Archive for the ‘Pumps and Tire Tools’ Category
First Flat of the Year
Yup, yesterday I had my first flat of the year. It happened only about a mile from my house.
Strangely, I enjoyed fixing the flat. This is the first time I found fixing a flat fun. I have become competent at fixing flats with lots of practice but for the last few years just haven’t had many.
Being prepared made a big difference. I had the equipment listed in my Tire Repair Tools Post and that made me feel confident and helped me relaxed. The other thing that helped a lot I had no time pressure. This was a legs loosening ride after a bad calf cramp a few days earlier and I had no need to get a long ride in.
Bicycle Tire Repair Tools
The best thing you can do to prevent flats is to not ride over debris. After that make sure you have a great rear tire with a good tube that is the right size for the tire. Also check your tire pressure every time before you ride, low pressure means more flats. You don’t need to use a gage each time just squeeze the tire and after a while you will get a feel for what a correctly inflated tire feels like.
Repairing Flat Bicycle Tires on the Road
I know tire repair sounds pretty basic but tire repair is a key skill for anyone who rides a bicycle more than walking distance from their home or car. I have had lots of tire repair experience and learned what I know the hard way, sitting on the ground in the rain with a flat. My record is 4 flats in one day but with the excellent tubes and tires I use now, I seldom get a flat. But when you do, being prepared and relaxing will take the sting out of the experience.
Just click on the play button to watch the video. I got several good tips watching it and I thought I was a tire repair pro.
Recommended Tire Repair Gear to Carry on your bike:
First Impressions – Cyclaire Pump
[This is a follow up on A Very Unusual Pump]
Getting ready for Spring Cycling is a great time to check out a new pump, lots of tires to pump up.
The Cyclaire Pump is a very neat small and light package. The mechanical design is impressive and mounts nicely on a recumbent. I really wanted this pump to be a winner.
A Very Unusual Pump
jorge recommended I try the Cyclaire Pump. He said he had heard good things about it. Follow the link to the Cyclaire Web Site and you will see a very unusual bicycle pump. It is another Mini Foot Pump but you pump you tire by pulling what looks like a rope.
Following the links from their web site I found a Mountain Bike Review on the pump with lots of pictures of pumping tires in the mud. They were impressed with how easy and fast the pump is to use.
OK, I am a Gear Nut and have to try one. I did a little search and the best price I found was on eBay, $34.95 with case, $29.95 without case plus $4.95 shipping (cheaper and faster than buying direct from England).
When the pump arrives and I get a chance to use it a little bit, I will write a First Impressions Post.
See follow up at: First Impressions – Cyclaire Pump
Mini Foot Pump Review
The Mini Foot Pump from Germany is an attractive looking little pump nicely packaged. The pump is small (5 1/2″) and light (9 oz.). It works quite well by bicycle pump standards and acceptably by human standards. The air hose is short but long enough to let you position the pump comfortably and eliminates the chance of damaging the tube stem when pumping pressure gets high.
Hot Buy – Topeak Road Morph G with Gauge
Bike Some Where has this recommended pump on Sale for $24.95, list is $39.95.
Crank Brothers Alloy Pro Pump
The Crank Brothers Alloy Pro Pump is a very interesting pump with a lot of potential. It is not their smallest or lightest pump but is still quite small (9.3″) and light (6.1 Oz., less that 1/2 pound). It also has a neat mounting system that fits almost anywhere.
This is a pump to love or to hate. It works but is tricky to use. I can never seem to remember which is the correct direction to rotate the head so that it pumps air into my tire and if you turn it the wrong way you quickly have no air in your tire. Despise Crank Brothers claim this is not a high capacity pump. I lost count of strokes but think of pumping times of 3 or more minutes. Most users will not be happy after they pump a tire to 100 PSI.
Bike Pump Update – Topeak Road Morph with Gauge
See Hot Buy Alert – 9/28/2006
The pump saga continues. I am back to the Topeak Road Morph. This is an acceptable pump that has a few issues.
Pros:
- Neat design, fold-out handle and foot
- Hose from pump to head (a big plus), provides a comfortable and efficient pumping position while reducing the chance of stem damage
- Built-in Pressure Gauge
- Sturdy
- Small and light
Cons:
- Over 60 strokes to pump to 100 PSI
- Gauge is not very accurate, mine reads 10 PSI low
- Pump effort a little high when you get above 60 PSI
- Doesn’t mount to frame very well, wobbles while riding
Rating: Recommended
Read the rest of this entry »
Alert – Air Revolution Pump Failure
Yesterday, I had a worst case pump failure while riding the Franconia Notch Bike Trail. I noticed my rear tire seemed low. I had checked it before the start of the ride but things happen. When I put the pump nozzle on my tire, air started rapidly flowing out of the tire, the pressure relief button on the Air Revolution pump was stuck in the open position. I was not able to get the relief valve to close. So, I was stuck on the trail with a very low tire and a pump that will only let more air out of my tire.
I know I have raved about this pump in the past but this is a totally unacceptable failure. I bought the pump in the Spring and have used it less than 10 times.
