Pocketable Mini Pump?

[weisan]

Wow. I didn't realize these were selling at a premium, I got a basket full of them from the co-op.

It looks nice mounted on my tandem, even matches the color. But just this past weekend, my 5-yr-old and I went for a ride on our tandem to the playground and when we got there I noticed that the front tire is a bit low on air so I took out the pump and tried to inflate it a bit more but alas, the minute I inserted into the valve, the pump rod shot out like a rocket and I couldn't get any air in even by force. In the end, I lost so much air that I had to call the wife to drive over with a floor pump just so I can re-inflate the front tire and continue our way home. Not such a good day.



Check out this video of my recent gravel ride. Fast forward to 5:30. A funny moment with my friend Rick trying in vain to pump his gravel tires using a mini pump. In the end, he had to borrow my zefal frame pump.

[froze]

This was interesting, my curiosity was killing me so instead of waiting for tomorrow I deflated a tire and used the new Zefal HPX on it's maiden pump voyage. The new one pumps less volume of air than the old HP did, or so I recall from days long since gone. Anyway it took 55 strokes to get to 110, still a lot better than any mini can even dream of coming close to.

WEISEN: if you read my earlier posts about the Silca you can learn how to use the pump without blowing it apart. What happen with those for unlearned people is that they would jam the presta valve into the pump till it bottom out on the inside of the pump head, then when they started to pump the pressure would build up with no place for it go except out the back. The same thing happened to you except you already had pressure in the tire, so when you over inserted the presta valve into the pump head the tire air pressure slammed through the pump and blew the rod out the rear.

You can only insert the presta valve about half way into the pump head. You can experiment with this with a deflated spare tube and insert the valve with the valve head unscrewed of course till you hit the bottom of the pump head then pull it out about half way and see if you can pump the tube,if not push it a bit further but 1/2 way is where they usually work. Then in the future just remember how far that presta went in to get to the halfway point.

[weisan]

thanks for the tip froze pal, I will give it a try.

[froze]

Originally Posted by weisan

thanks for the tip froze pal, I will give it a try.

NP, I was thinking, and that can be dangerous! If the pump rear isn't destroyed and only stripped the threads you could get some Gorilla glue (not Gorilla Super Glue though that could work as well but getting on your fingers trying to spread it thinly will dry on your fingers and you'll have glue on them for the next week! But super glue is more brittle so not sure if it would work for as long as Gorilla Glue) and use just a small amount to get a VERY THIN coat on the threads and then quickly assemble the pump, wipe off any excess glue and wait 24 hours and see if it works. Follow the directions on the bottle too because the surfaces have to be damp but not dripping with water. Gorilla glue will foam up on the outside so keep an eye on it and wipe it off before it hardens if that happens, but a thin enough layer shouldn't do that very much if at all.

This repair may or may not work, but the way I see it is the pump is already ruined so why not try it?

I repaired an old fiberglass fly fishing rod when I using it as a flag pole/fishing pole for the rear of my touring bike, I bent the rod to much going under a tree and snapped the two piece rod about an inch above the male joint, so I cut off just enough of the broken section to get rid of the splintered part and then wrapped it tightly with glass packing tape several turns till it fit snug back inside the female joint, then I took the section out and poured a bit of Gorilla glue into the female joint allowing to settle to the bottom of the joint then rammed in the taped section...next day I had a working fly rod I to use on my touring bike as flag pole too!

[froze]

Originally Posted by weisan

thanks for the tip froze pal, I will give it a try.

NP, I was thinking, and that can be dangerous! If the pump rear isn't destroyed and only stripped the threads you could get some Gorilla glue (not Gorilla Super Glue though that could work as well but getting on your fingers trying to spread it thinly will dry on your fingers and you'll have glue on them for the next week! But super glue is more brittle so not sure if it would work for as long as Gorilla Glue) and use just a small amount to get a VERY THIN coat on the threads and then quickly assemble the pump, wipe off any excess glue and wait 24 hours and see if it works. Follow the directions on the bottle too because the surfaces have to be damp but not dripping with water. Gorilla glue will foam up on the outside so keep an eye on it and wipe it off before it hardens if that happens, but a thin enough layer shouldn't do that very much if at all.

This repair may or may not work, but the way I see it is the pump is already ruined so why not try it?

I repaired an old fiberglass fly fishing rod when I using it as a flag pole/fishing pole for the rear of my touring bike, I bent the rod to much going under a tree and snapped the two piece rod about an inch above the male joint, so I cut off just enough of the broken section to get rid of the splintered part and then wrapped it tightly with glass packing tape several turns till it fit snug back inside the female joint, then I took the section out and poured a bit of Gorilla glue into the female joint allowing to settle to the bottom of the joint then rammed in the taped section...next day I had a working fly rod I to use on my touring bike as flag pole too! Gorilla glue works good.

[Ruimteaapje]

Topeak Micro Rocket anyday - either with a tube and two tire levers in a bottle (for short rides - bottom photo) or with two tubes, two levers and a multitool in a saddle bag (longer rides when I need two bottles or on my Peugeot because it only has one bottle holder)

[froze]

Originally Posted by Ruimteaapje

Topeak Micro Rocket anyday - either with a tube and two tire levers in a bottle (for short rides - bottom photo) or with two tubes, two levers and a multitool in a saddle bag (longer rides when I need two bottles or on my Peugeot because it only has one bottle holder)

Sweet looking bikes you have there!

[Mark McM]

Anybody have any experience with the dual stage mini-pumps that some manufacturer's offer? These pumps are switchable between high volume/low pressure mode and low volume/high pressure mode. The idea is to be able to inflate to a high pressure in fewer strokes, by starting in a high volume/low pressure mode, and then when it gets too hard to pump, you switch to the low volume/high pressure move. I wonder if they work as well the idea promises.

Crank brothers is one of the companies that make these mini-pumps:

[Wayne77]

I have both the Topeak Race Rocket HP and the Lezyne Pressure Drive. In my opinion the Topeak is worlds better. I know others like the Lezyne but I personally thinks it’s an over-engineered and kludgey design. The little rubber hose / valve covers on both ends always snag on my jersey pocket and come off. To use it you have to completely remove the hose from one end and then screw it onto the other end. It’s one piece of kit that seems to be determined to put me in a foul mood when I have to use it ;-) I may try a Lezyne product in the future, but this one makes me hesitate.

The Race Rocket on the other hand is just as well built, much more simple, doesn’t snag, and just plain look better. You just rotate the end to slide the hose out and you’re ready to go. Pumps a tire up every bit as well, but is a bit shorter so it fits in my jersey pocket better.

Again...just my opinion.

[John H.]

The best mini pump is the one that you never have to use!
That way you never find out how good or bad it is-

I had a Specialized road mini pump in my jersey for a really long time- Had not flatted in an equally long time.
1st ride on vacation in Hawaii, 15 minutes from condo, I flat, had a hard time getting tire off, and then I can't get air into the tube.
I blame the tube, then I realize it was the pump- Had to call my wife to come get me.
Ended up needing to buy a new pump, multiple tubes, CO2 cartridges, and even a larger seat bag in order to hold all my gear.

[Plum Hill]

Any feedback on this: https://www.excelsports.com/main.asp...jor=12&minor=2 ?

[vqdriver]

i'll admit, i don't get the move to carrying these things in the rear pocket. i'd much rather have a saddle bag and a minipump stowed on the bike itself rather than a tool wallet and pump pulling down on my jersey pockets. i suppose it can get expensive if you have a lot of bikes, but for a few bikes, it's totally worth it for each bike to have their own little setup.

and since we're talking about pocketable pumps, if you use the little bottle cage mount for these minipumps they literally disappear behind a water bottle.

[simpsonn]

+1 for the Lezyne Pressure Drive. It's pretty light and fits nicely in a pocket.

[dton]

I just picked up a Silca Tattico to replace an old Lezyne Road Drive that got stolen with my bike.

The Lezyne was better than some other hand pumps I’ve had but I definitely had a harder time getting it up to high pressures (size medium) vs the Tattico.

First impressions: I can say that the Tattico is much beefier and appears better built. It’s about 60g heavier but I like that you don’t have to unscrew the hose and reattach prior to pumping- it just slides out. Locking head is nice as well. Pumping action appears much smoother.

Downsides are that it’s heavier and bulkier. It wouldn’t fit in the seat tube position so it’s on the down tube now.


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[chiasticon]

Originally Posted by kurto

I recently got a new bike, and my frame pump didn't fit

you bought the wrong bike.