Bike Pumps Review

A bike pump is a pump that is designed to inflate bicycle tires. Bicycle pumps, like Pedro pumps and SKS pumps, use a connection or an adapter that will accommodate the two main types of tire valves: Schrader and Presta. There are several types of bike pumps available, including floor pumps, mini pumps, CO2 inflation pumps and frame mounted pumps. Innovations pump allow for portable and easy to use pumping technology.  In the simplest terms, a bike pump is operated by using a hand-operated piston that first draws and then expels air through a valve into a bike tire. A bike floor pump, also known as a stand or track pump, usually includes a stand on which to ret it on the floor. The user places his or her feet on the stand and then inflates the bicycle tire by pushing and pulling the handles of the pump to force air into the tire. A bike CO2 inflation pump, like the Slime compressor, are most often used by mountain bikers or road cyclists, since they are light and compact making them easy to carry on long rides. They may be one-time use pumps or may incorporate a re-usable pump alongside a second cartridge. These pumps use carbon dioxide and use a standard threaded 16g CO2 canister, similar to those designed for soda water fountains. Because carbon dioxide leaks out through the value much more quickly than air, the tire will have to be re-inflated with air within a few days after use. Frame mounted pumps, for example Zefal pumps, are small, hand operated pumps that are attached to the bike’s frame for easy carrying. They lack the power of floor pumps, but are quite handy to have when a rider must perform bike repair and maintenance on the road.

Pump accessories usually consist of parts designed to make bike pumps easier to use. The most common accessories are pump valve adapters, which are designed to convert a Schrader head to a Presta head and vice versa. Other bike pump accessories include pump replacement heads and hoses, replacement valve heads and replacement gauges for floor pumps. Most accessories are designed to replace various working parts of bike pumps which can break or become damaged through frequent use.

Models

There are a wide variety of bike pumps on the market today. Major brands include Planet Bike pump, LEZYNE pumps. Other popular brands include Blackburn pumps and Cranks Brothers pump.  They differ in weight and size, depending upon the model and type. For instance, the PFP-3 Floor Bike  ParkTool Pumps weighs 2pounds, 11 ounces and is 26 inches long, while the Carbon Frame Pump weighs only 7.5 ounces and is available in a variety of lengths.