Step 7: The Way of the Pump
There are some really tiny mini-pumps out there (as little as 6" long), but if you don’t have one seek out a gas station. Many gas stations have an outdoor coin-op pump available 24 hours.
Your bike shop can get you a very small Schraeder-to-Presta valve adapter that will let you use the gas station pump on any type of innertube. Gas station pumps will fill a bike tire in just a couple seconds – keep your hand on the stick and be ready to pull out fast! In more remote areas, locals with pickup trucks often have a tire pump.
There is also the Vampire pump, but I can't recommend it both due to impracticality and immorality. Its just as large and heavy as a mini-pump, but it won't fill your tires to full pressure and if used carelessly will leave its host in a dangerous condition.
Many gas stations also have "fix-a-flat" made for car tires. This is a combination glue + pressure aerosol that should work on a bike too, although I have not tried it myself.
The Pump Challenge: do you know any other way to pump a tire without a pump? assume you are at the side of a road with a flat tire, not in your well equipped shop. Can you figure out how to connect a 2 liter soda bottle you found in a dumpster to your valve, and stomp on it to pump up?
Your bike shop can get you a very small Schraeder-to-Presta valve adapter that will let you use the gas station pump on any type of innertube. Gas station pumps will fill a bike tire in just a couple seconds – keep your hand on the stick and be ready to pull out fast! In more remote areas, locals with pickup trucks often have a tire pump.
There is also the Vampire pump, but I can't recommend it both due to impracticality and immorality. Its just as large and heavy as a mini-pump, but it won't fill your tires to full pressure and if used carelessly will leave its host in a dangerous condition.
Many gas stations also have "fix-a-flat" made for car tires. This is a combination glue + pressure aerosol that should work on a bike too, although I have not tried it myself.
The Pump Challenge: do you know any other way to pump a tire without a pump? assume you are at the side of a road with a flat tire, not in your well equipped shop. Can you figure out how to connect a 2 liter soda bottle you found in a dumpster to your valve, and stomp on it to pump up?
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altered14 says:
Apr 9, 2012. 7:59 PMReply
NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! Never, Ever use Fix a flat in your Bicycle Tire. The tube in the tire flexs way to much and will never let the gel/glue set. All you end up with is a Real mess, as a 10+ year bicycle mechanic I have had to repair more than a few flats where people thought they would try fix-a-flat. It smells very bad, hardens all over the rim and has to be sanded off (could cost more in labor time at bike shop). A better way to go would be ; http://www.notubes.com/ Check them out on u tube.
mr.cookie says:
Jan 6, 2011. 7:06 AMReply
well just use two plastic bearings or any round sphere and make two gravity valves using a plastic pipe bout the size of the spere place one on each end of the soda bottle one on the input and one on the output or you could just use one valve one the output and close the other end of the tube with your finger when pumping
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