I was inflating my tyres before the Sportive on Saturday, and the top of my Aldi track pump pinged off. It is now useless as useless can be. As such I'm in the market for a new one. Anyone have any recommendations? I reckon I can slip £30-£35 under the radar.
I've a got a Park Tools one (PFP-2, I think) and haven't been very impressed. I went for mine because of the brand - but I have to deflate my tyres every time as trying to top up an already inflated tyre seems impossible. Bit of a pain.
Never be tempted to race against a Barclays Cycle Hire bike. If you do, there are only two outcomes. Of these, by far the better is that you now have the scalp of a Boris Bike.
I just got one from Bike Hut. (Halfords) Works really well. I've been happily able to get up to 120psi with it and the reversable connectors allows for schrader and presta valves - you really don't lose a whole heap of air when fitting it either.
If it works....
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2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
Track pumps aren't something to get too worked up about really, simple, well developed technology, the ones worthy of comment are the ones that don't work as they should be the exception. Things to look for I guess are a steel barrel, a head that allows attachment to presta or schraeder valves and a reliable pressure gauge. My 15 year old Joe Blow satisfies those criteria as, I am sure, does any model made by Blackburn, Topeak or Park tools.
Get the cheapest one you can that has the three things I mentioned.
I have a track pump I picked up in a Condor sale 10 years ago for a tenner. It's been brilliant. One issue with it, it was leaking air out of the bottom, but I just needed to "twist the pipes a bit", (that's the technical term for it btw) and it was fine again.
A decent track pump is a massive labour saving device. I'm not the expert but I doubt you have to drop £30+ to get a good one.
Track pumps aren't something to get too worked up about really, simple, well developed technology, the ones worthy of comment are the ones that don't work as they should be the exception. Things to look for I guess are a steel barrel, a head that allows attachment to presta or schraeder valves and a reliable pressure gauge. My 15 year old Joe Blow satisfies those criteria as, I am sure, does any model made by Blackburn, Topeak or Park tools.
Get the cheapest one you can that has the three things I mentioned.
I tend to find that it's the simple, well developed technologies which vary the most in quality. I'd much rather buy something which will last fifteen years, than repeatedly buy something which lasts six months.
I use a Blackburn Air Tower 1, never let me down and you can switch between Presta / Schrader without removing parts or fiddling about with the pump head.
...and so far I've not had any problems with it. Wiggle has 4.6/5 stars from 45 reviews.
Giant Escape R1
FCN 8
"Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
- Terry Pratchett.
I just got one from Bike Hut. (Halfords) Works really well. I've been happily able to get up to 120psi with it and the reversable connectors allows for schrader and presta valves - you really don't lose a whole heap of air when fitting it either.
If it works....
I think this is the same as mine bikehut branded, metal barrel (alloy I think) auto head switching (amazingly simple) and pumps to 120psi easily I paid less than £30 for it.
Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017
Edinburgh Bicycle do a good track pump for a stupidly small amount of money - £20 or so. The only complaint I have with mine is that the valve head doesn't like certain brands of tube and needs some persuasion. For the money I reckon it is a no-brainer.
I bought a Joe Blow Sport from Tredz, £26.99 including delivery. I have a wine/gin bottle holder on my BSO made by Topeak, and they seem to make decent products, certainly I've never lost a bottle yet
I've a got a Park Tools one (PFP-2, I think) and haven't been very impressed. I went for mine because of the brand - but I have to deflate my tyres every time as trying to top up an already inflated tyre seems impossible. Bit of a pain.
You may find this is true of all pumps. I've found that the valve gets stuck so if you don't let out a little air (to loosen the valve) then the pump can't get the air in to the tube.
I've a got a Park Tools one (PFP-2, I think) and haven't been very impressed. I went for mine because of the brand - but I have to deflate my tyres every time as trying to top up an already inflated tyre seems impossible. Bit of a pain.
You may find this is true of all pumps. I've found that the valve gets stuck so if you don't let out a little air (to loosen the valve) then the pump can't get the air in to the tube.
Sounds like Hundredth has to deflate fully, most just let out a little.
"Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
I've a got a Park Tools one (PFP-2, I think) and haven't been very impressed. I went for mine because of the brand - but I have to deflate my tyres every time as trying to top up an already inflated tyre seems impossible. Bit of a pain.
You may find this is true of all pumps. I've found that the valve gets stuck so if you don't let out a little air (to loosen the valve) then the pump can't get the air in to the tube.
Sounds like Hundredth has to deflate fully, most just let out a little.
Yeah - I have to deflate fully. And even then the pump starts blowing air once I get above about 50 or 60 psi. So it works fine for my MTB (where I pump the tyres to about 65) but not so good for my road bike where I aim for 100. It seems as if the seals in the pump can't cope with more than about 60 psi as they start blowing air rather than forcing it into my tyres.
I tried my neighbours track pump (can't remember the brand) and that works fine - so it's not the valves on my inner tubes. It's just enough of a problem to be annoying but not enough to make me want to go to the hassle of boxing it up and trying to return it.
I've taken it apart but can't find anything obviously wrong with it. I presume I've just got a dodgy one as Park tools are usually pretty good quality stuff. So, I guess my point might be that I wish I'd got one from my LBS rather than off the internet - would have been much easier to return to my LBS and show them what's wrong.
I might just stop being a tight censored and get a Joe Blow from my LBS for £26. They seem to be the popular ones here. I can then leave my old Park Tools one chained up in the secure parking at work (with a tag explaining it's best to deflate fully first). I'm sure colleagues will find it useful.
Never be tempted to race against a Barclays Cycle Hire bike. If you do, there are only two outcomes. Of these, by far the better is that you now have the scalp of a Boris Bike.
My first track pump from Halfords did not work properly, so I returned it, but they had not got a replacement. So i opted for a Joe Blow Sports, which they gave me at same price as cheap rubbish one, and it has been excellent.
"Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles"
I bought a Joe Blow Sport from Tredz, £26.99 including delivery. I have a wine/gin bottle holder on my BSO made by Topeak, and they seem to make decent products, certainly I've never lost a bottle yet
I've a got a Park Tools one (PFP-2, I think) and haven't been very impressed. I went for mine because of the brand - but I have to deflate my tyres every time as trying to top up an already inflated tyre seems impossible. Bit of a pain.
You may find this is true of all pumps. I've found that the valve gets stuck so if you don't let out a little air (to loosen the valve) then the pump can't get the air in to the tube.
Sounds like Hundredth has to deflate fully, most just let out a little.
Yeah - I have to deflate fully. And even then the pump starts blowing air once I get above about 50 or 60 psi. So it works fine for my MTB (where I pump the tyres to about 65) but not so good for my road bike where I aim for 100. It seems as if the seals in the pump can't cope with more than about 60 psi as they start blowing air rather than forcing it into my tyres.
I tried my neighbours track pump (can't remember the brand) and that works fine - so it's not the valves on my inner tubes. It's just enough of a problem to be annoying but not enough to make me want to go to the hassle of boxing it up and trying to return it.
I've taken it apart but can't find anything obviously wrong with it. I presume I've just got a dodgy one as Park tools are usually pretty good quality stuff. So, I guess my point might be that I wish I'd got one from my LBS rather than off the internet - would have been much easier to return to my LBS and show them what's wrong.
I might just stop being a tight ars* and get a Joe Blow from my LBS for £26. They seem to be the popular ones here. I can then leave my old Park Tools one chained up in the secure parking at work (with a tag explaining it's best to deflate fully first). I'm sure colleagues will find it useful.
I'm not trying to sound condescending, but I assume you are applying the thumb lock? After all, you do admit to being an idiot .
When threads about track pumps come up, people always say "I've got a Joe Blow and it's fine" without saying the model.
OK - another for the Joe Blow Sport. Seems much the same as the one Wallace mentions aside from having a metal base. And a funky yellow paint job so, if you grew up before getting round to painting a Vauxhall Corsa canary yellow with yellow gauges you can, in a small way, live the life you never had with a Joe Blow Sport
+1 Joe Blow I bought one a couple of years ago and it worked fine. Then it started to refuse to hold pressure when inflating. I bought a huge SKS monster with a wooden handle and a twiddly valve clamp.
After a while I decide to throw away the Joe Blow but hold onto the hose and clamp which was much better to use. As I stuggled to remove the hose I noticed a loose nut on the barrel. I tighten nut and Joe Blow works fine! The SKS sits on the garage wall, redundant. :oops:
UndercoverElephant
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If it works....
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX
2020 Canyon Inflite SL 7
On the Strand
Crown Stables
Get the cheapest one you can that has the three things I mentioned.
A decent track pump is a massive labour saving device. I'm not the expert but I doubt you have to drop £30+ to get a good one.
Try PBK and wiggle and look for discounts...
There are quite a few different Joe Blow track pump models, ranging from £20 to £80, see here:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/mc/cycle/7/Tope ... s_-_Floor/
It's a bit like me saying "my bike's a Specialized and it's fine" without telling you which model.
/Mini rant
Another vote for the JB. The tube's a bit on the short side but it'll do 130psi with no problem.
Bob
I tend to find that it's the simple, well developed technologies which vary the most in quality. I'd much rather buy something which will last fifteen years, than repeatedly buy something which lasts six months.
- dead easy to use for both Schrader and Presta
- no problem with getting the high pressures either
I have this one http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Topeak_Joe_Blow_Sport_Track_Pump/5360013205/
...and so far I've not had any problems with it. Wiggle has 4.6/5 stars from 45 reviews.
FCN 8
"Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
- Terry Pratchett.
I think this is the same as mine bikehut branded, metal barrel (alloy I think) auto head switching (amazingly simple) and pumps to 120psi easily I paid less than £30 for it.
Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017
Engineered Bicycles
Thanks for the help.
You may find this is true of all pumps. I've found that the valve gets stuck so if you don't let out a little air (to loosen the valve) then the pump can't get the air in to the tube.
Sounds like Hundredth has to deflate fully, most just let out a little.
Yeah - I have to deflate fully. And even then the pump starts blowing air once I get above about 50 or 60 psi. So it works fine for my MTB (where I pump the tyres to about 65) but not so good for my road bike where I aim for 100. It seems as if the seals in the pump can't cope with more than about 60 psi as they start blowing air rather than forcing it into my tyres.
I tried my neighbours track pump (can't remember the brand) and that works fine - so it's not the valves on my inner tubes. It's just enough of a problem to be annoying but not enough to make me want to go to the hassle of boxing it up and trying to return it.
I've taken it apart but can't find anything obviously wrong with it. I presume I've just got a dodgy one as Park tools are usually pretty good quality stuff. So, I guess my point might be that I wish I'd got one from my LBS rather than off the internet - would have been much easier to return to my LBS and show them what's wrong.
I might just stop being a tight censored and get a Joe Blow from my LBS for £26. They seem to be the popular ones here. I can then leave my old Park Tools one chained up in the secure parking at work (with a tag explaining it's best to deflate fully first). I'm sure colleagues will find it useful.
Engineered Bicycles
BMC Team Machine
I'm not trying to sound condescending, but I assume you are applying the thumb lock? After all, you do admit to being an idiot
OK - another for the Joe Blow Sport. Seems much the same as the one Wallace mentions aside from having a metal base. And a funky yellow paint job so, if you grew up before getting round to painting a Vauxhall Corsa canary yellow with yellow gauges you can, in a small way, live the life you never had with a Joe Blow Sport
It appears that not only did the Aldi one break at what it thought was 120 PSI, but what it thought was 120 PSI was nearer 80
Quick ride home tonight though, sub 40 minutes with a big headwind.
After a while I decide to throw away the Joe Blow but hold onto the hose and clamp which was much better to use. As I stuggled to remove the hose I noticed a loose nut on the barrel. I tighten nut and Joe Blow works fine! The SKS sits on the garage wall, redundant. :oops: