You don’t hear a lot about bike pumps because there honestly isn’t a lot of difference between most of the brands and models on the market.
When you think about it, all you really need is something that can air up your bike tires when you need it.
That basic need can be met by pretty much any model you find.
However, if you are looking for something specific – like a portable bike pump or if you only want to shop for a floor standing pump, then you need to be a bit more careful in your selection.
If you’re new to shopping for bike pumps, we’ll give you some tips and pointers below.
We’ll also share a few of our favorite options that might meet your needs.
Best Bike Pumps for the Money
| PUMP | TYPE | BUY AT: |
|---|---|---|
| Topeak JoeBlow Sport II Floor Pump | Floor standing | Amazon |
| Topeak Pocket Master Blaster Pump | Frame fit | Amazon, REI |
| Genuine Innovations Air Chuck Elite CO2 Tire Inflator | CO2 | REI |
| Lezyne HP Pressure Drive Mini Pump | Mini | Amazon, REI |
| Topeak Road Morph Pump with Gauge | Frame fit | Amazon, REI |
| Zefal HPX Frame-Fit Pump | Frame fit | Amazon |
| Topeak Peakini 2 Master Blaster Mini-Pump | Frame fit, Mini | Amazon, REI |
Types of Bike Pumps
As you shop, you’ll notice that there are a few different types of pumps available to cyclists like you and me.
Your cycling needs will dictate which type is the best choice for you. Here’s a quick breakdown of those types:
- Floor standing – this is the type that you’ll store in your garage because they are bulky and heavy, which means you won’t want to transport them with your bike. This is the fastest pump for airing up your bike tires, plus they are typically designed to work with other things that need aired up and offer a high capacity. Pressure gauges are typically built in and large enough for most people to read while standing.
- Frame-fit – this type is ideal for a road cyclist because they are designed to attach to the frame of your road bike. You’ll definitely want one of these as a road cyclist, lest you end up miles away from home with a flat.
- Mini – these are smaller and more lightweight than the frame-fit pumps and can be used by road cyclists as well as people who ride out on the trails. Most of the time you can snap one of these onto your bike frame as well. One thing to pay attention to with this type is the capacity – some have a psi capacity that isn’t high enough for road bikes.
- CO2 inflators – ideal for racers, this type is good for the cyclist who wants the most lightweight and minimalist option. Zero pumping is required; you just fill the damaged tire with this and it should last you long enough to get home. But once home, you have to get all of the CO2 out tire and re-fill it with air. Honestly, this type really isn’t something that we here at Active Weekender use since we’re just hobbyists.
As you can see, you’ll probably want to get yourself two different pumps – one of the floor-standing ones to keep at home and one of the mini or frame-fit options for when you’re out on your bike.
At least that’s what we recommend.
Things To Consider
Now that you have a better understanding of the types of pumps, let us share a few things that you’ll want to take into consideration before making your final choice on the best bike pump for your needs.
Valve Compatibility
There are basically three different types of valves that you may encounter on your bike tires.
The two most common in the United States are Schrader and Presta valve stems.
The third type is more common in other countries, and it is the Dunlop valve stem.
If you’re shopping in the US, then you will find some cheap pumps that are either Schrader and Presta compatible, but not both.
If you buy one of these cheaper options, then you might need an adapter to get it to work with your tires.
The higher quality bike pumps adjust automatically to work with your valve stem type.
PSI Capacity
You’ll want to make sure that you get yourself a pump that can handle the tires of your bike.
For instance, road bikes are higher psi than mountain bikes.
Here’s a quick breakdown of bikes by psi capacity:
- 90psi is suitable for mountain or comfort bikes.
- 120psi offers the fastest inflation for mountain or comfort bikes; OK for some road bikes.
- Up to 160psi is ideal for road bikes.
More On Tire Pressure
You can see our recommendations for psi capacity above, but often the tire pressure is a bit more complicated than those standard numbers.
You see, there are a lot of factors that come into play when it comes to determining the correct tire pressure for your bike.
Things includes things like the rider weight, the tire size and sidewall thickness, and riding conditions.
So know that the recommendations are not an exact science and will need to be adjusted slightly.
Generally speaking, fully inflated tires are ideal for smooth cycling conditions; and slightly under-inflated tires may be a better choice for rough roads or trails.
Pounds per square inch (psi) is the standard US measurement; “bars” are the metric equivalent.
An approximate guide to recommended tire-pressure range:
- Road bike: 80-130 psi / 5.5-9 bars
- Comfort bike: 35-70psi / 2.2-4.8 bars
- Mountain bike: 30-60psi / 2.1-4.2 bars
Once you find the right bike pump for your needs, consider taking a look at our favorite road bike options right here in case you wanna upgrade your ride.