Floor Bicycle Pump - How to Select a Quality Floor Pump?

Which is the best floor bicycle pump?

A floor bicycle pump is an absolute necessity for any serious cyclist. A floor pump is not meant to be used as a portable pump; it’s intended to be a stationary pump, left in the primary place your bike is stored.

There are several different types of pumps available, but you should always consider having a high-quality, robust floor pump at your main base to check and top up your tires accurately.

Floor bicycle pumps provides high-capacity filling power, and they can handle higher pressure jobs that smaller, portable pumps can’t necessarily handle.

When choosing a floor pump for bicycles, make sure to compare pump performances. You’ll want to check things such as stroke force, strokes to inflation, and maximum PSI output. You’ll also want to check inner tube valve compatibility: You wouldn’t want to buy a floor pump that wouldn’t fit your bicycle inner tubes. Finally, make sure the floor pump you choose has a pressure gauge. There is nothing worse than ruining a perfectly good tube simply from overfilling it.

Selected Quality Floor Bicycle Pumps

Tips for Selecting the Best Floor Bicycle Pump

There are several parameters you will need to take into account when you buy a floor pump:

Does your bicycle have a Schrader or Presta valve?
What PSI do your tires require?
Are there any weight or space limitations for your floor pump?
Is hose length and connector type going to be important?
What budget do you have for your pump?

Performance

Floor pumps are the largest and most robust types of manual bicycle pumps that are available. They can inflate bicycle tires smoothly and effectively right up to the high pressures required by many road bicycle tires. The ergonomics of the pump will also be a factor in the performance as a large handle, and solid footplate will provide you with a much more stable platform from which to pump.

Nozzles and Valves

You will find that even floor pumps have a range of nozzles available to deal with the multiple valve types that are around. Some nozzles are universal and are designed to fit both Schrader and Presta valves. It is now more common to find dual nozzles, one for each of the valve types, on a floor pump so that it can be used just as easily on any bicycle without having to make any adjustments. There are also the inverting nozzles, which are used one way round for Schrader valves and then are inverted for Presta valves. The final type of nozzle, which for dedicated bicycle pumps is becoming relatively rare now, is the single valve compatible type that will work only with either Schrader or Presta valves.

Pressure Gauge

A good floor bicycle pump will have an integrated pressure gauge for you to see what pressure you have pumped your tires up to. Floor pumps should be robust devices, which means that it is possible to obtain accurate pressure readings and so you should expect a pressure gauge to be accurate to ±1 PSI on a good quality pump.

Durability and Warranty

Floor pumps are built to last. The construction materials are usually metal, with a heavy gauge hose to connect to the valve, and so can easily be expected to last for several years. Many manufacturers will offer a lifetime warranty on the materials, but it is worth checking out the details as sometimes there is only a limited warranty on other parts, such as the hose.

Applications

Most floor bicycle pumps can be used for filling through both Schrader and Presta valves. Therefore they can be used to top up any bicycle tires. Many also come with a needle attachment so that the pump can also be used for filling up sports balls, and also a larger plastic nozzle that is compatible with items such as exercise balls. It is also possible to use floor bicycle pumps to top off a car, motorcycle, scooter, wheelchair and wheelbarrow tires.

Ease of Use

Floor pumps all have hoses to connect the pump to the valve. Some will have clamp connectors, and others will have screw-on connectors. Screw-on connectors will usually give you less air escape than clamp connectors, and they can also be easier to use if there is limited space around the valve. However, the choice of attachment mechanism is usually based on personal preference. Connectors should attach and detach easily, and the pumping action should be in a relatively natural position. A good floor pump should inflate bicycle tires to high pressures very quickly.

Value for Money

You can expect to pay anything between $30 and $100 for a floor pump. It’s all depends on your requirements and the overall durability of the pump. There are some quality floor pumps available at around the $30 mark, but you have to do a little bit of homework to ensure it is of the quality you need. These represent the best value for money, and it could be argued that $100 pumps are perhaps a little over-priced. However, if the pump has to have certain ergonomic and performance features, it can be worth paying that bit extra to get exactly what you want.

Check Out Floor Bicycle Pump Reviews


Model	Comments	Score
Blackburn AirTower Floor Bicycle Pump	A great solid, easy to use floor pump for both types of bicycle valves.	5.0
Serfas TCPG Floor Bicycle Pump	A very good pump with a gauge, for both Presta and Schrader valves. Really useful for all general inflation tasks.	5.0
Lezyne Specific Micro Bicycle Floor Drive	A frame pump which can pump in the style of a floor pump. For air pressure measurement you can buy the version with a pressure gauge, or a separate pressure gauge.	4.0
Topeak Blow Sport Floor Pump	A good floor pump and that it is worth its price. It is ergonomically good with big handles. Can be attached to both types of valves.	4.0
Topeak JoeBlow Sprint Floor Bike Pump	A great general purpose floor pump. Useful for many other uses other than pumping air into bicycle tires.	5.0
Topeak JoeBlow Floor Bicycle Pump	An easy to use floor pump. It is great when it works, but needs some maintenance from time to time to keep it going.	3.0
Lezyne CNC Floor Bicycle Pump	An excellent floor pump, with a respective price tag. Can be connected to both valves and achieve the desired pressures without too much effort.	5.0
Lezyne Steel Floor Bicycle Pump	Due to its high pressure rating this pump is ideal for daily maintenance, especially of road bike tires. Due to its low volume it was not specifically designed for mountain bikes.	5.0
Schwinn Floor Pump	This Schwinn floor pump has a a very simple and common design. It offers a wide base for better stability as you inflate, and a very easy to read pump gauge.	3.0
Floor Pump by BigUpBrands	This floor pump by BigUpBrands isn’t just for the garage anymore. This compact pump is ready for the road, and only needs a level surface to work.	3.5
Matrix Concepts MP1 Foot Pump	You can see right away that the setup and design of this solid, easy to use Matrix Concepts MP1 Foot Pump isn’t your average foot pump.	3.0
AerGun Bike Pump	The AerGun bike pump has a solid steel construction instead of an alloy. It’s simple to use and the pump action allows air fill with every stroke. This air pump is worth a look.	4.0

Last Word About Selecting The Right Floor Pump

You should never just buy a pump based on pictures or price. Instead, you should carry out a little research into the capabilities of the pump, fitting and form, and also read up on reviews that other people have posted about the item.