Touring - touring pump

I don't have a touring bike but am wondering something. I just got a Trek and the sidewall on the Bontrager's says 100psi. All I have right now is a Trek frame pump that came with the bike. I had pumped it up pretty good and wanted to know what pressures I had, so I went to the LBS to an air gauge and the guy there said all a frame pump is good for is to get you home and it will only pump up to 60 psi.

So do you tourers just ride at that pressure, or is there a way to get the recommended pressure on tour?

There are lots of good pumps that are small enough for touring that can get you up to 100psi. I doubt that most tourers ride at the high of pressure. I ride around 80psi, MAX! The Topeak Road Morph series of pumps are the most highly recommended on this forum. I use a Topeak Mini-Morph that is about half the size and can also get the Psi up to about 90, though it does take some muscle and time.

Frame pumps have the disadvantage of (1) using one hand to push while the other hand pulls, (2) attach directly to the valve requiring care so that you do not damage or break the valve off and (3) are usually too large a diameter for serious pressure. For high pressure, you want small diameter pump that does not move much air per stroke. Before I got a new pump (mentioned below), I used a Zefal HPX pump. Although it suffered the above listed characteristics, it worked reasonably well for me.

For general use, a heavy duty floor pump with gauge that you leave at home works best.

For transportable pumps that work really well, mentioned above are the Topeak pumps that can be used on the floor with a hose, friends of mine that have them are very happy. I recently bought a Lezyne frame mounted pump that can be operated on the floor and has a hose. I have only used the Lezyne a few times for testing and I could easily get over 100 psig, I am quite pleased with it. Next tour, the Lezyne goes along but I am not sure yet if I will bring the HPX as a back up or not.

For around town where theft could be an issue, I use cheap (less than $10 on sale) non-floor frame pumps on my bikes as emergency pumps.

I got this pump thrown in when I bought my wife a bike last week. I used it yesterday and I was very impressed. Worked great. I'm not sure about how it will hold up ove time, but it sure beats any other pump I have owned. Maybe others have some experience with this one. It's very expensive IMHO and I am not sure I would have bought it out right.

http://www.lezyne.com/products/hand-pumps/micro-floor-drive-hpg.html

I use a Lezyne Pressure Drive (http://www.lezyne.com/products/hand-pumps/presssure-drive.html) medium. It uses a hose to attach to the valve so you don't have to worry about snapping a valve off while pumping. It's small, lightweight and I can get 100psi out of it (tested on my road bike).


I run 26"x1.5" Schwalbe Marathon Racers at 80psi when commuting with no load and at 60psi when fully loaded.

I don't have a touring bike but am wondering something. I just got a Trek and the sidewall on the Bontrager's says 100psi. All I have right now is a Trek frame pump that came with the bike. I had pumped it up pretty good and wanted to know what pressures I had, so I went to the LBS to an air gauge and the guy there said all a frame pump is good for is to get you home and it will only pump up to 60 psi.

So do you tourers just ride at that pressure, or is there a way to get the recommended pressure on tour?

A "frame pump" is a long pump, which are mounted between the head and seat tube (usually). I suspect that you/he are talking about "minipumps", which are carried next to the water bottle or in a pocket (frame pumps are way too long to do that). There are minipumps that can go to 100psi and beyond. It takes a bit more time and effort but such pumps do exist. (Example "Lezyne" pumps).

Topeak Turbo Morph G. relatively long, but still shorter than a frame pump. been discussed til death on the forums, you should be able to find a lot of reviews on it.

cheers! :)

Topeak Turbo Morph G. relatively long, but still shorter than a frame pump. been discussed til death on the forums, you should be able to find a lot of reviews on it.

cheers! :)

Zefal HP X3,best frame pump ever made.It will pump the tire off the rim if you want.Mines 30 years old and going strong.

I've always used frame pumps and found them to be able to get to 100psi. I like the Primus, the Zefal and my old Rhode Gear ultralite. Blackburn now makes a frame pump and I believe that Zefal still makes them that should be able to get the the higher presures. I don't care much for minipumps except as a backup because it takes a lot of work to get the pressure up there.

And YES, I keep the pressures high in my tires ESPECIALLY on my touring bike because of the greater loads that it carries. Higher pressure means less rolling resistance. I usually run my Contis at 115 to 125 psi and as high as I can get them with the frame pump if or when needed.

+1 on the Zefal HPX pump I have one on my Surly LHT and it does great for my self.

I have used the Topeak Road Morph and Turbo Morph, and currently carry the Turbo Morph. It fits in the pump port on my Camelbak, has a fold-down foot, hose connection, T-handle, and flip-down analog gauge that reads up to 160psi! Not that I will ever use that high of pressure, but I do run 120-125 in my road bike tires, and 100 in the 26x1.5 Schwalbe Marathons on my touring rig. Have not had any problems in the few times I had flats, or the couple times I stopped to help someone with their flats.

I carry either a Topeak Road Morph or a Turbo Morph on tour. I find them both easier to use than the Lezyne Pressure Drive medium, which I also own. Being able to brace the pump on the ground makes the pumping much easier...

I've been using the Topeak road morph for a few years with no problems. It attaches to my bottom tube and has a gauge, which I need especially for touring.

Hmmm. I thought a frame pump was a pump you carried on your bike, attached to the frame. What do I know?

I had one that gave me tendonitis trying to get my road wheels up to full pressure. I hated it. Then I tried a friend's HpX. What a difference! I put one on all my bikes. When I started hearing about the Topeaks I thought I'd better give them a try. I like them! I now have a Road Morph on both my road bikes. I tested the pressure gauge against my dial gauge, and it was accurate enough that I can leave the dial gauge at home, saving an ounce or two. I like that the handle goes transverse to the shaft. I like that there's a place for your foot and you can put that end on the ground. I like how it has a little hose running from the pump to the valve (like the pumps I remember from 40 years ago.) All those features make using it a lot like using a floor pump.

A "frame pump" is a long pump, which are mounted between the head and seat tube (usually). I suspect that you/he are talking about "minipumps", which are carried next to the water bottle or in a pocket (frame pumps are way too long to do that). There are minipumps that can go to 100psi and beyond. It takes a bit more time and effort but such pumps do exist. (Example "Lezyne" pumps).

Yes, mini, portable pumps.

Thanks for your correction!

I'm trying to learn what Im talking about

I've been using this one (http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442623581&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302693749&bmUID=1276222712636). It's has a hose so I am less likely to break a stem, pressure gauge that can be a bit hard to read if you don't pay attention,it has a fold out foot rest that helps a lot too. It's about 14" long, about 1 1/4" wide. It comes with a bracket to attach to the frame either with two giant included zip-straps or eyelets with included bolts.

BigBlueToe - pass those Zefals my way!