Bike Forums - Pump recommendations?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Geocyc (Post 18804123)

I use a hand pump I got at the dollar store. Probably $2. Used it for the last 12 years or so. Good as when I bought it.

Naive question...how often does anyone use a bicycle pump? Speed? Unless racing, No issue spending a couple minutes pumping up a tire.

Before every ride, more or less. I might skip it if I just pumped up the day before. So, between the 3 riders in the house, 3 to 6 times per week during riding season.

I have a no-name pump that I got from a shop about 30 years ago. I've never had to replace anything on it. For on-the-bike, I have a road morph. Actually I have two - one with and one without the gauge. I can't read the gauge without my reading glasses anyway, I just pump until it feels hard enough.

A frame pump is definitely no substitute for a full-sized floor pump.

Quote:

Originally Posted by texaspandj (Post 18802963)

I'll do a little more research, but pretty much sold on it. Ill look into craftsman as that's what my drill is and maybe share batteries. However gonna check over my floor pump and get it back working correctly.
I was at a triathlon last weekend started to air up my racing wheels with my 30 year old pump and it just stopped at a 100 psi. I needed 180 and the pump tops out at 225 psi or so. I was in a hurry and decide to just use my training wheels and it wouldn't pump them up either. I asked a fellow competitor who was running late if I could borrow his, he said no problem. It took like 4 strokes I was at 100 psi. I was like I guess I need to upgrade. He had a summit floor pump. I was impressed.
Back in 89 or so when Greg Lemond was making his comeback, ABC did a story on him and it showed him in his garage airing up his bike using a compressor.

If you have the c3 lithium batteries from another tool, you could use a coupon from the Sears club and get the portable inflator for about $30 dollars ish. I replaced the short hose with a longer hose and added a better presta head. The inflator has a digital gauge with an adjustable limit. I really wish shops offered this as an accessory. European race teams already use this in the Bosch version. It compliments my cordless drill as a favorite tool.

I had something strange happen a few days ago. I rode my bike and then put it in my house. Later that night, I had a flat tire. There was nothing on the outside of the tire or inside the tire (Just a very small hole in the tube). I wonder if that happened because my tires were at 60 psi (I didn't pump it after my ride though...). Maybe it would be better if I keep the PSI at 50?

Quote:

Originally Posted by morgothaod (Post 18805217)

I doubt it. Either a small rock or piece of debris worked its way in through the tire or your rim strip slipped, exposing the sharp edges of the rim. Check the inside of the tire carefully and look closely the rim.

Quote:

Originally Posted by morgothaod (Post 18805217)

look for something small in the tire, like a piece of wire. I had this happen to me because of that. Came home after a ride and the tire was fine. Put it up on the trainer to fiddle with cleat placement a couple hours later and all was fine; next morning the tire was flat. The leak in the tube was so small I had to pump it up and put it in the tub to find it; I had to use the cotton ball trick to find the wire poking through, and a PAIR OF TWEEZERS to pull it out. I didn't have needle noses small enough.

I have a Schwinn floor pump from Canadian Tire with a built in gauge.

I wanted to check/confirm it's pressure readings, so I pumped up the tire till it read 60 psi.

Then I checked it with 4 automotive gauges... 2 different brand dial types, 2 metal tube types...

NONE of them read the same thing. One of the dials read 50ish lbs, the other 45. One of the tube types read 35, the other 55 (rounding these off from memory)...

So out of 5 gauges, I really have no idea what pressure I'm actually getting to.

I need to find an accurate gauge. The pump itself on the other hand seems to work fine.

Cheers TRJB