Mini bike pump recommendations for bicycle commuting?
Does anyone have any recommendations for tiny bike pumps to keep on my commuter? Durability is preferred, but I don't want to break the bank if it gets stolen.
But why carry excess weight and lose valuable bag space everyday taking unnecessary things with you. If you are commuting by bike then you need your bike to be reliable which means you should invest in good tyres.
If you are getting punctures then you either need to get an armoured tyre if you are using tubes (I've used specialised crossroads and marathon plus) or invest in a proper tubeless setup.
I just don't really understand why you'd carry a load of crap you don't need for the sake of being "prepared" rather than investing in the mode of transport you rely on to get you to work every single day. No one wants to be trying to fix a puncture in the pouring rain knowing you still have to also work a full shift for the sake of not just investing a small amount of money into tour setup.
I haven't had one puncture in all my years of commuting which I put down to being prepared in terms of getting the right gear for the job in the first place. Regular maintanance and cleaning to keep your bike running well is all you need, the only tool I've ever carried is a small multi tool and I've not once used that even.
I've helped a five or six folk over two decades who have thought the same as you. Donated a tube and used my pump to infate and get them on their way.
That said if it's worked for 10 years why bother now? The only point to make is if it does happen that you get a flat, what will you do? Ring your partnter and get a lift, or use an Uber (?) fair enough. Walk with the bike for 20k in the dark to get home ? Maybe an idea to have a spare and a pump?
I've helped out several people with flats, and had a flat away from home which required a pump (obviously). Even came in handy when I punctured a tubeless tire on my escooter.
That was all within three years. For something that weighs less than a bottle of water, but can provide a ton of benefit, seems like an easy choice.
I got my daughter a nice accessory for her bike: An electric pump. You can pre-set the target pressure, clip it on, press a button, and it gets gone. It also works as a flashlight and a power bank, so it is actually a useful thing and gets charged up often enough to actually have power when needed.
In this case it was more about ease of use. My daughter has difficulties in finding if the tire pressure is right. Just having to press a button and get the pressure right on the first attempt is worth it.
similar as other user wrote: metal, mountability aside bottle carrier, and a hose. i avoid those with just a hole on top, no hose, so you rape the valve with every stroke.
mountability or a seaparate mount is neat feat too. gauge not so much, as i need portable pump to get me out of trouble and not to inflate to exact bar i want for that type of tire. other pumps and gauges will do that job.
topeak mini morph is nice. i currently use different small one just as good, "blueline" maybe. anyway, pump, hose with presta/schradder, and a small separate brass valve adapter later for use on gas station air pump.
flats are a pain depending on tire you're using. i had more trouble get a tire off in the first place.
Having used quite a few different bike pumps I chose one which is made of metal, has a hose and pressure meter, it is basically a mini floor pump but the size of a hand pump (slightly longer but more narrow). Mine is Moon Aiolos Gauge MFP but eg Lezyne has similar models. Screw-on adapter can be problematic with presta valves because some models tend to screw the valve core out when you remove the adapter, but I've never had that problem with mine. Here's a review of the pump. Basically don't need a floor pump either when I have this.