Need pump for tubeless tires

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eyedrop
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2016 5:33 am
Location: Prescott, AZ

by eyedrop

I've been riding road for 5 years and recently picked up a mountain bike to mess around on a few times a month. The tires are tubeless with sealant in them. I bought some sealant to top off and keep things fresh, but realized I need a special pump for popping the bead back on the wheel.

Ive been using a cheapo $25 Zefal Air Max Model# 5610 pump I purchased at Wal Mart 5 years ago when I started riding, and have had zero issues with it. Its kind of cheap and flexy feeling compared to my friends pumps. But honestly, the thing has been surprisingly reliable. I never understood the need to spend a bunch of money on a floor pump...

So what tubeless compatible floor pump do you recommend for best bang for the buck? It needs to service both MTB and Road tubeless, as I plan on experimenting with road tubeless in the future.

Also, I got to thinking.. Why not just buy an electric air compressor since its literally cheaper than buying a fancy floor pump, and it can serve many more purposes. What do you think?

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justaute
Posts: 282
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2013 7:17 pm
Location: UT/TX/PA, USA

by justaute

Depending on a number of variables...budget, noise, convenience, etc. There are several pretty good options based on what I've read -- Bontrager Flash Charger, Topeak Joe Blow, Lezyne, etc.

I use a Lezyne Overdrive (with digital gauge) and it works fine. It's not noisy like my old air compressor, but obviously more work and has limited utility. It is mobile and I get a good "workout" from all the pumping. It has certain value :) If I buy another house, I would likely have another compressor, albeit a quiet one.

Also, in case you are not as familiar with tubeless, if you are just topping-off the tire with more sealant, there's no need to break the bead seal. Just get one of those large syringes with attachment (e.g. Stan's, ebay) and do it through the stem/valve, assuming you have removable valves. I usually "dry" mount my tubeless tires (no sealant) and then inject the sealant through the valve -- same with topping off. An advantage to "dry" mount is you get an idea how well the tire is mounted and how long it will hold air. I do this with all my tubeless tires, road/gravel/cx/mtb.

My two pesos.

eyedrop
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2016 5:33 am
Location: Prescott, AZ

by eyedrop

Im using orange seal. The bottle came with a hose that you can attach to the valve stem after removing the core. Are you saying that if I totally deflate the tire and remove the valve core, the tire will not come off the bead?

bikewithnoname
Posts: 1736
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:29 pm
Location: Paris

by bikewithnoname

No special pump is needed, you can seat most tyres with a normal floor pump usually. However the pumps justaute mentioned do make it easier especially if you are running large volume tyres (2.5 and bigger)

I use a Joe blow sport yellow floor pump for road and my mtb (but haven't had to seat an mtb tyre in about a year to be honest)
"We live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities." Oscar Wilde

justaute
Posts: 282
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2013 7:17 pm
Location: UT/TX/PA, USA

by justaute

Correct -- assuming you have tubeless "compatible" rims.

eyedrop wrote:Im using orange seal. The bottle came with a hose that you can attach to the valve stem after removing the core. Are you saying that if I totally deflate the tire and remove the valve core, the tire will not come off the bead?

kode54
Posts: 3750
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:39 pm

by kode54

i take mine down to the gas station. i really only need to burp it...so its only on the initial install. i have too many pumps and stuff. cutting it down to only the Silca Pista.

one time, i was able to seal up the bead by putting in sealant, flipping it upside down and worked the sealant around the edges...then started pumping. worked a few times.
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kulivontot
Posts: 1163
Joined: Sun May 16, 2010 7:28 pm

by kulivontot

I've had good success with the bontrager flash charger, aside from the pump head breaking. Which i then replaced with a lezyne thread on head

AJS914
Posts: 5397
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:52 pm

by AJS914

I was able to install tubeless tires with just my ancient Silca track pump. I did have to over inflate them to get the bead to pop in place.

On one tire I taped it around the outside with masking tape to compress the tire towards the rim in order to get it to start to pump up.

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FIJIGabe
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Location: The Lone Star State

by FIJIGabe

kulivontot wrote:I've had good success with the bontrager flash charger, aside from the pump head breaking. Which i then replaced with a lezyne thread on head


Good to know! I haven't had a problem with my FlashCharger, but I have had to replace the grommet in my SuperCharger (yes, I have both), and I believe they're out of production now, so I'm going to have to swap heads the next time the grommet fails me.

Regarding the original question, the only problem I have with the FlashCharger is that you cannot use it without the reservoir. It would be nice to be able to deactivate that portion and just use it as a pump, rather than having to fill the reservoir and the tire at the same time. That really keeps me from using it as my full-time pump. However, when setting up tubeless tires, it has never failed me!

kulivontot
Posts: 1163
Joined: Sun May 16, 2010 7:28 pm

by kulivontot

I don't really find the reservoir to be a downside. When you're starting from fully flat it gives you a head start and using the reservoir gives you better precision on the set pressure imo.

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silvalis
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by silvalis

Airshot.
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ddsg
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Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2013 10:30 pm

by ddsg

I was also able to seat my tubeless tires with a standard pump (a road oriented pump at that). It took some furious pumping but it eventually worked.

jemima
Posts: 270
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:36 am
Location: Perth

by jemima

AJS914 wrote:I was able to install tubeless tires with just my ancient Silca track pump. I did have to over inflate them to get the bead to pop in place.

On one tire I taped it around the outside with masking tape to compress the tire towards the rim in order to get it to start to pump up.


Kinda similar here with my mtb tyres, but use clothespegs: Inflate with tube; seat the two beads. Remove the tube, keeping one bead seated. Use a few clothespegs to lift the tyre / hold the opposite bead up close against the rim, sealing the tyre/rim gap fairly close. Pump up with normal road pump. Pegs pop off as the tyre inflates. Easy :D
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TheRookie
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by TheRookie

Ghetto coke bottle accumulator works just fine for me.

Total cost was 2 old tubes and £1 for a piece of hose (plus £1 for the cola if you want to count that!)
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