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What tyre inflator? What tyre inflator?
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Equipping the Bike - what's the best gear? Anything to do with the bikes equipment, saddlebags, etc. Questions on repairs and maintenance of the bike itself belong in the Brand Specific Tech Forums.
Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #1  
Old 12 Jul 2011
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What tyre inflator?
What do people think? Is a foot pump / stirrup pump good? What about a CO2 system? What about these small electric pumps - which ones last the distance?
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  #2  
Old 12 Jul 2011
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CO2 - waste of time and weight carrying single use cartridges - what do you do when you run out?
Foot pump - huge
Stirrup pump - even hugerer

Best bet (IMHO) is a small plastic double-acting bicycle pump, weighs next to nothing, will inflate a newly fitted tyre from scratch in a couple of minutes, won't break down, doesn't need a power socket, doesn't make a deafening racket when running, costs less than a tenner and the exercise is good for you...
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Old 12 Jul 2011
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Good one. Nice summary! Any types to recommend or to avoid?
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  #4  
Old 12 Jul 2011
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I'm fat and lazy and have lots of space, so it's the cheapest 12v one the car accessory place on the local market sells for me.

Andy
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Old 12 Jul 2011
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I've owned a couple, but the one currently in the left hand rear wolfman pannier of a DRZ400 in Ulaanbaatar is a seriously cheap plastic one made by Beto, bought for cycle commuting so I didn't have to steal the nice alloy Topeak one off my "proper" push bike, and is also veteran of a previous trip through west africa. I think I paid £5 for it in 2001, and me and my buddy fitted a pair of new tyres each with it in Russia last week ten years later, so that's not bad value for money...

Beto is by no means a premium brand of cycling products, I'm sure whatever you could find down Halfrauds would be just fine, or seek out a cheapie on Amazon or ebay. Double acting (pumps when the handle is moved in either direction) cuts pumping time in half for a given length of pump, so is a feature well worth having...
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Old 12 Jul 2011
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+1 on the bicycle pump
We took one across Africa, used it regularly for puncture repair and topping up.
It is completely capable re seating the bead on the tubeless rear of our R80 several times! It fails to achieve it on the front however.
I have yet to find an electric pump that will reseat a tubeless bead.
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Old 12 Jul 2011
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Airman compact from Screwfix @ £14 this would cost you more than double at certain bike retailers. Just don't run it via the canbus socket because I've heard it may cause problems with your electrics so attach it to a 12v socket direct to the battery. I also have a small double hand pump and a couple of CO2 cartridges as a back-up.
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Old 13 Jul 2011
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had one of these for about 5 years,used it loads of times even at home in the garage never let me down
apparently it's the pump from one of those high end flashy pumps without the housing

Main

loz
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  #9  
Old 14 Jul 2011
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Bicycle pump
Low tech is the way ahead IMHO. I've used a double stroke plastic Zefal on both my pushbike and XT for the last few years - did the business recently in Morocco even on one day when my pal had his wheel out 7 times...patches just don't stick in the heat!
I've just bought another cycle pump as recommended by a mate who used it on an 8 month S. America cycle tour and a trip to Morocco - still going strong - it's a Topeak Road Morph, and is effectively a mini stirrup pump.


Wiggle | Topeak Road Morph with Gauge Manual Pumps
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  #10  
Old 14 Jul 2011
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pump
Co2 cartrifge are great to help with the tire bead sitting but you cannot fligh them with the bike while shipping so I use a hand pump for MT bike they are small double action and almost never break down. You can also buy a car electric pump and juts take all the plastic arround it , it will will smaller and cheap but be carreful to do not get burn with it .
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Old 15 Jul 2011
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Cycle Pump | General Accessories | Metal Mule

It's not cheap but it's simply brilliant. I've had mine for 5 years over three continents and it's never ever failed me..

I've seen my mates cheap 12V pumps come and go and I personally don't trust them(even they carry back up C02). A bicycle pump is hard and hot work. Also, there's no way you can build up enough pressure to re-seat a beed with a hand pump.

If you buy right, you buy once !!
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Old 15 Jul 2011
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MotoEssentials.com and MotoPumps.com are your number one source for Ultra Compact Pumps and Emergency Tire Repair Kits for Motorcycles, ATVs, C5 & C6 Corvettes with EMT Runflat tires. We also have comfort and safety accessories for adventure touring,

Used mine from Argentina to Alaska and Australia to Scotland, cheap bit of kit but never failed me. It will reseat tubeless tyres fine, you should have some WD40 handy to help it along though. Make sure you have enough plugs for tubeless or patches for tubed. In my experience, once I'd patched a tube, the rough roads and heat eventually burst the patch later on so bring spare tubes, I found out the hard way...

Wouldn't even consider trying to pump up a motorbike tyre with a bicycle pump though I know some swear by them. If you have space, maybe bring a small one as a backup if you are in the middle of the desert or something but most places there are usually enough people around to help you out.
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Old 15 Jul 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeS View Post
In my experience, once I'd patched a tube, the rough roads and heat eventually burst the patch later on so bring spare tubes, I found out the hard way...
I second that.... 10 times in one day whilst in Tanzania !!

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Old 15 Jul 2011
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Haha, yeah like 'who knew'!! Next time I'll be bringing some tubes with me.


Quote:
Originally Posted by *Touring Ted* View Post
I second that.... 10 times in one day whilst in Tanzania !!
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  #15  
Old 15 Jul 2011
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Get yourself one of these 12V CyclePump and be done with CO2 catridges, bicycle pumps.

CyclePump


We even managed to use it top pop the tyre back on after a tyre change. Pretty good for a small pump with very little displacement.
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