Small pump

dboden
dboden Posts: 349
edited June 2008 in Workshop
Sorry - same old stuff, I imagine - Suggestions for smallest lightest pump that will get as close to 120 as poss.

Thanks

Comments

  • jhop
    jhop Posts: 369
    Blackburn Air Stick for me every time.
  • dboden
    dboden Posts: 349
    Does it come with anything to strap it to the bike, or do you stick it in back pocket?
  • Pirahna
    Pirahna Posts: 1,315
    Best advice is to get down you local shop, ask them which pump will go to 120 (which will be most) then get them to demo it. :D

    The only one I found which will do the job is the big version of the Innovations Road Air. More of a midi pump than mini though.
  • aracer
    aracer Posts: 1,649
    http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/id1744.html will pump up to 120psi and is extremely small and light. Not the fastest as it's pretty small volume, but it does actually work.
  • owaingibby
    owaingibby Posts: 240
    Here's a light(55g), small pump for you, will pump to 160psi and has a mounting bracket (£30)

    http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp? ... _medium=fr

    http://www.topeak.com/products/Mini-Pumps/MicroRocketCB

    It also has a Carbon Fibre handle and barrel!
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    Have you ever tried to get to 100+psi with a mini pump? Those pressure ratings must be obtained from tests of the integrity of the seals. There is positively no way that you could actually get 160psi out of it unless you had a chimpanzee to hand (very strong, almost as intelligent as people).

    Honestly, its not a realistic proposition. If you flat on a ride, you'll find that you will get to where the tyre feels hard, pat yourself on the back for your strength, get home and find its 70 or 80 psi.

    The best results I've had are for dual action pumps - you get to use more muscle groups. But the flip side is that they don't last as long.
  • over-the-hill
    over-the-hill Posts: 144
    jhop wrote:
    Blackburn Air Stick for me every time.

    I've got one and it nearly killed me. Somehow it came off at over 30 mph and jammed up the bike. Not sure how it happened but it was very close to the crank and the velro strap snapped. Could have just been a one off occurrence but it ain't going back on the bike.
  • Raph
    Raph Posts: 249
    "I've got one and it nearly killed me. Somehow it came off at over 30 mph "

    Yes but does it pump up the tyres to a decent pressure?


    I'm interested in this question cos I've had bad luck with small pumps and have gone back to the Zefal HPX which is heavy, means you can't fit a second bottle cage on the seat tube, but I've had it fifteen years and it still works. - BUT, there's one carbon fibre frame it won't fit, so I'm re-considering getting a small pump that'll fit in the saddle pouch. The last one was a crank bros dual-rate thing, and it was terrible even on the high pressure mode.
  • aracer
    aracer Posts: 1,649
    Always Tyred wrote:
    Have you ever tried to get to 100+psi with a mini pump?
    Yes - it's hard work, but very possible given the right pump (you need a nice narrow barrel which results in more strokes, but less effort for each stroke - like the one I recommended).
  • Raph
    Raph Posts: 249
    aracer - how long is the barbieri pump? If I can fit it in my saddle pouch then I'll get one.

    By the way, I slagged off my crank bros pump perhaps unfairly since it might be meant for mountain bikes only - I should probably be more specific, I had a really small crank bros pump which turned out totally useless for a road bike, and I still have a not-so small crank bros pump which doesn't fit in a saddle pouch and just about struggles to make it to about 100psi though the gauge on it optimistically goes to 160. Both are dual-rate but so feeble in high-volume-low-pressure mode that it's irrelevant having the option - for a road bike at least.
  • Pirahna
    Pirahna Posts: 1,315
    owaingibby wrote:
    Here's a light(55g), small pump for you, will pump to 160psi and has a mounting bracket (£30)

    http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp? ... _medium=fr

    http://www.topeak.com/products/Mini-Pumps/MicroRocketCB

    It also has a Carbon Fibre handle and barrel!

    I take it you've never actually used one then. I think I kept mine because it looked nice, bugger all use for anything else though.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    I've got a box full of mini pumps, including Balckburn carbons, Topeak's finest, Specialized and yet to find one that works satisfactory - that's why I usually carry a frame fit pump. The biggest laugh has to be the weenie carbon Topeak job - about the size and as much use as a lipstick - a mate brought one on a ride and boy did we laugh until the cold got the better of us and we gave him a 'real' pump so we could get moving.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Moomaloid
    Moomaloid Posts: 2,040
    I recently bought a crank brothers mini pump and have discovered what a pain in the ass the mini pump can be. Worthless. I'm thinking the gas cannisters are a better option.

    Can't beat the good ol' Trackie can ya, just strap that to ya back! :o)
  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    aracer wrote:
    Always Tyred wrote:
    Have you ever tried to get to 100+psi with a mini pump?
    Yes - it's hard work, but very possible given the right pump (you need a nice narrow barrel which results in more strokes, but less effort for each stroke - like the one I recommended).

    How does a narrower barrel result in less effort?
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Always Tyred wrote:
    Have you ever tried to get to 100+psi with a mini pump? Those pressure ratings must be obtained from tests of the integrity of the seals. There is positively no way that you could actually get 160psi out of it unless you had a chimpanzee to hand (very strong, almost as intelligent as people).

    Honestly, its not a realistic proposition. If you flat on a ride, you'll find that you will get to where the tyre feels hard, pat yourself on the back for your strength, get home and find its 70 or 80 psi.

    The best results I've had are for dual action pumps - you get to use more muscle groups. But the flip side is that they don't last as long.

    I'm with you AT. No way any of those funky little pumps is going to give you much over 100PSI let alone 160. Getting 160 out of a floor/track pump takes some work. It's a complete load of bullsh*t that they tell you about these things. I have to say that I
    didn't think anyone actually believed the line they give you. Oh well, go figure. I mean
    all you have to do is own one and you know right away that really high pressure just
    isn't going to happen.

    Dennis Noward
  • dboden
    dboden Posts: 349
    I think bikeradar should have a shootout!!
  • owaingibby
    owaingibby Posts: 240
    I have the said pump (Topeak Micro Rocket CB) and have achieved 120psi.

    A narrower barrell will result in less effort. Ideally for a really easy pump it would be quite long and narrow. This is the same principle as hydraulics.

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