Folding Bikes - Should I carry a small pump?

I recently had two slow flats that left me stranded at work. If I had a small pump I would have been able to fill them up to get me home. Do you carry a pump for this purpose? How is this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Topeak-Mini-MasterBlaster-Bike-Pump/dp/B000FIAUMK/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1222011192&sr=8-2

Yes!
If you run really high pressure tyres a small pump isn't perfect to get them back to the optimum pressure but it's usually enough to get you home/to your destination.

depends..

..If you have a modern Dahon it should have a pump inside the seat post which is really effective, so no.

Any other bike, yes.

I carry one of these with me but have not needed to use it yet-
http://www.formbycycles.co.uk/product/2002/Genuine_Innovations_Air_Chuck_SL

If I'm using my Dahon for short journeys then, no

But anything over 3 or 4 miles and I carry a pump & spare tube

I have the Topeak road morph pump and have been pleased with it's ease of use and performance plus durability(it rides on the outside of my Carradice bag rain or shine)had it two years now.

I ride folders in NYC and I don't carry a pump. I figure if I have a flat, I'll just hail a cab or wheel the bike to the subway.

Now any other city - I probably would. When I lived in Houston I sure did. But it's a lot nicer to change flats at home than out on the road.

Is there any simple pump that can fit inside the Dahon seat post? I am hoping to spend under $20.

I have the Topeak road morph pump and have been pleased with it's ease of use and performance plus durability(it rides on the outside of my Carradice bag rain or shine)had it two years now.

+1 on the road morph. It will do full pressure on any tire.

I recently had two slow flats that left me stranded at work. If I had a small pump I would have been able to fill them up to get me home. Do you carry a pump for this purpose? How is this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Topeak-Mini-MasterBlaster-Bike-Pump/dp/B000FIAUMK/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1222011192&sr=8-2

I have small pumps that are collecting dust. When you're out on the road, these small pumps will not inflate your tire and are HARD to even reach 40 PSI! When it comes to inflating tires on the road, you need to forget about getting the smallest and get one that will actually fill the tire past 80 PSI. Riding with a tire that's underinflated is exhausting and can destroy your tire.

The Topeak road morph pump is the only one I can recommend. It's not much bigger than those micro pumps from Amazon but it will actually inflate your tire.

I have found a mini pump that actually works - The Topeak Micro pocket rocket. I carry it inside my Swift seatpost. Takes me about easy 250 strokes to reach around 80psi. Sounds like a lot but goes quite quick. Other pumps couldn't reach half that pressure with a lot more effort going into it.

Thanks for all replies, I have just placed my order for the road morph from amazon!

I have with me always, a two dollar taiwanese beto pump...
serves me well
at those unfortunate times and places.
change the tube, pump (less air is still better than no air) and go...

the best pump i've used is this;
www.cyclaire.co.uk

It's a bit pricey but 120psi is no problem, there's a gauge, and fits in a small carry pouch. I've had mine for 3yrs...no problems.

+1 Topeak Morph (gets my vote for relative easy inflation to full pressure)

Any body try that newer mini-morph?

(breathing life into the old thread)

I've got one of these:

158663
and those who are following my adventures will realise it is nearly useless. So I'm looking for another pump that can hide in a saddle bag.

Jur, do you still love the pocket rocket? They hate it here http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/tools/cycling-tools/product/micro-rocket-al-10195

Any other (newer?) recommendations?

joan

By now I have 3 of the micro rockets, I like to put these inside the seatpost. Bikeradar is not wrong though, but 20" wheels take less air so these are slightly more suitable. I have to pump several 100 strokes to get a pressure I'm happy with but with no gauge it's a guessing game. But at least these pumps get there. Due to the small size one mustn't expect floor pump performance; size matters with pumps. I will only use it when there is no alternative.

I also think the small Crank Brothers pumps are rubbish. OK for mildly inflating, but no good for getting up to pressure. I use to think much of them but since moving to higher pressure tyres I have realised they are useless. Perhaps the slightly larger ones are better, but I have fallen out of love with CBs after putting up with their crap pedals for years and not realising how much better SPDs are.

This is double-acting (http://www.amazon.com/Topeak-Mini-MasterBlaster-Bike-Gauge/dp/B000FICBEU/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1278509430&sr=1-9)and pumps on 'pull' as well as 'push'. Mine's about 4 years old. I have a CO2 pump, (http://www.evanscycles.com/products/innovations/ultraflate-plus-ec015814) great for top-ups to 70 psi, at one CO2 bulb per tube.

Good for fast top-ups, but eats money. It's cute though.

First pump I got was a Pocket Rocket. Getting higher-pressure tires up to where I needed them was a chore. For a lower pressure, smaller tire, it might not be so bad. I still throw it in my bag if I'm taking a short trip and might want to get the tire filled enough to limp home, but if I actually want to change my tire on the road and carry on as normal, I take something else.

I switched to the Crank Brothers pump. It had a pressure gauge built in that led me to believe it would get me to my desired 80-90 psi, but it was only a little better than the Pocket Rocket, although I did enjoy the adjustment that allowed me to pump greater volumes of air to start with and then switch to lower volumes per pump stroke when the tire gets more full. It currently lives on my Tote/Cycle because those tires are lower pressure.

Both pumps had the disadvantage of attaching right at the stem and have resulted in my pushing the stem into the rim and destroying it over the course of pumping up the tire. Not what you want to happen when you've just replaced your flat tire with your spare. I've learned to be more careful with those pumps, but what I really appreciate is the hose attachment on the Road Morph, which is what I now have on my daily commuting bike. It's the only pump I've had that can easily get any tire up to full pressure without my feeling that I have to "top off" the tire at the next available opportunity.

depends..

..If you have a modern Dahon it should have a pump inside the seat post which is really effective, so no.

Any other bike, yes.

Not to hijack the thread, but I'm curious how the Dahon pump compares to other good pumps (i.e., road morph). I'm usually pretty excited by Dahon's products conceptually, only to be let down by the manufacturing and function of the product itself.

I generally carry a pump and tube and tools on most of my bikes...due to the size I have a CO2 inflator in my Tikit's seatbag as well as tools and a spare tube. I'm not a fan of CO2 inflators, but in this case the small size is ideal. I haven't had a flat with my Tikit on the road so I've still got the original CO2 cartridges. If I was going on tour I take along a Road Morph instead.

Please, be my guest and hijack the thread. I did!

Looks like the pocket rocket is the go. I want have something in the seat bag, so 16cm is about maximum length. The only alternative would be CO2, but with the amount of flats I'm getting, the discarded cartridges would pile hard on my carbon/landfill debit side.

Looks like I'll need a floor pump too as the old Blackburn mtn frame pump can't get the Kojaks up to full pressure.

Thanks for the help

http://www.lezyne.com/products/hand-pumps/presssure-drive.html
I heard these are really good, but I've never used them. I always eye at them in the stores. But since i have the the turbo morph, i held back on buying another pump just cause they look cool.
http://www.topeak.com/products/Mini-Pumps/TurboMorphG
I carry it in my backpack.. I know i should mount it on my bike instead... I think its a good pump though. i get up to 120 with some effort on my road bike. When i was pumping up a dahon mu p8, it was really easy and quick. The gauge helps but compared to the road morph, the gauge adds that 80g.

[..CO2 pump great for top-ups to 70 psi, at one CO2 bulb per tube.
Good for fast top-ups, but eats money. It's cute though.

Are you using Genuine Innovations over priced cartridges?

Check this for example, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015V45F4 30 16g threaded cartridges for $40 shipped. The ones I got have 'made in Japan printed on them. I am using them with Innovations Air Chuck.

Kam

Road morph ... It's a floor pump you can carry on your bike... have one in my Brompton's Touring Bag.
better than pump they supply.

^^^^^

No, I use cheap-jack bulk-pack carts from Ebay, made in some Chinese gulag by children. They work out about the price of a can of Diet Coke per tyre, in international funds. Too expensive for all but emergency use, though they get you going in seconds.

Can also be used to extinguish the small electrical fires which are a daily occurance on many folding bicycles. I learned last weekend, that when you're out of CO2, you're also out of bicycling. So I now carry a 'proper' pump too.

Yes!
If you run really high pressure tyres a small pump isn't perfect to get them back to the optimum pressure but it's usually enough to get you home/to your destination.

yes necessory. The foldable hand pumps is really handy

Can also be used to extinguish the small electrical fires which are a daily occurance on many folding bicycles. I learned last weekend, that when you're out of CO2, you're also out of bicycling. So I now carry a 'proper' pump too.

They prevent flats. When I started to carry them I was eager to get my first flat but it took me more than 4 weeks to get the first one (compared to the regular 2 week schedule).

BTW, I also carry a pump. First I pump 80-100 or so strokes (the first ones are easy) and then discharge a 16g. This gets me roughly to full pressure.

Kam

I have the Topeak road morph pump and have been pleased with it's ease of use and performance plus durability(it rides on the outside of my Carradice bag rain or shine)had it two years now.

Another +1 on the Topeak Road Morph - best portable pump I've ever used. It's really impressive - I have the 'G' (with gauge) and I find it reasonably accurate and useful.

Thanks again.

I'm looking the road morph as a sort of portable floor pump. This will work for me when I'm commuting with a pannier. Later on I'll look at something smaller to go in my saddle bag, so I have enough to limp home even when travelling light. I don't want to get stuck with a spare tube, all my tools but find the pump is in my other handbag.

... I may instead choose shiny as my portable floor pump :-) http://www.lezyne.com/products/hand-pumps/micro-floor-drive-hpg.html

depends..

..If you have a modern Dahon it should have a pump inside the seat post which is really effective, so no.

Any other bike, yes.

For any other bike you can buy a Dahon Seat post pump. BTW, I used to use the Topeak Morph but this is a better pump - pumps the tire faster and is easier to use because the seat is the pump handle allowing you to use both hands to pump with. It is also easier to stow since it IS the seat post.

... I may instead choose shiny as my portable floor pump :-) http://www.lezyne.com/products/hand-pumps/micro-floor-drive-hpg.html

I got this similar Lezyne pump (no gauge) from REI:

http://www.rei.com/product/786534

after returning one of the Crank Brothers mini pumps I continually struggled with. I love love love the shiny pump though I didn't much like getting a flat a day on the last week of my tour. Should have gotten the Lezyne a long time ago.

The CB pump was a surprise because the other CB gear I've seen has been pretty good (multi-tool 17 is genius and much smaller/lighter than the Topeak Alien). Anyway, if you have one of the CB pumps make sure the plastic innards are screwed tight (miserable silent failure otherwise) and that you fit the pump to the valve before turning the high/low pressure selector. Then, when satisfied that it works as intended and it still sucks, return/ebay/trash it and buy the Lezyne.

... I may instead choose shiny as my portable floor pump :-) http://www.lezyne.com/products/hand-pumps/micro-floor-drive-hpg.htmlThanks again.


Got the Lezyne - it's now my main pump. It took my Kojak from 5 to 8 bar, and it's noticeably increased my speed, by about 10% I think. I'm seeing if there is a way to secure it to my frame: no bottle cage.

But I am cursed: when I unscrewed the cap from the presta valve, the valve unscrewed along with it and all the air rushed out of the tyre. I really need to stay away from mechanical things.

Oh, and it does remind me of something in the latter scenes of Dead Ringers (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094964/)