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Frame pump... good for commute?

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Frame pump... good for commute?

Old 09-21-09 | 12:22 PM
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Frame pump... good for commute?

Just wondering what to look for in a frame pump. Are they good or should I just get a regular small pump instead?
Is Blackburn Frame Pump good? They come in different sizes.
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Old 09-21-09 | 12:24 PM
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For pumps, bigger is better.
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Old 09-21-09 | 12:56 PM
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Originally Posted by GeorgePaul
For pumps, bigger is better.
He's right .. bigger is better. If you're low on space and get a small pump, I'd carry CO2 as well to supplement, especially if you need to get a high pressure tire up and going again quickly.
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Old 09-21-09 | 12:59 PM
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Topeak Road Morph. I'll only be the first of many to say it.
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Old 09-21-09 | 01:29 PM
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Volume is king, but if you want/need a more compact variety, Lezyne makes some of the nicest pumps out there. They aren't cheap, but they're very high quality and have some nice features. I like that there is a hose (I believe the road morph has this as well) which threads onto a presta valve. This means you don't have to worry about wrecking a tube valve by holding the pump head in place while you inflate the tire. I have the "Road Drive" model, but I'm pretty sure they have some higher volume models as well.
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Old 09-21-09 | 01:39 PM
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Topeak Mountain Morph G, or Road Morph G (if you need greater than 100# pressure.) Air is always available, CO2 isn't.
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Old 09-21-09 | 01:50 PM
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Thanks. However I am interested in the opinion on frame pump. Does it need to be sized to the bike size?
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Old 09-21-09 | 02:04 PM
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Those are frame pumps, and include the mounting bracket. Find the cheapest price, print it, ant take it to your nearest Performance. I got mine for $17.
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Old 09-21-09 | 02:06 PM
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The Mountain Morph has a larger barrel, so pumps more, faster. The Road Morph has a thinner barrel, so pumps higher pressures easier. The Mountain Morph is easily capable of 100#. Make sure you get the G models, as they have a good gauge included on the pump.
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Old 09-21-09 | 02:10 PM
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So...Im not trying to hijack the thread but my old trek frame has a frame pump peg on the inside of the headtube and I'm wondering if newer pumps even take use of this, as the pumps mentioned in this thread usually come with mounting brackets. I'm refinishing my bike and am contemplating cutting it off.
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Old 09-21-09 | 02:14 PM
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Hurricane MiniMax Mini Pump from Performance. Works just like a road/mountain morph minus the PSI gauge for less than half the price of the Topeaks.
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Old 09-21-09 | 02:28 PM
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Road morph for me
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Old 09-21-09 | 02:29 PM
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Originally Posted by wunderkind
Just wondering what to look for in a frame pump. Are they good or should I just get a regular small pump instead?
Is Blackburn Frame Pump good? They come in different sizes.
IMH, but experienced opinion the ONLY frame pump for a cycle-commuter is the Topeak Road Morph w/gauge. It pumps to 140 psi and is very user friendly. Can be adapted for presta or schrader valve stems. Usually, they can be had for 30-35.00US from a variety of online sources. I've got 3. You wont regret the purchase of one, believe me.
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Old 09-21-09 | 02:30 PM
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Road Morph G. You want a pressure gauge as it's difficult to tell when your tire is properly inflated by feel - especially with 100PSI+ road tires. This pump is easy to mount and it works good. Don't screw around trying to save a buck or two.

There is only one requirment when sizing a pump to your frame - it has to fit where you want to mount it.
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Old 09-21-09 | 02:40 PM
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Just a quick search comes up with these prices - with more digging, under $20 should be possible.

https://www.nextag.com/TOPEAK-Mountai...19/prices-html
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Old 09-21-09 | 02:41 PM
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Originally Posted by daven1986
Road morph for me
I'll add that I am an other super happy Road Morph G user. I've used it as my primary pump for well over a year. I finally bought a good floor pump, as I don't want to break the Road Morph by over use... but seeing that it was used at least twice a week for well over a year it is one seriously strong, yet light pump. I also realy like knowing the actual pressure.

Happy riding,
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Old 09-21-09 | 02:50 PM
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Just to clarify - the Mountain Morph is rated to 160#, and I have used it up to 125#. But, it is noticeably more difficult to pump once you get to 100-110. It still works, you just have to work harder.
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Old 09-21-09 | 04:28 PM
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Bring your bike to the shop when you go and make sure that your front derailleur mount doesn't conflict with it. My wife's bike can take either a water bottle or a pump even though it has two sets of braze-ons. Conveniently for her, my wife likes water and hates pumping up tires.

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Old 09-21-09 | 04:47 PM
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The road morph has a bracket to mount to the frame. Is there really that much difference between that and an actual frame pump?

The road morph has never let me down. Even when it just sits there in all weather, getting wet, icy, snowy, whatever, it just works when it's time.
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Old 09-21-09 | 05:12 PM
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OK the Blackburn one is spring loaded. It doesn't have a bracket. Anyone used these?
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Old 09-21-09 | 06:58 PM
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OK, after 3 Serfas pumps with dual heads died on me, I got myself Road Morph - rated to 160 psi, has a flip-off foot peg, flexible hose and a gauge, fairly accurate. This is not a pump "to get you home", this is full-service tower pump in road-sized package. One drawback - mounting bracket can not be screwed into the bosses together with drink cage, or it has to be mounted with zip-ties (included). Ugh.
Thankfully, I had bunch of spares from Serfas products, and the outer diameter is the same.

Ride safe

SF
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Old 09-21-09 | 07:03 PM
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Originally Posted by ItsJustMe
Topeak Road Morph. I'll only be the first of many to say it.
Yep.
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Old 09-21-09 | 07:04 PM
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Originally Posted by ItsJustMe
Topeak Road Morph. I'll only be the first of many to say it.
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Old 09-21-09 | 08:12 PM
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Can I interrupt the Road Morph love to say something important?

This is a frame pump


Notice how it is held in place by spring tension, not by a mount. Notice how it is fit to the length of a frame tube, notice how it is much longer than most pumps you see.

this is a minipump


Notice how it is held in place by a mounting bracket. Notice it's short length, making it easy to place wherever a bracket can be mounted (perhaps this is why it's known as a 'mini' pump. Notice how one size fits all.

These are not interchangeable. One isn't better than the other, but you can't go calling the Road Morph a frame pump.


wait, sorry op, I forgot you wanted advice.

A frame pump, generally speaking, pumps more air than a minipump, due to the larger volume. This makes tire inflation quicker and easier. However, there aren't many frame pumps on the market (Blackburn, Zefal, and Park, as far as I know.) There has been a good bit of development towards good mini-pumps, that's why the road morph is such a well liked pump. However frame pumps are pretty much the same as ever.

The primary difference as I see it, a frame pump is mounted to a frame, so it's always there when you need it, while minipumps are more mobile. A frame pump is always there, when you need it or when someone want's to steal it. I've had one frame pump stolen, (or maybe lost, it just wasn't there one day). I've also had many flat tires that I couldn't repair because I left my minipump in my bag (from when I locked my bike outside) or it was on a different bike, or other stupid reasons.

Last edited by fuzz2050; 09-21-09 at 08:21 PM. Reason: answering the question
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Old 09-21-09 | 11:18 PM
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Originally Posted by fuzz2050
This is a frame pump
Umm, last time I looked my Road Morph was mounted to the frame...via that handy mounting bracket that came with the pump.
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