Originally Posted by Digital Gee
Luckily, I've not yet (KNOCK WOOD) had a flat on my MTB out there somewhere, because as I've just discovered today by fooling around and trying to be proactive, the portable pump the LBS sold me when I first bought the bike is a piece of junk. I'm sure at the time I told them I wanted whatever was cheap. Who knew?
I was going to move this pump over to my hybrid, but not any more! So I'm wondering what pump you might recommend that won't break the bank (but doesn't have to be the least expensive model known to man) but will (most importantly) hold up out in the field. And, are all of the good ones able to work with any kind of valve? I have prestas on the hybrid, and schraders on the MTB. The pump I now have does not appear (unless I truly am that clueless) to be able to work with prestas.
The presta/schraeder change is in the head that goes on the valve on the older pumps. Just take it to bi---- Oops this is Gary--- The new type of pump(Thats better-and safer) will have a dual head that without taking anything apart-- will switch from presta to schraeder.
Only point is the quality of the pump. I try to always use Blackburn pumps as I have every confidence in them -and they have a lifetime guarranty that I have never taken advantage of. Only point is that you will have to pay for a good quality pump as the one you require is the one that puts the largest volume per stroke into the tyre. You also need one that will get to 100psi without building up the triceps.
The reason I keep buying pumps is not that they fail- I lose them on the trails- or run over them or forget to service them and throw them away in disgust and go and buy another. There are other good manufacturers out there, but, and I may be biased in this, blackburn have never let me down.