- When it comes to pumping,
size really does matter.
But bigger isn't necessarily always better.
So you might find that if you've got a big one,
it is quite hard to conceal
and doesn't look particularly pretty either.
On the other hand, if you've got a smaller one,
what you might find is that it doesn't matter
how you use it, how long or hard you go at it,
it just doesn't get the job done effectively.
- So let's have a frank and honest conversation.
Which pump should you buy
and take with you when you ride?
That's a big one.
- Joking aside though, size really is
the biggest question or at least stroke volume
which is what is going to determine
how quickly you can inflate your tires.
However as we said before many pumps will fit
nice and snuggly into your rear pocket
and they'll be a lot lighter as well.
So you need to ask yourself a couple
of questions when it comes to choosing one.
Firstly how often do you tend to puncture
when you're out riding
and secondly how important is it to you that
you're to inflate your tires very quickly
when you do puncture.
- Yeah well let's try to quantify it shall we?
Let's do a little test.
This Topeak Micro Rocket CB is probably one
of the lightest pumps
around at just fifty five grams.
Where as that, Topeak Master Blaster, is
five times heavier but how much faster is it
to actually inflate a tire.
Dan, do you care for a race?
- I do, I'm up for it.
(groovy music)
So then, there you have it.
A bigger one will mean that
generally you finish quicker.
And actually I have to say that
at least back when I was a full time rider,
I did tend to favor a pump like this
because I didn't mind it being on my frame
on the show and I just wanted to get going
as quickly as possible if I did puncture
while I was out training.
- Interesting because I would always choose
a smaller one.
That I could just fit into my jersey pocket.
In fact this is actually my pump,
much loved Micro Rocket,
and when I bought it, I figured that
for three or four times a year
when I actually do puncture, I'd rather spend
and extra fifty seconds on the side of the road
than to have to carry that around
for the remaining twenty thousand kilometers.
- Once you've made that decision though,
you'll have a couple other things to bear in mind.
After all pumps don't just become different
because of their size,
but there are a number
of other things involved as well.
So for example there are 3 main ways
in which the pump will lock on
or go onto your inner tube valve.
Now if you wanted to get your pressure
up to 100 psi or even over then
you might want to go
for something like the thumb lock here,
which you can see on this Master Blaster.
- Now this next one is really cool too.
You get an extendable hose
and then screws on to the valve itself,
making it even more secure than the thumb lock
but one thing to bear in mind is that
actually this won't work necessarily
with all valve extenders
cuz what you need is a thread for that
to screw on to,
and that obviously doesn't have one.
- Finally the simplest of all is one like this
where you simply push it onto the valve,
and away you go.
Now I find this to be perfectly effective
but then I don't tend to want or need
to go above 90 psi, my tires
even though this one is capable
of getting up to a hundred and sixty.
You also should check
and I always find that it is fairly easy
on most mini pumps to change
between a Presta valve
and a Schrader valve setting.
But it's worth checking
before you buy your pump that it is going
to fit your particular bike.
- Now while we're talking about pressure,
it's worth mentioning that if you are buying
a mini pump specifically for road riding,
you're going to need to make sure that
you can go over 90 psi
because you see, if you use a pump that's
optimized for mountain biking, so it can handle
a large volume tires you might actually struggle
to inflate the tire to over 70 psi.
Basically you'd need larger biceps
not the downer I have.
See Danny's stronger than he looks
which isn't say he's actually strong
but he is stronger than he looks.
- So those are the mainstream of the pump world
but there are a couple of alternatives.
For example this bad boy,
which is like a robot in disguise,
in that it can transform itself
into a mini floor pump.
- That is impressive but if it was
a genuine robot in disguise, it would
inflate itself much like this one in fact,
which is like a mini pump
but with a turbo charger.
So you can screw a CO2 cartridge into it
and either use it as a gas pump
or just use it as a mini pump.
- And actually that does bring us
on to another very interesting choice.
CO2 cartridges on their own.
So there's no doubt that these are
both the lightest and the smallest
and also definitely the quickest
but there is a drawback to CO2 cartridges.
They are a throw away product.
So there might be a situation
where you have more flats or more punctures
out on your ride than you have CO2 cartridges
in your back pocket.
- That is true
but in time pressured situations like a sportive
where you might have a goal in mind
or a race where you have to be self sufficient,
these are the business.
For general riding though, we have to say
they are probably suitable only
for minority riders.
- When it comes to buying a mini pump than,
you need to ask yourself a question.
Do I want to inflate my tire super quickly
or would I rather have something which fits
into my pocket?
Only you can decide whether speed is
of the essence
or you'd rather have
something very neatly hidden away.
Also you need to make sure that it fits
onto your own valves,
whether that's schrader, presta
or a valve extender.
- Now if time saving is important to you than
one of these next two videos might be of interest
If you click just up there
then I will show you how to change an inner tube
in record time or down there
and that actually takes you to process
of using a CO2 cartridge,
which is quite daunting to be fair,
for your first time.
- And I will suggest you may want to subscribe
to the Global Cycling Network
because there are all sorts of handy videos
when it comes to choosing not just pumps
but all other things on your bike as well.
All you've got to do is click on one of us.
- Yep.
Whether you like big ones or small ones,
it's worth subscribing to GCN.
In case or for both of me.
Can you put your massive pump
away please now?