talking about mini pumps

Singletrack Unscripted – Talking about mini pumps

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Inflation. It’s hitting the headlines everywhere at the moment. But what about inflators? And small, portable inflators at that? Yes, we’re talking about mini pumps!

What is a mini pump? A mini pump is any pump small enough to take with you on a ride. How small a pump needs to be entirely depends on where you’re going to be storing it.

If you ride with a backpack, a mini pump can be relatively big. If you’re a bumbaggist, a pump needs to be a bit smaller. If you stash things in your jersey pockets – or attach things to your bike – you’re going to really prioritise a dinky mini pump.

Sure, you can use CO2 cartridges but, let’s face it, they are something of a gamble. And not the single-use nature of them is not exactly eco is it?

In the video below, seasoned hot air producers Benji and Hannah waffle on and on about what they think is important to look out for in a mini-pump. Valve locks, mini hoses, big handles, T-handles, foot-hitches, plastic, metal, weight, brand, how small is too small? Portability versus useability. All that sort of jazz.

They also delve into the bags to pull out what mini pumps they’ve ended up going with over the years. It’s funny what mini pump you end up sticking with. Quite often it isn’t a pump you would have chosen to pluck off the shop shelves beforehand.

The proof is in the pumping.

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Orange Switch 6er. Stif Squatcher. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan. Ebikes are not evil. I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld. Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

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Home Forums Singletrack Unscripted – Talking about mini pumps

Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Singletrack Unscripted – Talking about mini pumps
  • Gribs
    Full Member

    CO2 for racing, and a pump with a remote head for everything else. Obviously you need a track pump at home. AS far as brands go I use lezyne as they appear to last forever.

    tenscarymonkeys
    Free Member

    I’m generally brand-agnostic about these sorts of things, but am a vocal disciple of the Lezyne Pocket Drive High-Volume pump. It’s not significantly bigger than a CO2 with inflator attached, and moves enough air to reseat a bead after burping my tubeless setup with under a minute of pumping. Have never used it to go from full flat, but it’s been flawless for my use cases. Fits in a saddle bag; very few compromises.

    zerocool
    Full Member

    All my pumps are now Lezyne (2 mini pumps and the high pressure track pump (although now I don’t road bike I wish I have the high volume track pump instead) and somewhere I have the mini track pump (although as I’ve not seen it in a while I assume someone has borrowed it) and they’re basically indestructible. They’ve been dragged around Europe in all weather conditions, strapped to bikes and left outside, used as lightsabers by toddlers and (on one occasion) found at the bottom of the paddling pool when we got back from a weeks holiday(?).

    Never had a problem with them unscrewing valves but then I’ve always made sure they’re nipped up nice and tight.

    Bookmarked! Thanks

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