mark d

please recommend a decent bike mounted pump that will not break the bank but gets the job done

thks

canklecat

Topeak RaceRocket. I have four mini pumps, including a Topeak RaceRocket HP and HPX, a Blackburn Core Slim and a Pro Bike Tools mini pump. All have similar design and features, but the Topeak is the easiest to use. Better ergonomics, more versatile, and durable so far -- I've used my first several times over the past 3-4 years.

If you ride a road bike or sporty bike with skinny high pressure tires, get the HP or HPX -- the latter has a longer stroke, a little more air volume per pump, but both perform the same.

If you ride a mountain bike or any bike with fatter tires, get the RaceRocket MT. Or if you ride more than one bike type, get the regular RaceRocket or HP.

The main difference is bore diameter, volume delivered per stroke, and effort. A wider diameter pump will fill a low pressure fat tire quicker but will be much harder to use on high pressure tires -- almost impossible to reach maximum pressure. An HP -- high pressure -- pump has a smaller diameter, less volume per stroke, but can still work on fatter tires. It just takes more pumps to fill. I've used my HP on my hybrids with 700x40 tires.

Also the Topeak has an adjustable chuck for Presta or Schrader. So does the Pro Bike Tools, but the Blackburn is Presta only.

The Pro Bike Tools mini pump is only a few bucks cheaper than the Topeak but much harder to use. I don't know why but it demands a lot of effort to pump beyond 40 psi or so. I suspect the bore is wider and better suited to fatter, lower pressure tires.

The Blackburn looks more elegant but it lacks the rubber grip of the Topeak and the hard metal end caps dig into my hands. On the plus side, the Blackburn Core Slim has the best Presta valve core tool of the four pumps. But I rarely need that so I wouldn't by another just for the valve tool. There are minitools with valve core tools. A mini pump just needs to be easy to use. The Topeak RaceRocket is the best I've tried, including my older full length Zefal frame pump.

There are larger pumps from Topeak and others that will do the job quicker, but if you don't take the pump every ride it won't be there when you need it. And there are smaller mini pumps but those would require 300-500 strokes to pump a road bike tire to full pressure. The RaceRocket is the smallest fully practical pump I've used. And the rubbery grip helps ensure it'll stay in a jersey pocket or rear pocket of my jeans on casual grip rides if my bike doesn't have a snap holder on the water bottle cage.

dsbrantjr

I recommend the Topeak Morph series of pumps; I use the Road Morph G on my bikes. They have frame mounts so will not fall out of your jersey or fbe left at home, the flip-out footpad and hose make pumping efficient and easy on your valves. They are easily converted between Schrader and Presta valves.

Retro Grouch 

How impatient are you?

If you are the kind of person who gets upset about having a puncture and want to get back on the road quickly, I'd recommend a full sized frame pump. Zefal HPX is a good frame-fit choice. They come in sizes so get the one that fits your bike. The "X" actually refers to a little spring in the handle that compresses for a frame fit. I also like the Topeak Morph series. They come with a solid bracket for holding it under a water cage and "morph" into a mini foot pump so they are among the easiest to get you up to operating pressure. I have to brace a Zefal against a phone pole or tree to get full road bike operating pressure. My knock on the Morph pumps is that I think they are clunky looking.

If you are a more laid back person who figures you don't puncture very often so repair time isn't an issue. Mini's have their place. They just can take a lot of strokes and a long time.

I carried CO2 only with no other back up with me for years. During all that time it never let me down even once. Inflation itself only takes a second or two. I think the secret is that it requires a combination of both personality types. It's fast but, if you try to rush your repair, you might not find what caused the puncture, you might not get the tire beads seated all the way around and you might find a way to waste your CO2 outside of the tire. If you're the impatient type, you are going to be really pissed. I stopped using it because my recumbent tires take a lot more volume than my road bikes did and, I'm too cheap to use 2 carts for only 1 puncture. Also, when you run out of cartridges, you are screwed.

Today I've got some variation of the Road Morph on both of our trikes. If I was buying a new pump today I'd get the mountain version assuming it gives more volume per stroke for low pressure tires..

Juan el Boricua

X2 with Retro Grouch, in particulat about the Zefal HPX. I've had only two during my 40 years of riding (the "newest" been 6 years old). They're dependable, rebuildable, made mostly out of aluminum (light and sturdy), durable, and functional; relatively inexpensive. My experience with other makes is minimal; a Crank Bros. Power Pump Plus. I would not recommend or vouch for it, as it is finnicky, fragile, and takes an excessive amount of effort to operate, particularly if you were to use it on road tires. Good luck in your endeavour.

DiabloScott

I think I've had this Blackburn for 30 years - no idea how much I paid for it or how much that would be in today's dollars.

70sSanO

My two favorites have been Topeak Road Morph and Zefal HPX. But neither is a Walmart $10-$15 pump.

John

mark d

hey diablo, cool bike

doing my due diligence on all suggestions. will probably pull the trigger today.

thks guys

mark d

john. why do you prefer the road morph over the topeak hp ?

thks

70sSanO

I’ve not used the topeak hp. Actually I’ve replaced the road morph with a classic silver zefal hpx. I got it from Yellow Jersey. The road morph worked well, especially at higher pressures, but the zefal is very cool. And I’m not going to paint this one.

I also have a topeak road masterblaster which is their version of the zefal hpx. I’ve used it and it works well. I think it has been discontinued. The quality is not as good as the zefal.

John

mark d

thks for the reply. yeah the zefal was my pump back in the day

pdlamb

Another vote for the Topeak Road Morph. I've got one on each of my bikes. Mine have migrated to the left seatstay, where they're out of the way until I need them.

sean.hwy

I purchased this pump and have had used it several times the
last few months. Works great. I can't speak about long term.

LEZYNE Sport Drive HV Bicycle Hand Pump
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

davidad

Ditto. Easy to repair when necessary. Mine is over 20 years old.