When thinking of the right type of bike pump to use to pump your bike tires, a little bit of confusion might creep into your mind. This is because there are so many types of bike pumps that are available for your bike tires. Having so many options will eventually lead to confusion for bike owners. Because come on! How do I know the exact one that is right for my bike then?
This article aims to answer all your questions regarding choosing the right bike pump for your bike tires. Let’s dive right in.
1. You need to know the needs you want the bike pump to serve
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There are three kinds of bike pumps available out there. They are the Floor pumps, the mini pump, and the CO2 pump. These three pumps have different needs they meet. Yes, we know that all bike pumps are built to serve one purpose and that is, to pump your tires. But there is a reason why a floor pump is a FLOOR pump, a mini pump is MINI, and a CO2 pump as well. So, firstly, ask yourself this? “When will I need my pump the most?” How you intend to use the bike pump you buy is a huge indication of the bike pump you should choose. Will you be inflating your bike tires after a ride? Or will you stop along the journey while riding to re-inflate your tires?
- If you will be inflating your tires before or after a ride: If this is the case for most of the time, then it is safe to say that you will need a floor pump. This type of bike pump makes your tire pumping process very quick and easy. It allows you to push more air into the bike tires than you will be able to do with a hand pump. Foot pumps inflate to a higher pressure than hand pumps and they usually have a pressure gauge that you could use to check for the tire’s pressure levels. Foot pumps are also very low-effort to use.
- If you will be inflating your bike’s tires along a ride or biking journey: If this is the case for you, then you will need a mini bike pump which is also called a hand pump. You can also use a CO2 cartridge for this as well. These types of pumps are very compact and easy to put in a bag and carry around. You can even put them in your cycling jersey’s pocket! The CO2 cartridges will do the job of inflating your tires but they can only be used once. Many mini pumps do not come with a pressure gauge though, but there are some in the market that has.
2. You should look at your type of bike
In order to determine the type of bike pump that you will need, you need to know what bike pumps will mesh well with your type of bike. So, be careful when choosing a bike pump. A mountain bike, for instance, has a different bike pump requirement from a road bike/casual bike. If you ride a mountain bike, then you should go for a pump with a wide-body frame so that it can push in more air into your mountain bike’s tire quickly. Using a small pump might make the process longer than usual. If you are using a road bike, then you should go for a pump with a thin body frame because it will allow you to pump your bike tire to up to 7 bars. 7 bars is a good amount of pressure required for road cycling.
3. Check the type of valves that your bike tires have
There are two types of valves that you will find on bikes. The Presta valve and the Schrader valve are found on bikes. The Presta valve is most commonly found on road bikes. Some mountain bikes that use tubeless also have the Presta valves too. But the most common and usual valve you will find on mountain bikes is the Schrader valves. Schrader valves are very similar and identical to car tire valves. But there are pumps you can buy, that will be compatible with both types of valves. In case you want for the two valves, that is. The Schrader valves are mostly used on hybrid bikes as well as children’s bikes. The Presta valve is also thinner and longer than the Schrader valve. Presta valve has a threaded tip that the bike rider will have to open in order to begin inflating the tire. You can open the threaded tip by turning it anticlockwise. Some bikes have two valves. And in situations like that, a floor pump will help you. You will need a floor pump that fits both kinds of valves.
Quick Buy
1. Topeak Unisex’s Joeblow Booster Floor Pump – Check on Amazon
2. Vibrelli Mini Pump – Check on Amazon
3. Schwinn 5-in-1 Floor Pump – Check on Amazon
4. SKS Rennkompressor Floor Pump – Check on Amazon
5. PRO BIKE Tool Floor Pump – Check on Amazon
6. Lezyne Steel Floor Drive Pump – Check on Amazon
7. Pro Bike Tool Mini – Check on Amazon
8. AerGun X-1000 – Check on Amazon
9. Vibrelli Floor Pump with Glueless Puncture Kit – Check on Amazon
10. Cheap Bike Pump
Other Things to Note
- Buying a floor pump will make things very easy for you when pumping. This kind of pump is very efficient in pumping. Mini pumps tend to be stressful to handle but floor pumps make the whole process smooth.
- You can also avoid wearing out your mini/frame pump by using the floor pump alternatively with it.
- The whole point of mini or frame pumps is just to ensure that in case of a flat tire on your journey, you will still be able to get home. Frame pumps are different from mini pumps though they have similar functions. A-frame pump is longer than a mini pump. Frame pumps are also spring-loaded.
- The CO2 inflators are another choice of pumps that you can get for your bike. These pumps are very simple and they make use of CO2 cartridges that are filled with CO2 gas (compressed). These pumps have very little weight, inflate the tires instantly to optimal pressure and save time.
With all this information on what the three different types of pumps do, you should check with your bike to see which bike pumps will be most suitable for it. Also, look at your daily usage of the bike and choose a pump that will be easy to work with and fits your overall biking purpose.
