Mini-pump shoot out: TL::DR I'm back to CO2

[pdmtong]

I've got a Silca Premio seat roll that has a tube, patches/glue, glueless patches and two CO2 cartridges. I use a Blackburn Airstik SL to pre-inflate the tube (I was never good at blowing up balloons and even worse at blowing up a tube with my mouth.)

I got to thinking maybe a newer mini-pump could stand alone in case I gaffe both CO2. So I tried a few. I know people have and love these mini-pumps but they just didn't work for me.

Garage tested sitting on a stool with a C15 shamal and open pave 700x24. I was hoping one of these could hit 90 psi. Below are the max psi I could get in lab conditions after considerable effort

1) silca pocket impero. 65psi. I had my hand over the valve and the rim yet I still managed to tear the valve/tube interface even though I was careful trying not to.
2) blackburn core slim (new for 2019) 80psi
3) lezyne road drive small 70psi
4) lezyne road drive medium 75psi

What's puzzling to me is these advertise over 100psi capability but I am getting no where near that. and for sure if I am in the field in the rain on the side of the road I get less than what I get in my garage.

I dont want to carry a full size frame pump so I'm back to CO2 and my cell phone.

[tctyres]

FYI, I've had good results with the Bontrager Air Support HP (https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/cycling-accessories/bike-pumps-accessories/bike-pumps/bontrager-air-support-hp-s-road-pump/p/13856/)

[mktng]

the tattico looks like a good option.
or is that too large.

i like the hose and valve lock. unlike lezynes valve core remover :P

[jamesdak]

Yeah, I pretty much still try to carry a full size frame pump on top of Co2. Fortunately most of my 30 bikes are vintage steel and equipped with pump pegs so it's not a problem. I've got maybe 3 or 4 with number tab hangers tha take a bit of creativity.

Every mini pump I've tried has let me down.

[stien]

I can typically get 75psi into a tire with a 25mm road rim. I was surprised that I got 95psi on a narrow rim recently. This is with the smallest Lezyne pressure drive. The hose is a necessity IMO. Agreed that it's an annoyance, but one that happens infrequently. I'd rather ride 10psi low than have my co2 blow out by accident somewhere.

[beeatnik]

Paul, just ride tubulars. With the conditions of East Bay and Penninsula roads, you'll flat once every 10 years.

[Mark McM]

I've tried a number of different mini hand pumps, and they all take a significant amount of time and effort to get up to high pressure. This is primarily a limitation if the design: Because they are typically short, they can only have a short stroke, limiting stroke volume (increasing the number of strokes required); because they require holding both ends of the pump to compress it, they become more taxing on the muscles to use, and increasing cylinder diameter (to decrease strokes) results in higher forces to be used. Unfortunately, these laws of physics can not be avoided.

But, there is a style of pump that can be easy and fast to use, and these are mini floor pumps. These pumps are similar to mini hand pumps, but they incorporate a foot peg and foldable handle, so that they can be used like a floor pump. Like a standard floor pump, these pumps allow a user to use their body weight on the pump - this makes it easier to reach high pressures, and can allow larger cylinder diameters to decrease the number of strokes required. The down side of these pumps is that that they are usually larger and heavier than hand pumps. But they work much better than hand pumps.

Mini floor pumps are made by several companies, include Bontrager and Topeak:

http://www.cyclocamping.com/prodimages/large/GOTTRP3G-1.jpg

[PaMtbRider]

I've had a bunch of mini pumps including several Lezyne. I'm currently using a Tattico and think that is the best current option. I also have the topeak pump listed above. It works really well, but is big, heavy, and ugly. I prefer a full size frame pump to the Topeak if I am going that big.

[R3awak3n]

I just bought a silca tattico bluetooth. It was on sale because was a demo or something. It was DOA, working with silca to maybe replace. I had to say though, the way it attaches to the bike is very nice and it pumped the tire decently. No match for a frame pump but I liked it, maybe I get the non BT tattico.

[vqdriver]

Not sure why but the innovations second wind never seemed to gain popularity even tho it solves many of these issues.
Pre inflate to shape the tube? use the pump mode
Inflate to max pressure ? use the co2 cartridge
Run out of co2, multiple flats? Use the pump

Also cheap, durable, and disappears next to the bottle cage
I keep my cartridge(s) in the saddle bag
https://www.amazon.com/Innovations-Secondwind-Road-Aluminum-Inflator/dp/B07CRSQNQ6

[MattTuck]

I

1) silca pocket impero. 65psi. I had my hand over the valve and the rim yet I still managed to tear the valve/tube interface even though I was careful trying not to.
2) blackburn core slim (new for 2019) 80psi
3) lezyne road drive small 70psi
4) lezyne road drive medium 75psi



I've had this happen. Seems like someone could invent something that involves a velcro strap and a stabilizing block to help avoid this. I have a hose based lezyne, which largely avoids this issue, but the lateral forces when you're trying to quickly pump up a tube, even with a hose based pump are still there. It's a very unstable system.

[spoonrobot]

Back when I raced track I regularly used the topeak pocket rocket (https://www.topeak.com/global/en/products/mini-pumps/1204-pocket-rocket-(2019)) to pump to 110-120 psi (verified on meiser gauge).

[killerrabbit]

The Blackburn core slim gets my vote. It includes a valve core tool so you can ensure a tight fit before engaging the hose.

[chiasticon]

frame pump for the win.

bonus: it forces you to only buy bikes of relatively classic design (no swoopy looking top tubes :no:).

[R3awak3n]

I rock a frame pump on 2 of my swoop tube bikes.

[OtayBW]

I've carried a Lezyne Road Drive for years with 700x23s. Small, compact,works well. Will def get you home, but it will reliably get you ~70 psi and only more with some real freakin effort. That works for me, but it will not come close to the 120 psi that it was specced at when 1st bought it.

[benb]

I have a Lezyne Road Drive on one bike and a Bontrager Air Support HP Pro S on my other bike. I've used the Road Drive with tires from 28c->38c with pressures ranging from 35-70psi. The Bontrager is on a bike that has pretty much only had 26c tires and that has had to deal with pressures from 65-90psi.

Both of these have an extendable hose so you're not putting major stress on the valve stem. I have broken a valve stem on the side of the road before with a mini-pump that didn't have a hose.

Overall I like the Bontrager a bit better, it's less fiddly getting it on and off and a bit smoother when pumping. However the rubber cap on the Bontrager is more likely to pop off. No big deal but I find it coming loose more often.

Another great mini-pump is the Barbieri Carbone. That does not have a hose on it so you have to be careful to not stress the valve stem. But it's an incredibly light pump that actually works really well. I used to use the Carbone back in the day when I ran 23c tires and ran between 110-120psi and it did a really great job with the higher pressures.

I've got a Topeak or a Blackburn on my MTB.. not much to right home about on that one. But it gets the job done, I only need that pump to work to 20-30psi.

[R3awak3n]

I have a lezyne road drive and its definitely adequate for a road tire. Probably one of the best ones out there.

[Elefantino]

I've used a Bontrager Air Rush for years. It's a meh mini pump but you can use C02 with it and then top off. Best of both worlds, sort of.

[Dino Suegiù]

Another great mini-pump is the Barbieri Carbone. That does not have a hose on it so you have to be careful to not stress the valve stem. But it's an incredibly light pump that actually works really well. I used to use the Carbone back in the day when I ran 23c tires and ran between 110-120psi and it did a really great job with the higher pressures.


I used to have that one, for years. It was indeed excellent, and worked very well for over 10 years, easily reached 110psi on 23s. The point benb made about the rigidity of the head is very valid. It was awkward/a bit difficult to position at times. But, a very good mini-pump.

Now I also use a Silca Tattico, mainly because of the hose. It is also very good, very efficient. But, larger than the Barbieri by a bit.

Those are the only two mini-pumps I have ever tried, and I like both better than the Innovations CO2 thing I have.

[Willy]

MiniFumpa pump - fantastic solution

https://www.fumpapumps.com/

[thirdgenbird]

MiniFumpa pump - fantastic solution

https://www.fumpapumps.com/

It’s amazing that a functional air compressor can be that small. Has it proven reliable?



For those of you that have experienced valve damage, are you using lightweight tubes? I’ve never had any issue. mid-depth double wall rims seem to do a fine job at supporting the valve. I usually do take my time. As a bonus, it also reduces heat which seems to kill mini pumps.

[Ralph]

You don't need much pressure to get you home....or back to car.

[thirdgenbird]

You don't need much pressure to get you home....or back to car.

Agreed. My old specialized pumps have treated me very well. Simple and reliable. No issues getting enough pressure to make it home.


I just saw an online “review” for that compressor and searched PL to see if anyone was using out of pure curiosity.

[Coffee Rider]

One issue with the Lezyne and ones that screw on can be pulling out the valve stems when you unscrew it. I’ve been using cartridges for a while since I rarely use them and had been just doing paved road riding.


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[jtakeda]

One issue with the Lezyne and ones that screw on can be pulling out the valve stems when you unscrew it. I’ve been using cartridges for a while since I rarely use them and had been just doing paved road riding.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

some tire levers have valve core removers (or tighteners in this case) but i have experience what youre talking about with lezyne. Its been mitigated with said levers

[Coffee Rider]

some tire levers have valve core removers (or tighteners in this case) but i have experience what youre talking about with lezyne. Its been mitigated with said levers


This was a problem today even with a core tightener. It was overall part of a comedy of errors on someone else’s bike: sealant dried up; uncooperative valve core; and my tube not working in a tire that was pretty big. It was better to be the person trying to help than the one needing it.


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[smead]

I've got a Silca Premio seat roll that has a tube, patches/glue, glueless patches and two CO2 cartridges. I use a Blackburn Airstik SL to pre-inflate the tube (I was never good at blowing up balloons and even worse at blowing up a tube with my mouth.)

I got to thinking maybe a newer mini-pump could stand alone in case I gaffe both CO2. So I tried a few. I know people have and love these mini-pumps but they just didn't work for me.

Garage tested sitting on a stool with a C15 shamal and open pave 700x24. I was hoping one of these could hit 90 psi. Below are the max psi I could get in lab conditions after considerable effort

1) silca pocket impero. 65psi. I had my hand over the valve and the rim yet I still managed to tear the valve/tube interface even though I was careful trying not to.
2) blackburn core slim (new for 2019) 80psi
3) lezyne road drive small 70psi
4) lezyne road drive medium 75psi

What's puzzling to me is these advertise over 100psi capability but I am getting no where near that. and for sure if I am in the field in the rain on the side of the road I get less than what I get in my garage.

I dont want to carry a full size frame pump so I'm back to CO2 and my cell phone.

I can understand the need to max pressure in a short amount of time in a race ride , but I guess I don't understand the need to get 100 lbs. if it would only be used infrequently to back up C02s on training or rec rides. That's how I used to use mine, but now I just skip the CO2s, and on the occasional flat, 60 lbs is plenty good to get me home. 150 pumps with my old Blackburn will get me that with 23s.

[wallymann]

i'd rather ride 10psi low than have my co2 blow out by accident somewhere.

agree 100%