Pump Those Tires!

Frank Angelo wants our recommendation on what is the best way to get your tires back up to pressure after a puncture out on the road. We give you all advice on the best way to look after your tire pressures and what we suggest you should be taking with you on a ride for those occasions we all hate, when we get a flat

Question: First let me say that I really like your informative web site. My question is: Which on the road [ie. portable] air pump do you recommend. My 700,25cc tires need 120 psi to run properly. I have heard bad stories of co2 inflaters blowing out the tube. My current hand pump requires some real hard pumping and still can't get the tire up to 120 psi. What do you recommend.

Hi Frank,

It's a tricky problem that we all have to face, as I'm sure you realize you would be mad to go out on your bike with out some way of blowing up your tire after a puncture.

The best arrangement is to have a track pump at home, a track pump is an up-right tube pump with a double handle and it can get your tires up to very high pressures in a short, effortless, time. Now your question is about when you are out on a ride, old fashioned frame fitting pumps are the best way to blow up your tires, but they are big and bulky. As you say, Frank, mini pumps and CO 2 cartridges are the easiest way to carry a pump.

The CO 2 cartridges are great for races when you need a fast re-inflation, there have been some cases of over filling tires and explosions occurring, CO 2 pumps are the lazy way of blowing up your tires and it's not cheap to keep replacing the cartridges. A good quality mini pump is the best way to blow up your tires and they are easy to carry either in your back pocket or on clips bolted to one of your bottle cages.

There are many mini-pump on the market and normally the more they cost the better they tend to be. From the many we have had a look at we have picked out three manufacturers that make some of the best available.

Make some of the best and have many to suit different pockets, I refer to the cost, not your cycling jersey. The Pocket Rocket is probably the best; it is strong and has a smooth action that should get your tires to a good pressure fairly quickly.

The Air Stick pump from Blackburn has an aluminum barrel which is just under 30 cm's long and they claim will get to pressures of 160 psi. It has a very good grip and comes with frame mounts.

The Push CNC mini-pump is super strong and is made of precision CNC aluminum for strength and efficiency; it also will go to 160 psi and only weighs 72 grams. It will work with presta or Schrader valves and comes with brackets, although it is small enough for a pocket.

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