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frame pump recommendations?
I'm planning a tour this summer and I need a good pump that'll work well with high pressure tires. Any recommendations?
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Topeak Morph series pump, Road Morph, Mountain Morph, or Mimi Morph depending on what you have room for.
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Road Morph
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I use a Topeak Road Morph with out issues. I inflate my tires to around 90-95 PSI usually.
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the morph gauge is hard to read. I unscrewed the gauge and used a Sharpie to mark the 95PSI point in red making it easier to see
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The road morph is a little easier to pump than the mtn morph. A few less busted knuckles too. It takes longer due to smaller volume per stroke, but it is easier.
BTW - they're both 35cm (348mm) long in closed position, despite Topeak's published specs. May be important if you're trying to fit in a tight spot, like behind seat tube. All the morph pumps are easier to use than a std frame pump due to one end being anchored to the ground by your foot. Use a Zefal hpX, etc, only if you need to develop your upper body strength. Park makes an nice adjustable frame pump that fits ~90% of the frame sizes, carried in the traditional under TT position. |
All of the Topeak pumps are 25% off at REI right now including all of the Morph series ones. I usually carry CO2 but I think I might get one for the "just in case".
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I can get high pressure with my road morph, but boy are my arms tired when I finish. I like the gauge because it lets you know that you are making progress, although very slowly. Without that feedback, I'd probably give up far earlier. It doesn't make high pressure easy, it just makes it possible.
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It makes it easier to have a good pump and the Morph series represents a family of good pumps. Works for my tandemn and it needs a good pump and tolerates no soft tires. tom
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Originally Posted by staehpj1
(Post 8852836)
Topeak Morph series pump, Road Morph, Mountain Morph, or Mimi Morph depending on what you have room for.
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It doesn't even have to be long distance touring, just longer distances around home make it necessary to have a decent frame pump if you want to be self-sufficient in terms of being able to continue a ride if you flat. I gather from recommendations on here that some Topeak minipumps are good for getting to high pressure. That may be right, but the problem still remains about getting to that high pressure. It's still a small barrel, and it will take a heck of a lot of strokes to get there. In my opinion, the only, truly reasonable solution is a full-sized frame pump.
Keep in mind that if you're touring on the kind of tires that require high pressures, you will be able to ride with 60 or so psi, but it won't be the same kind of ride. |
I have no problem getting above 110 psi with my road morph. I have been using the old model since 2004 and I'll never consider buying any other kind of frame pump. Even though it might take more strokes to get to high pressure with a road morph than it will with a full size frame pump, it actually requires less effort and you can pump faster because you are working with your body weight against the ground instead of using the force of one arm opposing the other. I see no reason to ever consider a full size frame pump as an option until they design one like the road morph. It makes no sense to me that anyone is currently manufacturing any kind of frame pump that doesn't have hose and retractable foot peg like the morph series has. I mean really, as far as I'm concerned, all other mini pumps are just pieces of junk, and I've owned several in years past.
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I've used three frame pumps. My target was around 105 psi. My first was a Blackburn mountain type (from about 15 years ago.) I couldn't get it up to 105 and got tendonitis in my forearms from the strain - I'm not kidding. Then I got a Zefal HpX. It worked great. Sure, it's still a bit of a struggle compared to a floor pump, but I could get to 105 without major pain. Now I have a Topeak Road Morph. I find it the easiest of all because of the design that is similar to a floor model.
Incidently, I was dubious about the efficacy of the gauge on the Road Morph, so I tested it against my expensive dial gauge. It was right on! I left the dial gauge at home and save several ounces! |
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