stress on the valve during the inflation work — something I've always been keen to avoid on any bike. Generally I have less concern about the overall size of a pump (all things considered) and prioritise efficiency and choice of function e.g. not just pump only, but CO2 also.

[warthog1]

Sorry for posting a review on a pump!
I am after feedback from somebody who has used that one.
I like the look of that doubleshot. Mainly because it is small and will go in a jersey pocket or saddlebag.

Currently using a racerocket hp https://road.cc/content/review/270937-t ... -mini-pump
Largely because it fits in my jersey pocket. If the bbb doubleshot works I will grab one though. Great size.

NO need for a Bendigonian to apologise to a Castlemaniac.

The pump you have with the retractable hose — that is the deal maker for any pump, and a feature you should continue to preference if any replacement is considered. Pumps without a hose will be imparting to-and-fro stress on the valve during the inflation work — something I've always been keen to avoid on any bike. Generally I have less concern about the overall size of a pump (all things considered) and prioritise efficiency and choice of function e.g. not just pump only, but CO2 also.

Went through Castlemaine on todays ride. Then Campbells ck, Fryerstown and Chewton and up past Golden point reservoir. Magic bit of road that!

I'm tubeless now. Not too worried about valve stress and tbh its' meant less pumping at the side of the road.
Yeah the tube is good, agreed and better than not having one. I'll prob buy one of those BBB pumps and see what it's like, when they are available online.
Yeah got CO2 also.

[biker jk]

Sorry for posting a review on a pump!
I am after feedback from somebody who has used that one.
I like the look of that doubleshot. Mainly because it is small and will go in a jersey pocket or saddlebag.

Currently using a racerocket hp https://road.cc/content/review/270937-t ... -mini-pump
Largely because it fits in my jersey pocket. If the bbb doubleshot works I will grab one though. Great size.

NO need for a Bendigonian to apologise to a Castlemaniac.

The pump you have with the retractable hose — that is the deal maker for any pump, and a feature you should continue to preference if any replacement is considered. Pumps without a hose will be imparting to-and-fro stress on the valve during the inflation work — something I've always been keen to avoid on any bike. Generally I have less concern about the overall size of a pump (all things considered) and prioritise efficiency and choice of function e.g. not just pump only, but CO2 also.

Went through Castlemaine on todays ride. Then Campbells ck, Fryerstown and Chewton and up past Golden point reservoir. Magic bit of road that!

I'm tubeless now. Not too worried about valve stress and tbh its' meant less pumping at the side of the road.
Yeah the tube is good, agreed and better than not having one. I'll prob buy one of those BBB pumps and see what it's like, when they are available online.
Yeah got CO2 also.

On my gravel bike, I went with a high volume pump where the head presses onto the valve. As you say, you are unlikely to break tubeless valves by vigorous pumping. However, for my road bikes I chose a pump with a hose and a locking press on head. I avoided the pumps with screw on heads (like Lezyne) which unwind the removable valve core. Suffice to say, there are not many pumps with a hose and a press on head.

[warthog1]

On my gravel bike, I went with a high volume pump where the head presses onto the valve. As you say, you are unlikely to break tubeless valves by vigorous pumping. However, for my road bikes I chose a pump with a hose and a locking press on head. I avoided the pumps with screw on heads (like Lezyne) which unwind the removable valve core. Suffice to say, there are not many pumps with a hose and a press on head.

Yes I have needed the pump more on gravel than road. It is much harder on tyres as you would be aware.
The race rocket hasn't unscrewed a valve core yet but I can see what a pita that would be.

[CmdrBiggles]

Went through Castlemaine on todays ride. Then Campbells ck, Fryerstown and Chewton and up past Golden point reservoir. Magic bit of road that!

I'm tubeless now. Not too worried about valve stress and tbh its' meant less pumping at the side of the road.
Yeah the tube is good, agreed and better than not having one. I'll prob buy one of those BBB pumps and see what it's like, when they are available online.
Yeah got CO2 also.

What!? You rode that long route in 37°c+!?
Quelle horreur...

It would be enough for me now to ride from Bendigo to Castlemaine, one way, and hopefully on cruisy flats, maybe a northerly tailwind, then crash somewhere in 'maine for a coffee and chocs — but of course! Even better, porterhouse and chips at the Cumberland. Ahhhh, bewdiful!

Familiar with the Campbells Creek to Fryerstown route (down Main Road, hard left at Five Flags, up then round then up again and round...), though I would be very surprised if it is popular for cycling of any sort — 25 years ago it was narrow, with no shoulder (just very rough gravel) and cars took up the entire road with no consideration for whatever is coming over the hill or around the bend! So I avoided that over the years and pioneered an MTB route that branched off Fryers Road went past the boundary of the old Dingo Farm (Bruce Jacobson's)... very long, convoluted routing (no longer exists); a bit hazy with the memory now, but it emerged on Fryers Ridge Road and then over the railway bridge at Elphinstone; left turn onto the highway for Chewton, then right to Expedition Pass Reservoir. That was my riding capacity then, when younger! Now, my riding capacity is something I have to work to regain slowly after years of relatively low-speed commuting on a heavy MTB (relatively speaking to a featherweight roadie)!

Meanwhile, on the subject of pumps (ah, finally... ), does anybody know why the cost of a single CO2 cartridge is almost $6.00?
It's just a bulb with gas after all. Some odd rumours about...that CO2 is not welcome in the environment; others still that the bulbs are used for gassing by kids looking for a 'high' — has some cred as I have last week seen discarded bulbs littering the shopping centre car park. I think also roadies could be more considerate of the environment by not just throwing spent bulbs onto the ground after the repair task. There's a lot of this "calling card" visible on local roads.

[DavidS]

NO need for a Bendigonian to apologise to a Castlemaniac.

The pump you have with the retractable hose — that is the deal maker for any pump, and a feature you should continue to preference if any replacement is considered. Pumps without a hose will be imparting to-and-fro stress on the valve during the inflation work — something I've always been keen to avoid on any bike. Generally I have less concern about the overall size of a pump (all things considered) and prioritise efficiency and choice of function e.g. not just pump only, but CO2 also.

Went through Castlemaine on todays ride. Then Campbells ck, Fryerstown and Chewton and up past Golden point reservoir. Magic bit of road that!

I'm tubeless now. Not too worried about valve stress and tbh its' meant less pumping at the side of the road.
Yeah the tube is good, agreed and better than not having one. I'll prob buy one of those BBB pumps and see what it's like, when they are available online.
Yeah got CO2 also.

On my gravel bike, I went with a high volume pump where the head presses onto the valve. As you say, you are unlikely to break tubeless valves by vigorous pumping. However, for my road bikes I chose a pump with a hose and a locking press on head. I avoided the pumps with screw on heads (like Lezyne) which unwind the removable valve core. Suffice to say, there are not many pumps with a hose and a press on head.

Haha, I really don't like the press on heads, always go for a screw head. I have had issues with the very occasional valve (I run tubes) unscrewing, but most valves are fine.

Best pump I have had on a bike is the Lezyne mini floor pump, which really is mini and mounts on my bike. Narrow enough to mount on the seat tube inside the crank.

DS