I've got a track pump that I use when I'm on my road bike. When I ride XC I have a little battery operated pump that runs off my car cigarette lighter socket. But when I go riding at trail centres I don't know how to blow my tyres up. Any advise please? I don't want to use the wrong pump and put the wrong sort of air in my tyres.

I brought a load of air back from the pyrenees last year – I carry it in my camelbak. It's lighter than UK air cos of the altitude. Still haven't come up with a way to get it in my tyres tho.

You need to carry a helium cylinder with you – lighter innit!

you should only use a trrack pump for track riding – a road pump for on the road, and a trail pump obviously for trails. 😛

I've successfully adapted the water pump off an old Ford Fiesta to work at trail centres.

I usually go into the shop attached to the trail and use their pump. It may cost a few quid a time, but I'm not faffing about with different pump settings in Afan, only to throw my whole ride out of kilter by pumping up at Brechfa on said settings!!

Geesh, you lot..

DrP

You need one with a gauge, as it is very important to adjust your tyre pressure after each descent – accuracy is key here as 0.1psi could make all the difference.

I use GN2 as its not affected by temperature changes. Not sure how to carry it in my pack though.

i always run my tyres flat at TC's. It means you never get a puncture and you dont have to carry a pump. the squidgy handling means i can get the back end out on the "berms" too.

Ayatollah – Try a bucket. Be sure to put a lid on it though, don't want it slopping out and getting all over your car.

Good point Atlaz but if I take LN2 it'll be easier to carry in said bucket and more condensed, trouble is it boils at -196C will have to put the air con on in the car!

Beans before every ride and a modified butt plug with a presta/shrader attachement drilled into it. Nice post?!

I use a warm summer air that I keep in a thermos in the shed. I find that winter air is a bit cold and lumpy.

Years ago I used purple anodised air because I though it was cool.

I return my bike to the retailer as I paid nearly £1000 for it and stuff like that should be covered under the lifetime guarantee that all bikes come with.

Most trail centres have a network of fire roads around them, you could get your mum to act as a support vehicle and pump your tyres up with the battery operated car pump. To save embarrassment make her dress in a uniform then you will look like a real pro 😀

I prefer to gather up frogs then squeeze their breath into my tyres. It gives me much more air time too.

Surely the definitive answer should be arm pump, however a mate of mine swears by brake pump…

I would say that trail centre air needs to be highly standardised, natural air is just too varied in its quality to be useful. I think regular air, filtered for impurity then cleaned of any additional gases, filtered again for any further health hazards and finally stored in standard sized, graded bottles appropriate for each level of user.

You could also charge for it.

Put her in this uniform and she will look like a real pro.

I bought a tank of john mckrirrick's breath off eBay speciffically for use on the haldon forest family trail. It was expensive so I only use it in the rear tyre and wheelie all the way round.

bassspine – Member

you should only use a track pump for track riding

Surely you should use a track pump at a pump track?

(And don't call me Shirley)

jenga sedded: a track pump at a pump track

niiice

Doesn't matter what pump you use, as long as you're clad in leg and arm armour.

No need for a pump at a pump track as the pumping action pumps your tyres up as you ride. FACT.

Ahh, but does the type of pump matter more than the type of air, or not?

At a trail centre you should be fitting air of superiority, or phat air, whilst natual trails obviously need fresh air.

I use a Blackburn mini MTN. Does that help?