There are a few types of bike pumps available for purchase. If you want some assistance on how to choose the best bike pump, this guide is for you – Read on.
There are three important things to consider while choosing the best bike pump – Your application, the primary function of the bike pump and its mobility. Of course, price is a universal factor that is applicable for bike pumps as well.
There are certain frame mounted pumps that are quite inexpensive. They are quite useful if one wants to just put them in their jersey pockets/ backpacks and go on long journeys. One never knows when they would need to re-fill their tires or when they would be faced with a flat tire. The frame mounted pumps are pretty sleek and small enough.
Of course, they can be mounted on frames. But do check if they can be mounted on your bike frame and if a specific mounting kit is required for fixing them on your bike. Some people use straps to tie them around frames, but it could be difficult to frequently remove them and fix them back.
One more thing to consider if you want to use a frame mounted pump is whether you can leave them on your frame. If you are going to be away from the bike for a considerable amount of time, there is a chance that it might be stolen. So, it might be better if these pumps can be carried along with ones luggage/ bag.
But, you need to remember that it takes a lot of effort to fill up air with these small sized frame mounted pumps. It is an excellent option to use during emergency, especially when the bike shop is 20 miles away from where your tires become flat. But trying to inflate tires using them regularly might be a difficult task. It might even end up breaking these pumps because they were not made for that task.
For regular use, its best to own and use a floor pump. Floor pumps are meant for casual use and are more comfortable to use. Floor pumps can also achieve higher PSI tire pressure levels, faster. The only minus point is, floor pumps are quite bulky and hence one cannot carry them around. But floor pumps have been around for a long time and they are very reliable.
In certain situations like a race, you might want to look at using a CO2 pump as it can inflate tires quickly. But the CO2 capsules are expensive and can be used only once. There are also leg pumps that can be used on the move, but they are more suitable for cars as taking them around on bikes is slightly difficult.
Look at the PSI rating of bike pumps before buying them – PSI refers to Pounds per Square Inch and it is a tire pressure rating indicator. It might be better to buy bike pumps with higher PSI rating because they might fill up the tires sooner. But a higher PSI may require more effort at each step.
There are certain frame mounted pumps that are longer and more durable. Such pumps can be used for regular usage, and you might consider buying them if you want to buy a dual purpose pump. Double action frame mounted pumps can force air into the cylinder during both the strokes (push and pull) and hence are more efficient.
One more thing to consider before choosing a bike pump is the kind of valve your cycle has and the kind of valve the bike pump supports. Some bike pumps support only one kind of valve, while others support multiple valves. So, be sure to check.