Choosing the right bike pump

Bike Pumps come in a variety of forms including the floor pump, hand pump, and CO2 inflator.

Each pump serves a different purpose, a floor pump is best in situations where you need the highest volume of air in your tires. Floor pumps are also not portable, so they work best in places such as a garage, bike shop, or at home tucked away.

A hand pump is easy to carry and store while riding. Some hand pumps can fit in your pocket, saddle bag, or mounted on your frame. They work best on the move, if by chance you have to fix a flat tire mid ride, your hand pump will come in handy. Hand pumps come in two different versions: high pressure (HP) or high volume (HV). A HP hand pump will deliver small volume at high pressure to high resistance and a HV hand pump will deliver large volume at low-to-low resistance.

A CO2 inflator is the newest pump technology to hit the market, it mimics a bike shop compressor but in its smallest and most portable form. For your CO2 inflator to work you need a CO2 canister to go along with it and supply the air for your tires. They work quickly and are ideal for riders who are racing or in a time crunch.

Whether you need to fix a flat on the go or do a tune-up at home, choose the pump that best suits your needs.