We know its a small matter, but our testers appreciated the convenience. And not only is the dial big, but the text on it is designed well, with large, legible numbers on a contrasting background. Theyll all perform similarly, he saidthe designer didnt want his name or company affiliation mentionedbecause they all come from the same factories. He meant what he said, but as we discovered, the details count when it comes to pumps. How durable the pump is. This is also what you need to fix a leaky stem, which could be the cause of your flat in the first place. Even the couplings are aluminum; not even the Specialized Air Tool Pro, at twice the price, has all-metal couplings. Thats less of an issue with an at-home pump, but an important consideration with a portable one. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing to save people time, energy and money when making buying decisions. In addition, this is the only pump we found that comes with a limited lifetime warranty, which is much better than the industry-standard two years. In addition, if you ride a mountain bike or any kind of tire that has a very low psi rating, a high-volume, low-pressure pump may be a better choice to take on the trail with you. The Specialized Air Tool Pro costs nearly twice as much as the Lezyne Classic Floor Drive, but it doesnt offer twice as many features, nor perform twice as well, and thats why it isnt our top pick. With this long of a hose, you can also place the pump toward the middle of your bike and inflate both tires without having to move the pump, regardless of the valve position on the wheels. With pumps like this, which attach to a valve stem by screwing it on, its possible to unscrew a removable valve core (a few Presta valves have these) while removing your pump. Its a common flip model: You press it onto the tire tube valve and flip the handle up to secure it. It does come with a mounting bracket, but the pump is so big that its hard to find an out-of-the-way place for it on smaller bike frames. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Are all bike pumps equal? Plus, whatever time you lose installing it, you gain on the opposite end of the process, when you simply unthread the chuck instead of having to yank at a push-on head that wont come off. Its small enough to carry in a jersey pocket but also comes with a bracket that you can attach to your frame. If you like to use valves with removable coresyou know who you arethe Pressure Drive has an integrated valve core tool. Versatile and compact, this pump will fill the flat-fixing needs of any commuter while on the road. This pump screws securely (via a detachable hose) to inner-tube valves, and its all-aluminum body has a smooth, efficient stroke. It has a steel base and barrelin fact, the only plastic part is the pump head, which you push onto the valve and lock with a lever. The good news is that a quality pump can be rebuilt; Lezyne sells replacement head/hose combos and other parts. We scrutinized the dial for legibility and placement. But neither is our top pick. It pumps up to 160 psi, enough for anything but a track bike, and it comes with a set of adaptors for sports balls. After 96 hours of testing, here are our picks for the best levers, patches, hand pumps, and more for most bike owners. Both now appear to be discontinued. According to one pump designer we spoke to, yes. However, as with other heads of this type, you run the risk of the head popping off midstroke if you havent seated it correctly. But those are strictly for adding to your on-the-go repair kit and using when you get a flat on the roada floor pump takes a lot less effort to use. That makes a huge difference when you are pumping up a 100 psi road bike tire and need leverage to work air into the tube. The air hose is longer, the base is more stable, and it inflated our tires faster than anything we tried in our tests. Lezyne also provides a two-year warranty that covers manufacturer defects, and you can replace worn-out O-rings and the like with replacement parts from the Lezyne site. First, it does the basic labor of inflating your tires tubes. Then, instead of relying on friction or a thumb lockthe other two common methods of attaching a handheld pump to a valveyou screw the other end onto the threaded tip of your valve. Though not the cheapest pump we tested, the difference in quality between a $30 pump and this one is astounding. Dial in your tyre pressure exactly or get rolling again after a puncture with PROs range of floor and mini pumps. The huge 3-inch pressure gauge is super-clear and readable from nearly any height when pumping. We had to keep the pump uncomfortably close to the tires. Pumps that have metal barrelsthats the largest single part of each pumpwill have a longer life span, so we focused on those. Made of plastic, it works on both Presta and Schrader valves, and unlike the Lezynes head, you dont need to disassemble the chuck to change from one valve type to another. After 30-plus hours of research and testing, we think the Delta Cycle Michelangelo Gravity Standis the best bike rack for storing bikes in limited-space homes. As with all hand pumps, this is no substitute for a floor pump. Its true that its not a high-volume pump, the kind that is best suited for mountain bike tires. For the price, we were expecting all elements of this pump to be standouts, but some were just average. Its twice the price, but it doesnt have twice the features of the Lezyne Classic, and thats why it isnt our top pick. Like our runner-up pick, the Lezyne Micro Floor Drive HP/HPG functions like a small floor pump (similar to the Mini Morph), but it was bigger and more cumbersome. With shorter hoses, you may need to rotate your wheel to get a good seal or perch uncomfortably close to it while you pump. In addition, not all the edges of the base are flush with the ground, just the foot contact points, and we noticed less stability with all pumps designed this way. It has a higher build quality than anything similar on Amazon, including the BV Pump, the Topeak Joe Blow III, and the Vibrelli pump. In the mini pump category, there are a range of light-weight pumps; with functions ranging from high volume to high pressure, as well as PROs CO2 cartridges and adaptors. Your search term produced matches. When inflating tires, this pump still outperformed many of the others we tested, outdoing not just the similar Specialized Air Tool Sport, but even the Lezyne and the Air Tool Pro by a few strokes. However, its larger and fits the hand more ergonomically than anything we tried, and its easy to secure and release. The Lezyne Sport Drive broke. Eve ONeill, who is responsible for the most recent update, is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter and has been on the bike commuting beat since she joined the company. Thats as intendedits meant to be easy to carry around in a car trunk. If your biggest worry is cost, it will get the job done, but as we said before, the difference in quality between a $30 pump and a $50 pump is enormous. This generally means topping off your tubes weekly, because they leak air even when your bikes just sitting idle. First, we get studious with online reviews, relying upon the expertise at Bicycling, Cycling Weekly, GearLab, BikeRadar, and MTBR to point us in the right direction. Learn more. Then we talk to experts about what makes a good pump. The Topeak RaceRocket was also not able to pump a 700c road tire to 100 psi; with this pump, it took us 60 more strokes to get our mountain bike tire to 30 psi than it did with our top pick. Eve O'Neill is a senior staff writer reporting on travel and outdoors at Wirecutter. That said, the ALX 2 inflated tires faster than almost every pump we looked at, including the Lezyne Classic Floor Drive and the pricey Specialized Air Tool Pro. Truth be told, all pumps are pretty decent. Most often itll be either the pump head or the hose seals. If you own a bike, you need a patch kit. With that in mind, here are the reasons weve set aside these other models: The Lezyne Steel Floor Drive is very similar in build quality to our top pick. This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan. The Pressure Drive is advertised as a low-volume, high-pressure pump for road bikes, and we were able to get to 100 psi on our 700c tire in 300 strokes. Our testers also rated it highly in both steadiness and usabilitythe wide wooden handle really helps with that. Even though thats a serious, sweaty workout, its a high bar to set for a handheld pump, one that not all of the pumps we tested could accomplish. Here are some essential but inexpensive accessories to keep you safe and happy on the road. Also, youll get better performance from your bike and avoid pinch flats (where the tube gets caught between the tire rim and the road surface) if you keep your tires at the proper air pressure. We also tested two pumps from Serfas, the FMP 500 and the TCPC. Knowing that high-pressure road tires are this pumps specialty, we were surprised we could fill a lower-pressure tire without taking a long, long time. Is it metal or plastic? The Planet Bike MicroPro Mini Bike Pump uses a thumb-lock valve in a fixed position on the end of the pump body. If our budget floor pump isnt available: Consider the Specialized Air Tool Sport SwitchHitter II , which only narrowly came in second. It has a removable, two-sided chuck: One end works with Presta tube valves, and the other works with Schrader. The Topeak JoeBlow Sport III has consistently positive user reviews, but our budget pick is the same price and has a wooden, not plastic, handle. Our pick, the Lezyne Classic Floor Drive, excels in this task due to the design of its pump head, which you screw securelyrather than wedgeonto your valve. Youll know the head is going bad when it no longer seals reliably and you hear the sad sound of air hissing out, no matter what you do or what god you pray to. Most significantly, the ALX 2 has a lot of sturdy, nonplastic parts and a steady base. Three inches in diameter, it has white numbers on a black background, plus a contrasting hi-vis yellow needle. Topeak describes the Pocket Rocket as a pump for roadies, but we couldnt get our 700c tire up to the 100 psi mark. The only result is displayed. T handles are generally a good thing, but this one has some weirdly sharp edges. So youve bought a bike (or dug your old one out of the garage). Once youve done so, screw the head onto the valve. But the two-footed base is wobbly, the handle was too small to be comfortable, and testers were afraid theyd lose the detachable Presta valve adapter. At this point, weve researched more than 100 models, and our work always starts with reading what others have to say. None of the pumps we saw had any glow-in-the-dark markings on the gaugewhich would come in handy, say, for an early-morning ridebut this dial came the closest to providing that kind of visibility. Whether or not the pump can be serviced. The broad, flat handle outshines even that on the pricey Silca Pista, which couldnt fit two hands. But its so stable and easy to usewith a generously wide handle and sturdy basethat we think someone who rides a lot and has to use a pump often would be enamored with the upgrade in performance. It also comes with attachments for other inflatables, like exercise balls and basketballs, should you need them. We looked for pumps that nontechnical folks could disassemble to replace parts like O-rings and gaskets. The valve head is attached to an extra-long (47-inch) rubber hose. The biggest ding to the Specialized Air Tool Sport was the illegible dial. Even for people who dont plan to ride their bikes frequently, we believe its worth spending the extra money. To use the pump, remove the hose from its storage place inside the pumps body. In addition to recommendations for floor pumps, which are the most hassle-free option for at-home maintenance, we have recommendations for handheld pumps too. Bike pumps are simple devices and should last for years, with appropriate maintenance. If you have a bike, you need a floor pump to keep it operating. Only one other pump we tested, the Crankbrothers Klic, also uses a screw-on head, but the Lezyne attachment is bigger and therefore easier to handle. The head of the Park Tools PFP-8 blew off a total of three times for two testersa surprise, considering Park Tools good reputation. Our testers liked it but felt that the gauge seemed breakable, and losable, since it was no longer attached to the pump. The Lezyne Pressure Drive is a smartly designed handheld bike pump capable of filling the types of tires most frequently used by recreational riders. The floor pump range boasts models with digital or analogue pressure gauges as well as the Team Compressor, the ideal device for seating tubeless tyres. You will be tired and frustrated if you regularly use this to inflate your tires the entire way. The L-shape also improves its ergonomics and provides an all-around more solid attachment. Once youve screwed the pump head onto your tires valve, the Classic Floor Drive will never, ever release the valve until you want it to. The plastic fingers on the plastic base that holster the head snapped off while riding in the trunk of the car. Look at a pumps hardware, advised Chris Haunold. It took 370 strokes to inflate the mountain bike tire and 260 strokes for the hybridsecond to worst of all the pumps in the test. Youll see that the connection is super-reliable, it will never release until you want it to, and we havent noticed any air leaks during testing. (There goes all your hard-earned air, in a rush!) We think the Lezyne Classic Floor Drive is the best pump for most people. Matthew Edwards has spent five years in the cycling industry as a salesperson, mechanic, and amateur bike racer, and Dave Yasuda is a road, mountain, and commuting cyclist with more than 30 years in the saddle. We also prefer the wooden handle on our budget pick. While its a classic setup, we believe a pump with an extended tube design is an all-around superior design. The drawbacks: its plastic, wedge-on pump head and very short hose. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Like all of our picks, it works with both Presta and Schrader valves, the two standard kinds of bike-tube valves in the US. How secure the chuck is on the tire valve and how easy it is to use. After testing 35 pumps over the past five years, we believe the Lezyne Classic Floor Drive is the best floor pump for most bike commuters thanks to its sturdy construction, easy-to-read dial, and utterly reliable screw-on head (which fits both Presta and Schrader valves). The Lezyne Alloy Drive is the equivalent of the Pressure Drive for mountain bike tires. That may sound like a lot, but those are very respectable numbers, especially given the pumps small size. We independently review everything we recommend. It has a valve attachment that is unique among all systems; its also both simple to attach and highly secure. A handle that you can fit both hands on fully, for example, is a good sign, and three-footed pumps are a musttheyre significantly less wobbly than two-footed models. It took us 200 pumps to get the hybrid test tire to 35 psi. This mostly metal pump is a smart buy, from its extra-large pressure gauge to its recently redesigned screw-on pump head. She has always been drawn to ideas about how to relate to, and play in, the wilderness. Results to are displayed. Anything you get at a bike shop, if you dont use it as a hammer, youll be fine, said Lennard Zinn, author of the most popular bike-repair manuals in the US. But mostly, we did a lot of tire pumping. The Silca Pista has one of the strongest builds (all metal everything), but its small. The Birzman InfiniteApogee Road recorded a much higher number of strokes than average to fill the three test tires, and it just couldnt make it to 100 psi for the 700c tire. Whether we were looking at a floor or handheld pump, we learned to prize, above all else, the following qualities: To test for these different criteria, we did a few things. The valve attachment is a flip model, made of combined metal and plastic, and has the usual drawback: You have to make sure its properly attached or it might pop off suddenly. If you want to change from one to the otheror vice versayou unscrew the red chuck, flip it over, and screw it back on. PRO has your pre-ride and mid-ride inflation needs covered with a range of floor and mini pumps. But its so stable, with a generously wide handle and sturdy base, that we think someone who will be using a pump a lotevery week, or even every daywould appreciate the upgrade. If you find operating a handheld pump exhausting: Consider the Topeak Mini Morph, which has an extendable foot peg and a T-shaped handle that allow you to leverage it against the ground, just like a floor pump. The standout feature is the detachable hose that accommodates both Presta and Schrader valves. Though that isnt as good as the lifetime guarantee provided by Planet Bike, the Classic Floor Drive is well-made and should last. This pump is also rebuildable, and Planet Bike sells head, hose, and O-ring replacement parts. This is different from the common push-on-and-flip-a-lever design on most pump heads. The pump is comfortable and usable, and it even comes with a lifetime warranty, the best of anything we looked at, regardless of price. Though not the least expensive pump we tested, our budget pick is the Planet Bike ALX 2, because the difference in quality between a $35 pump and a $60 pump is enormous. The length of the stroke is unusually short, though, which meant we had to work hard for results. No matter what kind of bike you rideroad bike or mountain bike, beach cruiser or hybrid, ebike or unicycleyou need a way to inflate its tires. That head is one reason this pump isnt our top pick; the pumps very short hose is another. How comfortable and sturdy the pump is. The wooden handle is easy to use, and our testers all praised the pumps base. The Specialized Air Tool Pro was a tester favorite. While it wasnt the top performer, were not worried: When we do this test, were mostly looking for outlierseither intoxicatingly efficient or miserably inefficient designs. Were assuming this was random, and not endemic, but either way we found sturdier pumps that cost less. The gauge is also notable. In addition, its sturdy construction, extra-large pressure gauge, extra-long hose, and varnished wooden handle make it simple, and even pleasing, to use. The first had a maximum pressure rating of 260 psi, which added so many digits to the dial that it become hard to decipher; the second pumped 30 percent slower than virtually all other pumps and came with a plastic base. For handheld pumps we did the same, again with three tires each at a different pressure rating (30 psi, 35 psi, and 100 psi), inflated twice. We log how many strokes it takes to reach the proper pressure, how ergonomic the handle is, how legible the dial is, and whether or not any tiny pieces spring loose and roll into a sewer grate while we were trying to switch between valves (it has happened twice). This is also the steadiest, sturdiest pump we tried, which made it a favorite among our testers. The Planet Bike Mini Versair Bike Pump has a hose thats much too short to be effective. Both the Pedros Prestige and Super Prestige pumps have wobbly, two-footed bases that couldnt outperform three-footed options. And it comes with a limited lifetime warranty, the most robust of any pump we tested. This guide represents more than 20 years of collective experience in researching, testing, and writing about bike accessories. We also prioritized pumps with other metal hardware, like levers and valve attachment points, which are more durable than the equivalent plastic parts. The Pista Plus remedies these issues but for more than twice the price of our top pick. If you own a pump for long enough, you will inevitably have to replace something on it. When we counted the number of strokes it took to fill a tire to pressure, the Lezyne Classic Drive placed in the middle of the pack. Whether it's finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we'll help you get it right (the first time). This is a pump made for someone who is going to use it a lot, and the handle and the base are where its best features are focused. It was, however, the worst performer in our pump test, requiring 10 to 15 more strokes at all psi levels than the better performers. It combines an L-shaped head thats refreshingly easy to fit between spokes with a removable and reversible chuck (one end fits Schrader tire valves; the other, Presta valves). Screw one end onto the pumps body. Hard-core bike commuters share seven itemsfrom storm-worthy gloves to rugged tiresthat keep them (and their stuff) safe and dry in the winter. With more high-quality parts than anything comparably priced, the Planet Bike ALX 2 is, we believe, the best choice for someone who doesnt ride every day or every week. The footprint, on the receiving end of all that robust tire pumping, was the only one that provided an even steadier base than the Lezyne Classic Drive, with minimal rocking in any direction. This is especially important, according to a former floor pump designer interviewed by our colleague Eric Hansen, because the head is often the only part that really differentiates one pump from another. Having to screw the head onto the valve takes a little longer than the usual push-on valves with a locking lever, but we think most people will appreciate the secure connection for the price of those few seconds. Although you might encounter a few tires meant for velodrome use rated for pressures greater than 200 psi, thats overkill for most riders. Its as sturdy and reliable as pumps twice the price, and all of its components, from hose to gauge, are more generously sized than those of its competitors. 2022 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company, A reliable option with better-than-most features, Our pick for a floor pump: Lezyne Classic Floor Drive, Budget floor-pump pick: Planet Bike ALX 2, Upgrade floor-pump pick: Specialized Air Tool Pro, Also-great hand pump: Lezyne Pressure Drive, Lennard Zinn, senior tech writer for VeloNews, Daimeon Shanks, a former pro race team mechanic, replacement head/hose combos and other parts, Specialized Air Tool Sport SwitchHitter II, Cheap Essentials for Getting Back on Your Bike. And since the gauge is base-mounted and low to the ground, theres no way it can make a pump top heavy or that it could break after tipping over. Over the course of two years weve inflated tires more than 250 times. The Crankbrothers Klic HP folds out into a T shape for a good grip. Any old-school cyclist will recognize the Topeak Pocket Rocket, but its a below-average performer. The pandemic-related stock problems with our picks appear to be resolved. The Bontrager Dual Charger pressure gauge appeared to be defective. Each end of the hose is clearly marked with either Presta or Schrader. Over the years, these have included Lennard Zinn, senior tech writer for VeloNews and owner of high-end bike builder Zinn Cycles; Daimeon Shanks, a former pro race team mechanic; Jason Bauer of Boises Bauerhaus Bikes, a Shimano-certified mechanic with more than 20 years of experience and longtime wrench for 24-hour-sold world-champion mountain biker Rebecca Rusch; Chris Haunold of Idaho Mountain Touring, a bike shop that has been a leader in the Boise cycling community for more than 30 years; and Nicola Cranmer, a longtime cyclist and general manager of Team Twenty20, a womens pro cycling team. She can remember the titles on her childhood bookshelf that set her in this direction: Into Thin Air, On The Road, The Call of the Wild. We also look at Amazon, online bike shops like Competitive Cyclist, and outdoor retailers such as REI to read customer reviews, all of which help us decide which pumps to examine in person. It took us 150 strokes to fill a hybrid tire to 35 psi, and 290 strokes to get a mountain bike tire to 30 psi. The Crankbrothers Sapphire had the best pumping performance, taking fewer strokes than any other model. The Lezyne Pressure Drives solid aluminum body, smooth pumping action, removable hose, and secure pump-to-valve attachment make for a handheld pump that is functional and efficient. The Classic Floor Drive has a maximum inflation pressure of 220 psi, well above any pressure needed by the average cyclist and more than any other model we tried, except the (now discontinued) Serfas FMP-500, which is rated to 250 pounds. Lots of leaning down to read this one. In fact, it works better with different tire sizes than the other portable pumps we tested. If you can get your hands on this model, we think youll be very happy. We were not able to get the road bike tire to 100 psi at all. That means it has to attach securely, remove easily, and be reasonably simple to figure out. The Silca Tattico Mini-Pump worked well with Presta valves but did not stay attached to Schrader valves when we pumped vigorously. Subscribe now for unlimited access. Finally, Lezyne warranties pumps against defects in workmanship and materials for two years. However, its longer and heavier than the Lezyne Pressure Drive, and changing from Presta to Schrader valves requires pulling apart the pump head. We tried the Vibrelli for due diligence, but with a shorter height and shorter hose than anything in the test pool, it felt like a toy in a giants hands. The Crankbrothers Klic attempts a solution to an annoying storage problemthe floppy tube gets stored in the handle. And like all hose attachments, this one reduces the odds of bending or even breaking the valve. Also, as this is a serious cycling pump for a serious cyclist, it therefore doesnt come with any adaptors for anything other than bike tubes. The hose is shorter on this pump (42 inches) than on the Lezyne Classic Drive, and the max psi and the warranty (two years) are the same as the Lezyne. Although this pump is pricey, its comfortable, generously sized handle, ultra-visible gauge, and extremely stable base make it the pump to get if youll be using it a lot. Our testers also disliked the plastic base. It was the only way to properly evaluate the valve seal, how well the chuck operated, how stable the pump was, and in some cases, whether or not the pump even worked. We also have a pick for a portable pump to use while youre out on a ride. Lezyne calls this head a flip chuck head. Metal tends to be more sturdy and will last a while.. It hovered at 60 psi on the dial even while attached to an uninflated tire. The three-footed design makes it more stable than two-footed models, and there are no plastic parts (except for the gauge cover). Another in the mini-floor-pump camp, the Topeak Road Morph G was the fastest pump in our tests, but its sizeits nearly 14 inches longseriously pushed the boundaries of portability. Every time, the seal held fast no matter how hard we pumped. Its not as stable as the Lezyne, but it does sit completely flush with the ground and remains steadier than the other midrange options. The screw-on design of the Classic Floor Drives head is a standout feature. It also has to work with both Schrader and Presta valves, the two most common types in the US. The plastic pieces are small, and wind, darkness, cold hands, and impatience could complicate making the switch in the field. The gauge is 3 inches wide, base-mounted, and readable, with contrasting black-on-white text. Weve seen gauges that, in spite of their massive size, are still hard to read because of a vexing layout or poor choice of font. Even so, our budget pick was only five to eight strokes behind, is more stable, and doesnt have a plastic handle. The most important thing a pump can do is not frustrate you. Plus, the gauge sits in a bad spottoo low on the barrel to easily read, but high enough that the pump sometimes tips over. We used our floor pumps to inflate each of three tire sizes to their recommended pressure (60 pounds per square inch, 75 psi, and 100 psi), inflating every tire twice. Among all the pumps we tested, nothing reached this level of quality at the same price. For handheld models, we considered portability and how easily (or not so easily) we were able to pump a tube up to 100 psi with eacha real challenge for such a small device with little leverage. Its 34.5 inches long, the second shortest in our test pool. We compared the construction of every pump to evaluate its potential longevity and sturdiness. The valve on the ALX 2 is nothing specialand its one reason this pump isnt our main pickbut nothing in this price range is. The hose is another place this pump comes up short.
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