Bicycle Pumps
The bicycle pump is used to inflate the tyres on your bike. By regularly checking and inflating your tyres to the recommended pressure you will dramatically reduce the chances of getting a puncture or flat tyre. When I was a kid we used to pump up our tyres with the trusty old hand pump and would use the “thumb test” to see if it was hard enough or we would simply stop when we got tired of pumping and say “that should do it”. This meant that we were usually riding around on half flat tyres.
Today there are many different pumps available to you, and they are suited to a wide variety uses and applications. Sure you can still buy the trusty old hand pump that you used to use but it won’t do a great job of pumping up your tyres and these days they are made of cheap plastic that tends to wear out quickly.
For home use, the most common type of pump is the floor pump (or track pump). Floor pumps generally come with a gauge that shows you how much pressure is in your tyre which is a lot better than using the thumb test. There are floor pumps suitable for inflating kids bikes, BMX bikes, general adult bikes and mountain bikes. These pumps usually have a limit of about 60 to 70 PSI depending on how strong you are. Road bikes need on average 120PSI; if you have a road bike or run tyres that require pressures of more than 60PSI, you will need to invest in one of the better quality floor pumps that are designed to easily achieve these pressures. Floor pumps come in plastic, steel and alloy versions. The head fitting connected to the end of the hose goes over the valve of your tube. Smart head fittings are designed to attach easily to both Schrader and Presta type valves.
If you want to be able to pump up your tyre out on the road you will need a mini pump. Mini pumps are small, compact and light weight. Most mini pumps come with a clamp so you can mount the pump underneath the water bottle holder. Like the floor pumps, mini pumps are rated for different pressures so make sure you choose a pump that will easily inflate the tyre to the required pressure. Mini pumps are generally made from plastic, alloy or carbon and some models have an integrated air pressure gauge so you don’t have to guess. Not all mini pumps will work on Presta and Schrader valves so check the pump you are going to buy will fit your valve type. Because they are a lot smaller than floor pumps, mini pumps take longer to inflate the tyre so some of then come with dual action and telescopic barrels to speed the process up a bit.
