Bicycle Mechanics - Best cycling floor pump????

Hi!

Looking for inputs on best floor pumps to 'top off' b/4 riding?

Have a Crank Brothers mini for on the road. Can get up to around 75 psi despite claims, enough to limp into a LBS or service station with an air hose.

What do you folks reccommend? Blackburn? Planet Bike? Both available through LL Bean where I can get either 'free' with "Bean Bucks."

Thanks,

Tim

A Blackburn floor pump should be fine.

Blackburn and Planet Bike are both good. The best is the Silca floor pump.

I like Silca pumps too.
I think what makes them good is their valve head. In fact, I use their valve heads on other non-Silca floor pumps.

Hey fixer,

I've got two ancient silca floor pumps and I tried to use one theother day-- the valve head would NOT go onto the valvestem. Does the inner rubber gasket thing get petrified with time?

Hey fixer,

I've got two ancient silca floor pumps and I tried to use one theother day-- the valve head would NOT go onto the valvestem. Does the inner rubber gasket thing get petrified with time?

Yes.....Excel sells those rubber seals for a couple of bucks a piece.

I like Silca pumps too.
I think what makes them good is their valve head. In fact, I use their valve heads on other non-Silca floor pumps.

In our group, the guys with Silca pumps are given the following options:
1. Pump up your tires at home, or
2. Make sure you have a friend to hold the head on the stem, or
3. Make sure you have a strap to hold the head on, or
4. Catch us when you finally get your tires pumped up 'cause we're not waiting any longer, or
5. Keep a supply of spare parts on hand and get to the ride early so you can replace them and get your tires pumped up before the ride starts.

A Silca pump with a new gasket and plunger dohickey is wonderful. The gaskets wear out so quickly, though that most of us old-timers quit messing with them years ago. Come to think of it, the only guy I know who still uses one spends all of his spare time trying to keep an old BSA motorcycle running. Maybe it's just a nostalgia thing.

If you have a car, grab a $10 air compressor.

Blackburn and Planet Bike are both good. The best is the Silca floor pump.

HI!

My two style choices @ Bean's are: Blackburn TPS2 Trakpump Sport or Planet Bike ST Floor Pump.

Silica and others are not @ issue, though I'm sure they're very good. I can get either of those mentioned above, essentially 'free' Which?

Thanks,

Tim

If you have a car, grab a $10 air compressor.

I'll try it out! See if I can get 90+ psi in my Specialized Armadillos.

Thanks,

Tim

JoeBlow Sport works just fine for me!

In our group, the guys with Silca pumps are given the following options:
1. Pump up your tires at home, or
2. Make sure you have a friend to hold the head on the stem, or
3. Make sure you have a strap to hold the head on, or
4. Catch us when you finally get your tires pumped up 'cause we're not waiting any longer, or
5. Keep a supply of spare parts on hand and get to the ride early so you can replace them and get your tires pumped up before the ride starts.



I always pump my tires at home so I don't experience those inconviniences.

JoeBlow Sport works just fine for me!
+1 on the Joe. Inexpensive, effective and an easy to read guage.

Blackburn TP-4 with a topeak valve head is still going strong after 5 years.

Blackburn TP-4 going strong after 5 years.

My two style choices @ Bean's are: Blackburn TPS2 Trakpump Sport or Planet Bike ST Floor Pump.

Thanks again ... your opinion on the Blackburn TPS2?

Tim

I have three Park pumps. One at the shop, one at my shop, and one in my hatch. Never had any trouble with them.

I think you can make your choice by flipping a coin. There is no significant difference between the two.

another vote for the joeblow sport. got mine on sale @ nashbar for $19.99.

I think you can make your choice by flipping a coin. There is no significant difference between the two.

Thanks Hillrider!

Given LL Bean's proven reputation for 'no questions asked' customer service ... I think I'll go with 30 yrs. experience and take the Blackburn.

Tim

I have had maybe 5 different ones. They each provided the functionality I needed. Actually no complaints. I have a Blackburn now. I usually break them myself like back the car over it or leave it in the parking lot at the local ride. I can't say i have actually had one fail. I usually spend 25-35 dollars.

I'll try it out! See if I can get 90+ psi in my Specialized Armadillos.

Thanks,

Tim

My air compressor can push 220 psi and it was a cheap0 one.

yup, me too, joe blow, i like the easy to read guage two no problems 2yrs

I've got a Joe Blow as well, but mine is the model before the turn handle, so with mine you have to swist the handle to switch from off to presta.
I'd get something else, but it doesn't seem like it will die (I've had it for a few year so far).
The hose is showing cracking, but no leaks, so I gotta' say if you can get it cheap, do it.

The hose is showing cracking, but no leaks, so I gotta' say if you can get it cheap, do it.
You can replace the hose very cheaply by buying a couple of feet of air compressor hose and two small worm-drive clamps at any auto parts store.

There are a lot of very good floor pumps on the market, one that wasn't mentioned is the Torelli, it's a very heavy duty pump and is rebuildable (as if that would ever be needed!); Silca is also constructed to be rebuildable.

No one has mentioned the Pedros floor pump. In the shop, we've used the same pump for 4 years of daily use. We've changed the hose and head once.

i just got the pedro's mid-range for my birthday. seems well-built, glad to hear it's reliable.

In our group, the guys with Silca pumps are given the following options:
1. Pump up your tires at home, or
2. Make sure you have a friend to hold the head on the stem, or
3. Make sure you have a strap to hold the head on, or
4. Catch us when you finally get your tires pumped up 'cause we're not waiting any longer, or
5. Keep a supply of spare parts on hand and get to the ride early so you can replace them and get your tires pumped up before the ride starts.

A Silca pump with a new gasket and plunger dohickey is wonderful. The gaskets wear out so quickly, though that most of us old-timers quit messing with them years ago. Come to think of it, the only guy I know who still uses one spends all of his spare time trying to keep an old BSA motorcycle running. Maybe it's just a nostalgia thing.

i agree. i used a silca for years and swore by them. my wife recently bought an ascent floor pump (performance house brand) and it inflates a tire much faster and with less effort than my silca ever did and the head doesn't shoot off the valve like a bullet because it has a lever than tightens and loosens it.

ed rader