THE BICYCLE PUMP – A GOOD HELPER FOR EMERGENCIES
AIR PUMPS FOR BICYCLES
Flats are part of the cycling game. A bike pump will help you fix a flat tyre. We stock a wide range of diverse bicycle air pumps, so you’re sure to find the right model for your needs.
When buying a new bike pump, you should know whether you are looking for a bicycle pump for home and workshop use or whether you need a compact bicycle pump for your journeys.
If you are interested in a bicycle pump to inflate your bike tyres at home, we recommend you to go for a floor pump. A bicycle floor pump allows for fast tyre inflation. However, due to its heavy weight and large dimensions, it is less suitable for use during a bike tour.
If you need a bicycle air pump to fix a flat tyre during your bicycle tour, you should rather use a mini pump or a CO2 inflator. Mini pumps are small size air pumps. Thanks to their low weight and small dimensions, they can either be attached to the bicycle frame or packed into your jersey pocket for fast access.
CO2 inflators are just as small and compact, but do not require any effort to inflate a tyre. The gas is released from the cartridge into the tyre at a high pressure to inflate it in a few seconds, so you can continue riding. However, CO2 cartridges must be disposed of when empty and replaced after every use.
When buying a new bike pump, make sure to choose the right valve type for your pump, because not all air pumps are compatible with every valve type. The figure shows the different valve types. The French valve – also called ‘road bike valve’ or ‘Presta valve’ – is shown under "A" and "B". Figure C shows the Schrader valve that is also known as ‘MTB valve’ or ‘car valve’. Figure D shows the Dunlop valve – also known as ‘bicycle valve’ or ‘Woods’ valve.
Many air pumps have a twin head to cover all types of bicycle valves. Some bicycle pumps can also be fitted with adapters to make them compatible with the valve of your tyre. Please make sure that the valve and the pump head are compatible with each other, when buying a new air pump.
We also stock a wide range of accessories and spares for your bicycle pump. Ranging from adapters through to spare tubes or valve extensions: In our online shop, you can find lots of small parts to repair or optimise your air pump.