Car compressor for bike tyres?

aidso
aidso Posts: 493
edited April 2015 in MTB buying advice
I'm entertaining the idea of purchasing a compressor that I can plug into the 12V port of my car to use for tubeless tyres - hopefully eradicating some of the woes of using a track pump or coke bottle trick.

Does anyone have one they recommend? Some of the reviews on Amazon imply that they are for car tyres only and you can't really set it to say "2 bar" and flick the switch.

Comments

  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    They pump too slowly. Might as well use a track pump.
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  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,816
    It's not like a garage compressor (with buffering air tank), as CD says it will push out less air than a decent track pump, so you are likely to have more problems inflating tubeless, not less.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • aidso
    aidso Posts: 493
    Ah pants. I though, I was on to a winner here :).
    I had considered getting a bigger one and keep in the garage but didn't think it would get as much usage to warrant the space it takes up and the price. Most of those car ones at £20-£30 but I guess you get what you pay for.
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Yes and no, they are designed for a specific purpose, that is inflating car tyres, which need high volume at low pressures, and no specific need for a decent flow rate.

    That's not what you need for a tubeless tyre.

    You can get something like the Bontrager Flash Charger track pump which has a secondary reservoir to seat tubeless tyres. Mine's due this week. Not cheap, but is a portable solution for races and what not where a compressor isn't available.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,816
    Or build a ghetto coke bottle reservoir.

    I use a cheap track pump which has a much higher volume, it can't put in much over 30psi and is rather nasty to use, but the volume gets the tyre on its seat which is all that matters!
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    It's the flow you want for a stubborn tyre though. Trouble with a track pump is that you only get a certain flow before you have to have another stroke.

    Not an issue 90% of the time, but if you've got a particularly baggy tyre the extra oomph of a compressor will often seat it, whilst a track pump will just have air leaking out around the bead.

    Tubeless worked better before it was official. Years ago I used to use non-tubeless Schwalbe tyres on Stan's rims and they were absolutely perfect. I'd have no qualms changing tyres 10 minutes before a race! These days I think carefully before doing it the day before.
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Expensive, and can cause issues with the sealant - it can freeze and then separate.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,816
    njee20 wrote:
    It's the flow you want for a stubborn tyre though. Trouble with a track pump is that you only get a certain flow before you have to have another stroke.
    Agreed, but this one is about 2.5 times the volume as a normal track pump.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Blackburn did one a few years ago which wasn't too bad - the Air Tower IIRC. Interested to see what this Bontrager thingummy is like.

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