Suggestions for a mini pump
 

Hi all,

Just purchased my first road bike and want to make sure I have all the accessories for a ride. I have everything and even got a Spin Doctor mini pump (from Performance Bike) to mount onto the bike. Now though, I'm having second thoughts about it, partially because some have posted they lose a lot of air when unscrewing it after pumping up a tire and if your hands are sweaty, looks like it'll be hard to pump with because it's all polished metal.

Someone suggested this one but sounds like it has a lot of plastic parts in key areas that tend to failure over time.

Lezyne Micro Drive HP Pump | Competitive Cyclist

Wondering if any of you can suggest any good mini pumps.

Things I'd prefer it to have:
-mount to the side of water bottle mounts so I can still have two bottles
-ideally have a longer stroke so it's easier and quicker to pump up
-flexible hose so it's easier to pump up without destroying the valve/ valve stem
-must be Presta compatible (given)

And before anyone mentions, I haven't ruled out CO2 but would like to have a pump just in case I forget cartridges, run out, etc.

Thanks in advance and let me know if you need more info to answer.

The pump you linked to isn't an onboard pump. (Oops, my bad...it can be frame mounted...) It's overkill IMO.

I have this and it works like a charm, Lezyne is pretty good stuff. if you want a longer stroke it won't be a mini. Nevertheless I find this pump to be quite easy to rapidly inflate with:

Lezyne Pressure Drive Pump | Competitive Cyclist

Considering it would only be in case of flats/punctures, I do see your point about it being overkill.

I like the look and features of that one but I'm confused about the sizes. Is the medium just longer and can push more air then the small then?

+1
Great pump.

Agree with the lezyne line. I also have a topeak micro rocket which is small and light, but takes forever to get to pressure. Get the lezyne.

+1 Lezyne Pressure Drive

It seems to me Lezyne rule the mini pump market these days, with just the highest level of quality and style. for example, their boss mount brackets are minimalist, but some of rheir bottle cages are designed to accommodate the pump right along side, obviating the need for the bracket.

I use both the Carbon Road Drive and Road Drive models in Medium, one with the optional Pen Gauge hose for pressure reading.

They pump effectively, efficiently, and are lightweight.

The only other pump I use is the classic Zefal HpX framefit. I keep it on my winter bike, because the extra olume lets me get back under way as quicky as possible.

I have the Topeak RaceRocket. It is 18cm long and mounts on a bracket under my bottle cage. My mini pump is strictly for inflating my tubes for shape and getting the tubes to about 30-40 PSI, then I top it off with my CO2. Of course, the pumps are also my backup option in case my two CO2 cartridges and Genuine Innovations AirChuck Inflator malfunction.

Weather and location are a big factor in which pump to choose, as are what time in the day you ride.

When you actually have to fix a flat, a pump like that micro drive hp would work wonders. Weight could bother some.
I bought a Topek something rocket HP for the road, and a Lezyne something HV for mountain. I like the Topek a little better.
Honestly, CO2 isn't a bad choice if you don't flat too much, or if a few dollars a year aren't too expensive for you and you want to get back ASAP.

The Spin Doctor rescue minipumps are similar design as the Lezyne Pressure drive minipumps: they both have a flexible hose that terminates in a screw on chuck. This design is nice because you only have to hold the pump itself and not hold the pump on the valve where you risk tearing the tube at the valve stem base.

I'm assuming your tubes use presta valves. The way a presta valve works is that the pressure inside the tube is higher than atmospheric pressure and it's only this pressure differential that seals the valve shut. When you are pumping air in, what's happening is that you are increasing the pressure in the hose from the pump to the tube, so the higher pressure in the hose causes the valve to open and air to enter the tube until the pressure on both sides of the valve are equalized. And when you pump the piston again you increase the hose pressure and put more air in again. As soon as you start to unscrew the air chuck, the open-to-the-air side of the valve should rapidly drop to the outside air pressure (that's the "escaping air" hissing sound that people hear when they unscrew the chuck), but the high pressure of the air inside of the tube causes a pressure differential that shuts the valve closed without much air escaping from the tube at all.

It may be possible that when some people unscrew the chuck they aren't pulling it straight off the valve stem, and if the chuck is somehow pushing in the little presta stem or the nut attached to it, they may be pushing the valve open and letting air from the tube escape. But this falls in the realm of "operator error".

A lot of people like to start with the minipump and top off with CO2 because many pumps can't realistically pump road tires up to the pressures many people like to ride at. I struggle to get them up to 50-60 psi as the pump gets too hot and starts to leak at one of the seals somewhere because I'm impatient and pump pretty quickly.

Get the Lezyne carbon road drive pump, buy once cry once. Carry a couple CO2 cartridges and inflator for backup.

Lezyne Carbon Road Drive 3 M ABS Pump

This is the one I have too... works great for finding leaks and stuff, not so fun if you have to actually inflate a tire all the way. HOwever, I carry CO2 as the primary source of air and use this for finding the leak, mounting the tube etc. Fantastic.

The best frame mounted pump I've ever used was the Topeak Road Morph G in terms of ease of use. It's like a dinky little floor pump with a foot peg and all. I periodically had adjustment problems with it though (I mounted it next to my seat tube water bottle) and it would occasionally hit my leg, or drive down so that the crank would tap it... the Lezyne is invisible, which is why that's what's on my bike now.

I have both of these. The Lezyne Pressure Drive is perfect on the road bike mounted next to the bottle. The Lezyne Micro Drive HP Pump is perfect for my office drawer, and I'd never mount it on my bike. Too big.

I have four Lezyne pumps - a floor pump, a mini pump for the XC bike, a mini for the mountain bike, and the CO2 for the vintage road bike. Whatever you get, make sure it has a hose. I lime the Lezynes for their metal-to-metal attachment.

+=1, that is what I use (and carry a Lezyne C)2 inflator as well).

If you get the pressure drive, I suggest the longer models. Double check the exact model specs- max pressure, etc. to make sure you get the right model, they make a whole bunch that look similar. Lezyne isn't the cheapest stuff, but it's about the best made for the price.

The Micro Drive isn't TERRIBLE as a frame mounted pump, it's just a little clunky. The bracket mounts it next to a water bottle cage and honestly it doesn't get in the way as much as it looks like it might. If you like that design, look at the Topeak Road Morph, it's somewhat similar in design, though a little cheaper in finish, and a little more sleek when attached to the bike- though the included bracket isn't all that great- it holds well but it takes up a water bottle mount by design, or you zip tie the bracket somewhere (seatpost, under top tube, under downtube, etc.).

Personally, I just carry CO2 on my road bike. If you're going for a long ride, bring more cartridges and tubes. If you're riding in a group, as long as everyone has one cartridge and one tube it's usually enough even if someone has a bad day. I only bring a pump if the bike I'm riding has some sort of bag (most of my bikes).

+2 I have this pump and it is well designed and works well.

Another Lezyne fan here. The little flexible hose makes all the difference. This is the one I use: Lezyne Road Drive Pump - Mini Pumps | Competitive Cyclist

I can get tubes up to 90 PSI with it and I have wimpy cyclist arms.

Ignore the CO2 people. CO2 is for *******. It's a waste of money and materials.

Your is too big.

Get this:
Lezyne - Engineered Design - Products - Hand Pumps - High Pressure - Road Drive

I did the mini pump until I had to use it a few times and learned the hard way that CO2 is superior.

When I lived in SoCal, the more you ride out in the foothills and rural areas you'll get goat heads and flat tires. If you ride with other polite cyclists. Everyone stops for your flat repair/replacement.

It it is your job to do it as fast as possible. The Ideal is under 3 to 5 minutes from yelling "flat" to rolling again.

Hand pumps are too slow and heavy.

Most at small tail bags can hold 2 tubes, 2 co2 cartridges, boot patch material (or a dollar bill) and plastic tire irons.

If You think you'll go through lots of co2 then buy in bulk online "threaded food grade whip cream co2 cartridges".

One cartridge will pump to 110psi in a 23mm tire. No need for partial hand pumping.

+1, but not only that, it's a really vulgar statement about one's thoughtfulness.

:roflmao2:

This is largely a function of the pump. The Lezyne mini and Road Morphs I have can easily get the pressure well over 100psi quickly.

But a lot of pumps out there are not up to the task.

Oh god...don't tell me you're a CO2 user, too?

For a dedicated cheapskate, I'm surprised you'd allow yourself such a pointless indulgence.

Or are you one who has a disability preventing them from using a pump? If so, then it's not ******y.

+1, though a frame-fit is faster, which is why it's what I use for my winter/rain bike, so I can get beck on the move ASAP. It also looks retro-pro cool on my classic steel.