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Looking for a Mini Road Pump?

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Looking for a Mini Road Pump?

Old 12-31-14 | 04:15 PM
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Looking for a Mini Road Pump?

I bought this little Topeak RaceRocket HP pump about about seven months ago on the recommendation of someone here on BikeForums. I have not had to use it yet, but this morning I tested it at home. I was able to get to 110 PSI without a lot of strain. I use to carry the Topeak Road Morph with gauge on my road frames, but they were just a little too long and bulky for my taste, even though I could get to 120 PSI on them without issues at all

So, I recommend this little pump if you are looking for one that is small, works very well, has a little clip that fits under a bottle cage or that you want to carry in a jersey pocket,.

My strategy on flats is that I carry one extra tube, a Genuine Innovations AirChuck with two CO2 cartridges, a Park Tool Glueless patch kit set and the Topeak pump. The Topeak to shape my tube, look for hole so as to find if culprit is still in my tire, then inflate to 30 PSI or so, then blast to full pressure with CO2

Topeak® Cycling Accessories ? Products - RaceRocket HP, black

Oh, forgot to mention that it rattles where the piston barrel joins the body when riding (when pump is clipped under your bottle cage) , and my solution was to wrap a little bit of electrical tape at that joint, and all is well.

Last edited by Jed19; 12-31-14 at 04:22 PM.
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Old 12-31-14 | 04:51 PM
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Nice little review; thanks.
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Old 12-31-14 | 08:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Jed19
I bought this little Topeak RaceRocket HP pump about about seven months ago on the recommendation of someone here on BikeForums. I have not had to use it yet, but this morning I tested it at home. I was able to get to 110 PSI without a lot of strain. I use to carry the Topeak Road Morph with gauge on my road frames, but they were just a little too long and bulky for my taste, even though I could get to 120 PSI on them without issues at all

So, I recommend this little pump if you are looking for one that is small, works very well, has a little clip that fits under a bottle cage or that you want to carry in a jersey pocket,.

My strategy on flats is that I carry one extra tube, a Genuine Innovations AirChuck with two CO2 cartridges, a Park Tool Glueless patch kit set and the Topeak pump. The Topeak to shape my tube, look for hole so as to find if culprit is still in my tire, then inflate to 30 PSI or so, then blast to full pressure with CO2

Topeak® Cycling Accessories ? Products - RaceRocket HP, black

Oh, forgot to mention that it rattles where the piston barrel joins the body when riding (when pump is clipped under your bottle cage) , and my solution was to wrap a little bit of electrical tape at that joint, and all is well.
Awesome, I got a race rocket to replace a road morph G. I liked it so much, I got the hp, and the hpc.
I like it more than the lezyne I have, which I bought for mountain biking.
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Old 01-01-15 | 06:32 AM
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I like the Race Rocket pumps too. The thread-on chuck and captive rotating hose work very well. I have standard and HP versions. The standard has a bit larger diameter so pumps faster with the tradeoff of requiring more force to pump it. I prefer the standard for 90-100 PSI road tires. My wife uses the HP.
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Old 01-01-15 | 09:35 AM
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+1 Race Rocket
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Old 01-01-15 | 10:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Jed19
I bought this little Topeak RaceRocket HP pump about about seven months ago on the recommendation of someone here on BikeForums. I have not had to use it yet, but this morning I tested it at home. I was able to get to 110 PSI without a lot of strain. I use to carry the Topeak Road Morph with gauge on my road frames, but they were just a little too long and bulky for my taste, even though I could get to 120 PSI on them without issues at all

So, I recommend this little pump if you are looking for one that is small, works very well, has a little clip that fits under a bottle cage or that you want to carry in a jersey pocket,.

My strategy on flats is that I carry one extra tube, a Genuine Innovations AirChuck with two CO2 cartridges, a Park Tool Glueless patch kit set and the Topeak pump. The Topeak to shape my tube, look for hole so as to find if culprit is still in my tire, then inflate to 30 PSI or so, then blast to full pressure with CO2

Topeak® Cycling Accessories ? Products - RaceRocket HP, black

Oh, forgot to mention that it rattles where the piston barrel joins the body when riding (when pump is clipped under your bottle cage) , and my solution was to wrap a little bit of electrical tape at that joint, and all is well.
Your strategy is IMO the correct one. Ca-ca pump is just for shaping the tube. CO2 is for inflating it. And if you decided not to carry the ca-ca pump at all, it wouldn't make all that much difference. An extra C02 cart that you could waste to shape the tube would be a pretty decent size and weight trade against the ca-ca pump. Of course I am not speaking about Lezyne pumps. We all know how wonderful they are. Heaven knows we are told often enough.
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Old 01-01-15 | 10:21 AM
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
Your strategy is IMO the correct one. Ca-ca pump is just for shaping the tube. CO2 is for inflating it. And if you decided not to carry the ca-ca pump at all, it wouldn't make all that much difference. An extra C02 cart that you could waste to shape the tube would be a pretty decent size and weight trade against the ca-ca pump. Of course I am not speaking about Lezyne pumps. We all know how wonderful they are. Heaven knows we are told often enough.
Leyzene pumps help achieve the PSI goal... if that's important to you.
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Old 01-01-15 | 10:27 AM
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Originally Posted by f4rrest
Leyzene pumps help achieve the PSI goal... if that's important to you.
Like I just said, "Heaven knows we are told often enough." I love being right.
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Old 01-01-15 | 10:41 AM
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I have a Lezyne Road Drive. RaceRocket > Road Drive.
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Old 01-01-15 | 11:28 AM
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
Like I just said, "Heaven knows we are told often enough." I love being right.
Your goal is achieved, then.
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Old 01-01-15 | 11:32 AM
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Genuine Innovations Second Wind is what I like 2 pumps in one so both a hand pump and C02 so I only need to have 1 with me to cover if I run out of C02
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Old 01-01-15 | 12:08 PM
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I use to use a road morph until I replaced it with an Air Chuck. I just blow air into the tube with my mouth until the tube is round so that I don't get a pinch flat. I just use the Air Chuck and have never felt the need to carry a mini pump. I do carry two tubes, a patch kit and 3 CO2 cartridges.
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Old 01-01-15 | 12:26 PM
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Originally Posted by JTGraphics
Genuine Innovations Second Wind is what I like 2 pumps in one so both a hand pump and C02 so I only need to have 1 with me to cover if I run out of C02
You never run out of C02 until you die. The pressure might be a little low, however.
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Old 01-01-15 | 12:29 PM
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Originally Posted by f4rrest
Your goal is achieved, then.
I quote from the movie, "Green Lantern" when I say, "I know, huh"?
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Old 01-01-15 | 03:34 PM
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Why bother with carrying CO2 if you have a pump? I have the smaller version of that pump, the Micro Rocket, and I can get the tire to 8 bar without any trouble. It fits in a jersey pocket too.
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Old 01-01-15 | 03:50 PM
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Originally Posted by K.Katso
Why bother with carrying CO2 if you have a pump? I have the smaller version of that pump, the Micro Rocket, and I can get the tire to 8 bar without any trouble. It fits in a jersey pocket too.
Because the pump is a RPITA. Say what you will, pumping up a road bike tire to 100 psi or so with a pump the size of a big cigar just ain't no fun. You bother with C02 (wait, what do you mean bother?) because it works great and is fast, cheap and easy. Tough combination to beat. Or you can beat your head on the pavement. Your choice. Oh, I forgot that Lezyne pumps are made by magic elves under a tree in the forest. They are WONNNDERFUL. Oh please, give me a break.
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Old 01-01-15 | 03:55 PM
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
Because the pump is a RPITA. Say what you will, pumping up a road bike tire to 100 psi or so with a pump the size of a big cigar just ain't no fun. You bother with C02 (wait, what do you mean bother?) because it works great and is fast, cheap and easy. Tough combination to beat. Or you can beat your head on the pavement. Your choice. Oh, I forgot that Lezyne pumps are made by magic elves under a tree in the forest. They are WONNNDERFUL. Oh please, give me a break.
I just mean that if you already have an unlimited source of air, why bother taking up space with an inflator and extra cartridges? I can pump up a tire to 8 bar in about 2 minutes or less with that mini-pump. It's a bother for me to carry extra crap because I'm one of "those" people that puts everything in a jersey pocket.
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Old 01-01-15 | 04:00 PM
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Originally Posted by K.Katso
I just mean that if you already have an unlimited source of air, why bother taking up space with an inflator and extra cartridges? I can pump up a tire to 8 bar in about 2 minutes or less with that mini-pump. It's a bother for me to carry extra crap because I'm one of "those" people that puts everything in a jersey pocket.
The C02 occupies roughly the same space as the mini pump. I carry everything for the bike in one jersey pocket as well. I have had beaucoup small pumps including Topeak and Lezyne, and not a one was worth a damn. IMO that is.
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Old 01-01-15 | 04:03 PM
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
The C02 occupies roughly the same space as the mini pump.
That's fine, but my original question is why would you carry BOTH like the OP does? Then you are using up twice the space for the same function.
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Old 01-01-15 | 04:13 PM
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Originally Posted by K.Katso
That's fine, but my original question is why would you carry BOTH like the OP does? Then you are using up twice the space for the same function.
I already advised him against that. I understand the idea, to shape up the tire with the pump and fill it to pressure with the C02. Not at all necessary to have both. Hey, wait a minute. Did we just agree?
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Old 01-01-15 | 04:17 PM
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Originally Posted by rpenmanparker
Hey, wait a minute. Did we just agree?
Yes, but I think we did all along. I was wondering why we were having this discussion in the first place.
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Old 01-01-15 | 04:18 PM
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Originally Posted by K.Katso
That's fine, but my original question is why would you carry BOTH like the OP does? Then you are using up twice the space for the same function.
Hahaha! Right?!

But what will they do when the CO2 runs out!
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Old 01-01-15 | 04:21 PM
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Originally Posted by chaadster
Hahaha! Right?!

But what will they do when the CO2 runs out!
Never happens.
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Old 01-01-15 | 04:41 PM
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My favorite thing is to watch a bunch of CO2 carriers-- Ha! That's what I'll call those people, "carriers," like they've got a disease!-- get a request for help from a fellow cyclist down on their luck with a flat: "Uh, sorry man, I don't have a pump." Scared-a** bastards! You know damn well you can help the bro out, you just don't want to give out your "precious" resource.

Me: "I got you man. You can use my bad-a**ed Lezyne carbon fiber pump!" "Trick? What, you like the pressure gauge hose, don't you?!"

Carriers. Hahahaha!
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Old 01-01-15 | 07:55 PM
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Originally Posted by K.Katso
That's fine, but my original question is why would you carry BOTH like the OP does? Then you are using up twice the space for the same function.
CO 2 to fill the flat quickly. On a group ride you makes others wait. On a busy highway shoulder you want to get out of there in a hurry. In the cold rain, you don't want to wait.

A mini pump to help find the flat cause and start the inflation
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