The bicycle floor pump is one of the many accessories required to keep your bicycle in good condition on a daily basis. You need it to refill leaked air in both front and rear bicycle tires. This is because your daily cycling activities bring about a reduction in the tire’s air pressure. Because a product’s quality directly affects its function, it’s important to pick from the best bicycle floor pumps to inflate your bike’s air pressure.
Bike floor pumps are a preferable choice to mini-pumps because of their relative ease-of-use. So, if you already have a mini-pump, you should consider getting a proper bike floor pump.
Best Bike Floor Pump
We have taken our time to review some of the best bicycle floor pumps available for purchase and this article contains details of both their pros and cons. You should be able to find a model that suits you.
1. Crankbrothers Gem Bike Floor Pump
The Crankbrothers Gem Bike Floor Pump is an affordable product that offers great quality and results. It comes with double air chambers that ensure quick refill of tire pressure.
As you mechanically work the pump’s plunger, a large amount of air is pushed out from the bigger chamber. This action makes it possible to quickly refill air into larger mountain bike tires and fat-tire bikes.
Although the high volumes of the air from the larger chamber work excellently for big tires, they won’t work for narrower road tires. This is because the excess air can destroy them. However, the pump features a smaller air chamber that works for small-volume tires. This pump’s smaller chamber has a significantly high 160-psi rating.
2. Topeak Joe Blow Twin Turbo Floor Pump
The Topeak Joe Blow is a quality pump that has been manufactured to satisfy high standards. It’s one of the best bicycle floor pumps you can get today. The pump is designed with a double-chamber system embedded within its shaft.
According to the manufacturers, both chambers within the shaft are maximally engaged with each mechanical pumping action through the flow of air from one barrel to a second barrel, causing the air within the bigger barrel to move into the smaller barrel and consequently result in high-pressure air compression. Through this action, the air rapidly fills large vacuums in both mountain and road tires.
In addition to an efficient twin chamber system, this pump’s nozzle is compatible with Schrader and Presta valves. For Dunlop valves, there are adapters compatible with ball and bladder heads. Thanks to its 200psi rating, this pump can easily supply you with the needed air pressure.
3. BV Bicycle Ergonomic Bike Floor Pump
Our review would be incomplete if we didn’t mention the BV Bicycle Ergonomic Bike Floor Pump. Thanks to an effective valve head, this pump is able to work with both valves. Its hose has a lengthy specification of 34 inches. It’s also able to turn through 360⁰ for a seamless pumping experience. Taking readings off the gauge isn’t a difficulty, thanks to the large display.
Since the pump sits on a significantly wide base, pumping air is made easier. The wide base is very balanced on the floor and doesn’t shift out of place. A large handle is attached to this pump for the purpose of improved grip and traction.
Apart from pumping bicycle tires, this bike can also be used to pump air into other inflatable items. It features a sports ball needle along with an inflatable tool for filling air into pool floats and sports balls. The pump has a compact design that facilitates easy storage and convenient carriage. The pump can be taken with you on different exercises and trips.
4. Schwinn Bike Floor Pump
If you want a cheap but reliable unit, the Schwinn Bike Floor Pump is a great choice. Its various quality features make it one of the best bike floor pumps you can find. It has a wide base that facilitates good stability. The pump is able to function in five different modes, which makes it a much-coveted product.
The pump is compatible with Presta and Schrader valves and also Dunlop valves. Thanks to a couple of inflatable attachments, this pump can be used on other inflatable items. Depending on what valve you’re dealing with, either Schrader or Presta, you can switch between them by simply turning the nozzle through 180⁰.
After using the pump, it can be neatly stored since it has a compact build. For the purpose of saving space, the manufacturers have designed the locking handle in a way that it can be pushed down to shorten the overall pump length.
5. LEZYNE Steel Floor Drive Bicycle Pump
Next on our list is the LEZYNE Bicycle Pump. This pump’s frame is made from a combination of different materials. The barrel and piston are both from steel, while the base is made of aluminum.
It’s possible to use the best bicycle foot pump with both Presta and Schrader valves, thanks to the flip-thread chuck. When being used with a Presta valve, the chuck is pushed onto the valve, while it’s usually screwed to a Schrader valve. You should know that many complaints have been given about the pump’s chuck. These complaints revolve around O-ring associated faults with the chuck.
Favorably, there’s an additional Speed Chuck that allows the pump to work with disc wheels. As for the pressure gauge, it’s positioned at the pump’s lower end base.
6. Vibrelli Bike Floor Pump with Gauge
This one is a quality product that provides satisfactory results. Its quality T-valve is among the many features that make it one of the best bike floor pumps. Thanks to this T-valve, it’s possible to switch between Schrader and Presta without losing much air as the hose is taken off the tire.
The pump has a max rating of 160 psi that supplies sufficient pressure to refill most bike tires. It has a sturdy steel barrel that ensures long-lasting use. It also has a 12-inch nylon base that performs well against significant pressure levels.
In addition to all these functions, the Vibrelli pump features a small puncture kit that fits nicely into the pocket and works well for emergency purposes. Your purchase is made secure through the 5-year warranty included in the package.
7. AerGun X-1000 Bike Pump
This is another relevant bike floor pump. It’s used and enjoyed by many pros in the cycling world. It’s able to work with both the Schrader and Presta valves.
It has a large handle that provides enough room for good grip and sufficient traction. The pump has a max pressure rating of 160 psi that makes it easy to pump bike tires with air.
The AerGun X-1000 comes with ball and bladder needles that assist in pumping air into other objects apart from bicycle tires. You can use this product to inflate various sports balls, inflatable toys, pool floats, and more. This feature makes it versatile and more desirable.
How to Pick the Best Bicycle Floor Pumps
After you’ve purchased the best road bike floor pump or the best mountain bike floor pump, you’ll want to know what pressure is best for it.
Low pressures would cause fast wearing of the tire and pinch flats. When the pressure is too high, the tire can easily burst.
For Road Bikes and Triathlon Bikes
In this case, you can make use of 90 to about 120 PSI rating. For tires with a 25mm specification, you can go for a lower pressure.
Those with 23mm specification can be filled at higher pressures. Apart from the width, you may work with clinchers or tubulars. Using these, you may decide to use 10 PSI less on tubulars than clinchers.
For Mountain Bikes and Youth Bikes
You may fill these within the 25 to 40 PSI range. You should take into account the nature of the terrain you’ll be riding on.
Very rough tracks are best biked over at half that pressure range. This recommendation also works well for bike trailers fitted with pneumatic tires. Constantly keep an eye on the tires because they retain their shape even after losing some air.
For Hybrid Bikes and Commuter Bikes
Hybrids and commuter bikes are fine with the 35 to 70 PSI range. The tire’s width matters a lot in determining what pressure is okay. If you have a gravel bike, you can use between 60 to 75 PSI – where tire width ranges between 28 to 35mm.
Higher PSI values cause more vibration to be transmitted on gravel tracks. You may let out some of the air within the tire for a more stable experience.
Types of Bicycle Floor Pumps
A good number of bikers make use of the floor pump when their tires are flat. These pumps have a bigger size and are able to rapidly pump air into flat tires.
The majority of floor bike pumps with gauge are designed to work with both Presta and Schrader valves. The best bike floor pumps usually have a versatile design that allows them to work with various bicycle models.
In addition to compatibility with Presta and Schrader valves, some pumps are also compatible with Dunlop valves. For the purpose of monitoring pressure levels, bike pumps are usually fitted with gauges – they may be digital or analog.
However, if you don’t have a bike floor pump, you may use a mini bike pump to inflate your bicycle’s tire. These pumps have a smaller and more compact design when compared to the bike floor pump. They can be stored with ease and carried conveniently when going out for a ride.
Thanks to their small design, mini bike pumps can be fixed on any part of the bicycle. Those who don’t fix them to the bike’s frame can carry them in a secure bag.
Conclusion
Bike floor pumps are effective tools for getting air into deflated tires and filling them up. These pumps, sometimes used in place of mini pumps, are operated through a manual pumping action. Out of all the products we reviewed earlier, the Crankbrothers Gem Bike Floor Pump is the best.
Its design includes double air chambers that facilitate fast filling of reduced tire pressure. The larger chamber provides large volumes of air for mountain bike tires and the smaller chamber provides air high pressure for smaller road tires. The pump’s smaller chamber has a 160 PSI rating.