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Looking for recommendations for a good/accurate track/floor pump.
Accuracy of the pressure gauge is the most important consideration - what do you recommend?
Thanks
We have one of these at home
and one of these in the van. Both are good and accurate
Jow Blow Mountain X -
https://www.topeak.com/global/en/product/1203-JOEBLOW-MOUNTAIN-X
Specifically because it DOESNT have to display pressures up to silly high PSI, thus making the effective resolution of the gauge much easier to work out. I use it loads and its easy to amend pressures to a single PSI accuracy quite easily.
SKS Rennkompressor.
Then get a proper commercial pressure gauge with the range you need for ten or fifteen quid if you need better accuracy.
Lidl. Never used anything better.
I'm always amazed at how accurate my topeak blow joe booster is compared to my digital pressure gauge.
Also seating tubeless tyres is easy.
I have an (old) SKS Rennkompressor (given to me & great for higher pressure) & a Joe Blow, I much prefer the Joe Blow.
My Joe Blow Max II has served me very well for many years, although if I ever needed to replace it I'd go for the Mountain X.
Cheap and cheerful Sonder Detonator track pump (RRP £22, but I got it in offer for £10)
Shifts plenty of air, and the guage is surprisingly good.
It's not accuracy you need it's consistency. As there isn't a specific pressure that is "right" so you always find the best pressure for you by trial and error and the actual number doesn't matter.
I have a specialized track pump I've had for years but use an accugage 0-30 to measure tyre pressure as most of the track pump gauges have a very wide range which makes it a lot harder to read
That reminds me of a sketch I had from work of William Tell firing arrows at his son
+1 Joe Blow Mountain. Useless for a road bike (I physically can't pump a tyre to 100 with it, I'm too light, I go up instead of pushing the pump down) but brilliant for a mountain bike. Better for tubeless, better for fast inflating, better for gauge reading.
I recently got a Joe blow ace. Don’t get one. It’s great at inflating a variety of tyres (you can switch between high vol or high pressure) but the gauge is tiny and goes up to a billion psi. Can’t even meaningfully measure the pressure on my road bike tyres.
I’ve just realised that my lezyne track pump is 15 years old and used 3/4 times per week so I’ve got to recommend it!
Joe Blow. I’ve had one ten years and it’s perfect
It’s not accuracy you need it’s consistency.
+1
II have an old on one pump with a topeak head. It's not precise or accurate but it is very consistent. I know what the right pressure is for my tires on that pump, but because I don't use loads of pumps it works perfectly. I use a digital gauge at bike parks and my track pump is consistent with it.
Just got me a Mountain X. Pretty impressed. Could probs do my car tyres too! Upgrading / replacing an old Spesh track pump I got free with either MBUK or WhatMTB back in the day.
I've got 2 of the older Joe Blow Mountain, excellent kit, I guess I've had them both 10 years. Useless for high pressures, I'm literally not heavy enough so if I try to get above 80 or so the pump doesn't go down, I go up! But brilliant for mountain bikes, tubeless, etc.
TBH being a trackpump is basically a pretty easy job so imo it's mostly about longevity and the valve head.
SKS Rennkompressor.
Then get a proper commercial pressure gauge with the range you need for ten or fifteen quid if you need better accuracy.
This - track pumps with gauges up to 160psi are not going to be accurate (or very readable) at 15-30 (which is your mtb tyres). you want that in the middle of the gauge range - maybe one that does 60psi. Rennkompressor takes a common,standard gauge - they're no more than £10. (I replaced the gauges on a couple of shock pumps as well - I've got a low pressure pump now that is perfect for forks (gauge up to about 120psi I think)
Could probs do my car tyres too!
any track pump is good for car tyres. and accuracy is a big bonus. Doesn't take much work to add 5psi to a car tyre (pumping from flat is a lot of work, but I've done it)
It’s not accuracy you need it’s consistency. As there isn’t a specific pressure that is “right” so you always find the best pressure for you by trial and error and the actual number doesn’t matter.
I have a specialized track pump I’ve had for years but use an accugage 0-30 to measure tyre pressure as most of the track pump gauges have a very wide range which makes it a lot harder to read
This is true - but if you put an accurate, readable, gauge on your track pump it's a single process (and you're not going to screw up the gauge with a squirt of sealant which is what I think kill all my pressure gauges because you've got the hose before the gauge)
Some of the newer design pumps have some fancy gauges that may well be accurate or readable at low pressures initially but the guage will get worse over time and if it breaks it's either an expensive replacement or something no longer made.
My Truflo Airstore pump has been great for 10 years or so, plus you can buy replacement heads which is useful. Have always managed to seat tubeless using the high pressure store function.
Not cheap these days though.