Any comments on these battery-powered tire pumps?

[Wes Turner]

Yeah that is it. Once a year I renew black all weather gorilla tape and pour 10 Oz of Stan's. Once a year ritual. When I do this I inspect rear tire. I have new ones that can go. Look for sealant leaks from sidewalls

What is the Gorilla tape for?

 

[steve mercier]

Do you have a link to where you bought it? I only found it on eBay, which I don't trust.

No I forget where I bought it. I have had it for a few years.

 

[Wes Turner]

I use this. It's cheap and great. It also works for car tires.i don't carry a pump with me on rides. I like to live dangerously

It looks like these use replaceable batteries rather than batteries that can be recharged, usually via USB-C. Is that correct?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Are you saying your tubeless tires plus some sealant have kept you puncture free?

Wes, the tubeless setup will seal itself for most of small punctures, and bigger ones could be fixed with a repair kit without even removing the wheel. Only our care-free friend Rome did not tell you that:

• The majority of e-bike wheel rims are not tubeless ready;
• You need tubeless ready tyres, and not all tyres are TL ready (which limits the choices);
• The compatible rim must be sealed with a tape;
• You need TL compatible valve stems;
• The TL valves often get clogged by the sealant;
• You need to replenish the sealant every several months;
• A wide cut in the tyre sidewall cannot be fixed by the sealant;
• You need a compressor with a compatible hose (it is a Presta valve, not the Auto/Schader one) to "shoot" the tyre onto the rim;
• The process of replacing tubeless tyres is messy because of the sealant.

Tubeless setup is used by cycling athletes (MTB, road, or gravel) or by demanding cycling enthusiasts who know their bikes. For myself, the rims of my Vado 6.0 are not tubeless ready. The rims of my Vado SL are tubeless ready but as I'm replacing the tyres with winter ones, I run the tubes like most of us.

If the tubeless setup were trouble-free magic, all the cycling world would ride tubeless. Only it is not, and the majority of cyclist ride the tubed setup.

P.S. I had the tubeless setup on my e-MTB, and it saved my day in the big forest far from civilization, where my tyre got punctured by a piece of quartzite. However, the downsides of the tubeless made me return to the tubes very soon and for good.

 

[Wes Turner]

Wes, the tubeless setup will seal itself for most of small punctures, and bigger ones could be fixed with a repair kit without even removing the wheel. Only our care-free friend Rome did not tell you that:

Thanks, Stefan. Your comments are very helpful to me as I try to get my head around all of the technology, jargon, and options.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Wes, the tubeless setup will seal itself for most of small punctures, and bigger ones could be fixed with a repair kit without even removing the wheel. Only our care-free friend Rome did not tell you that:

• The majority of e-bike wheel rims are not tubeless ready;
• You need tubeless ready tyres, and not all tyres are TL ready (which limits the choices);
• The compatible rim must be sealed with a tape;
• You need TL compatible valve stems;
• The TL valves often get clogged by the sealant;
• You need to replenish the sealant every several months;
• A wide cut in the tyre sidewall cannot be fixed by the sealant;
• You need a compressor with a compatible hose (it is a Presta valve, not the Auto/Schader one) to "shoot" the tyre onto the rim;
• The process of replacing tubeless tyres is messy because of the sealant.

Tubeless setup is used by cycling athletes (MTB, road, or gravel) or by demanding cycling enthusiasts who know their bikes. For myself, the rims of my Vado 6.0 are not tubeless ready. The rims of my Vado SL are tubeless ready but as I'm replacing the tyres with winter ones, I run the tubes like most of us.

If the tubeless setup were trouble-free magic, all the cycling world would ride tubeless. Only it is not, and the majority of cyclist ride the tubed setup.

P.S. I had the tubeless setup on my e-MTB, and it saved my day in the big forest far from civilization, where my tyre got punctured by a piece of quartzite. However, the downsides of the tubeless made me return to the tubes very soon and for good.

One downside Stefan missed is that you need to be pretty fussy about checking your tire pressure, particularly with a new tubeless setup. But you should get into the habit of checking your tire pressure anyway so from a practical standpoint this is more about enforcing a good habit for any bike than a disadvantage of tubeless.

Yes, the vast majority of e-bike rims are not tubeless ready. But if you are running a mid-drive e-bike, then you can easily purchase new rims.

Yes, you need tubeless ready tires. Which are generally widely available and of better quality, on the average, than non tubeless tires. Two points: beefy tubeless tires suitable for beefy e-bikes are not as widely available, and it isn't necessarily true that a tubeless compatible rim will accept all tubeless tires of that size. In fact, a lot of rim builds seem "fussy" and only accept a pretty narrow range of tires. Consult with an LBS for what works well for them and probably will work well for you.

Yes, you need to install rim tape. This takes a bit of practice but isn't super difficult. Expect to have to do three or four tape jobs to get the hang of it.

Tubeless valve stems are inexpensive (around US $15-$25). You should carry an extra one. And they do get clogged but cleaning them is typically very easy (remove the valve core, possibly poke out the sealant boogers, clean the valve core in some citrus solvent, or replace the valve core). Oh, and you should carry a couple of extra valve cores too. Come to think of it, you damned well should carry extra valve cores even if you run with tubes. They do get bent and otherwise damaged.

In most climates, you should expect to replenish the sealant every six months. For myself, I usually replace tires more often than that and so just put new sealant in when I replace the tires.

Sidewall cuts and in general big rips and gashes are not solved by tubeless. But keep in mind that you are just as screwed if that happens with a tire with a tube. The simple fact is that 99 percent of flats on a tubeless system can be quickly and easily fixed by airing up the tire and perhaps installing a tire plug (an operation that takes about ten seconds).

Yes, you need a compressor or a floor pump with a reservoir. That's another argument for an electric pump, actually.

And yes, it can be quite a messy process working on a tubeless tire. Especially so if you are a neophyte. Make sure to put drop cloths down in your shop, have a mop and bucket handy, and don't wear clothes you'd like to keep nice. And maybe consider protection for your hair and eyes. And don't try this in your living room or kitchen!

So, what do you get for all that mess and fuss?

Being able to deal with 99 percent of flats in a very few minutes without removing the wheel is a big win. Also keep in mind that a lot of "flats" that you would have had on a tubed tire will be magically sealed by the sealant with only the loss of a few pounds of air and probably without you even noticing. For reasons I don't completely understand tubeless setups seem to do that more often than tubes with sealant.

On the average you can run at lower tire pressure with tubeless. This makes it easier to reinflate the tire under field conditions, and also can smooth out a bumpy ride. It also gives you an advantage in low-traction situations (where you can get away with temporarily dropping your tire pressure to very low levels -- I typically run 30 to 35 psi and might drop that to 20psi in very sandy or very muddy conditions, but am always careful to air those tires back up when out of those conditions).

There is also this almost mystical term "ride quality". My observation is that a lot of cyclists, including very good cyclists, are often not very sensitive to it. But I think if you rode the same bike with tubes and with tubeless, you'd probably wear a bigger smile while running tubeless. Why? Probably some of it has to do with running at lower tire pressure which is both more comfortable and lets you stick to the road better. Some of it is probably due to a modest weight reduction on the wheels. Some of it is probably in my head.

We are still in early days with respect to tubeless tires, and I suspect that over time more bikes and more e-bikes will be available that can run tubeless right out of the bike shop. Chances are bikes will never be shipped from the factory with a complete tubeless setup, if only because the sealant will dry out on the shop floor.

On the other hand, my own opinion is outside a few relatively narrow applications tubeless is almost always a better deal. The technology is also improving very rapidly and my suspicion, again, is that the vast majority of bikes in a few years will be capable of running tubeless right out of the box.

 

[m@Robertson]

I love rude comments from a non-rider who spends his sorry life in a workshop.

There has never, ever been any reason to think anything like that. Entirely the opposite. And of course you absolutely knew this when you typed it out.

You've been many unpleasant things here, but you have never been a liar, until now. A still-further descent for one who has already fallen.

You feed off of fomenting and creating conflict. The community is diminished by your presence. Which is too bad because if you were not such a negative personality you would be useful.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

One downside Stefan missed is that you need to be pretty fussy about checking your tire pressure, particularly with a new tubeless setup. But you should get into the habit of checking your tire pressure anyway so from a practical standpoint this is more about enforcing a good habit for any bike than a disadvantage of tubeless.

Yes, the vast majority of e-bike rims are not tubeless ready. But if you are running a mid-drive e-bike, then you can easily purchase new rims.

Yes, you need tubeless ready tires. Which are generally widely available and of better quality, on the average, than non tubeless tires. Two points: beefy tubeless tires suitable for beefy e-bikes are not as widely available, and it isn't necessarily true that a tubeless compatible rim will accept all tubeless tires of that size. In fact, a lot of rim builds seem "fussy" and only accept a pretty narrow range of tires. Consult with an LBS for what works well for them and probably will work well for you.

Yes, you need to install rim tape. This takes a bit of practice but isn't super difficult. Expect to have to do three or four tape jobs to get the hang of it.

Tubeless valve stems are inexpensive (around US $15-$25). You should carry an extra one. And they do get clogged but cleaning them is typically very easy (remove the valve core, possibly poke out the sealant boogers, clean the valve core in some citrus solvent, or replace the valve core). Oh, and you should carry a couple of extra valve cores too. Come to think of it, you damned well should carry extra valve cores even if you run with tubes. They do get bent and otherwise damaged.

In most climates, you should expect to replenish the sealant every six months. For myself, I usually replace tires more often than that and so just put new sealant in when I replace the tires.

Sidewall cuts and in general big rips and gashes are not solved by tubeless. But keep in mind that you are just as screwed if that happens with a tire with a tube. The simple fact is that 99 percent of flats on a tubeless system can be quickly and easily fixed by airing up the tire and perhaps installing a tire plug (an operation that takes about ten seconds).

Yes, you need a compressor or a floor pump with a reservoir. That's another argument for an electric pump, actually.

And yes, it can be quite a messy process working on a tubeless tire. Especially so if you are a neophyte. Make sure to put drop cloths down in your shop, have a mop and bucket handy, and don't wear clothes you'd like to keep nice. And maybe consider protection for your hair and eyes. And don't try this in your living room or kitchen!

So, what do you get for all that mess and fuss?

Being able to deal with 99 percent of flats in a very few minutes without removing the wheel is a big win. Also keep in mind that a lot of "flats" that you would have had on a tubed tire will be magically sealed by the sealant with only the loss of a few pounds of air and probably without you even noticing. For reasons I don't completely understand tubeless setups seem to do that more often than tubes with sealant.

On the average you can run at lower tire pressure with tubeless. This makes it easier to reinflate the tire under field conditions, and also can smooth out a bumpy ride. It also gives you an advantage in low-traction situations (where you can get away with temporarily dropping your tire pressure to very low levels -- I typically run 30 to 35 psi and might drop that to 20psi in very sandy or very muddy conditions, but am always careful to air those tires back up when out of those conditions).

There is also this almost mystical term "ride quality". My observation is that a lot of cyclists, including very good cyclists, are often not very sensitive to it. But I think if you rode the same bike with tubes and with tubeless, you'd probably wear a bigger smile while running tubeless. Why? Probably some of it has to do with running at lower tire pressure which is both more comfortable and lets you stick to the road better. Some of it is probably due to a modest weight reduction on the wheels. Some of it is probably in my head.

We are still in early days with respect to tubeless tires, and I suspect that over time more bikes and more e-bikes will be available that can run tubeless right out of the bike shop. Chances are bikes will never be shipped from the factory with a complete tubeless setup, if only because the sealant will dry out on the shop floor.

On the other hand, my own opinion is outside a few relatively narrow applications tubeless is almost always a better deal. The technology is also improving very rapidly and my suspicion, again, is that the vast majority of bikes in a few years will be capable of running tubeless right out of the box.

Your observations are true-to-life. I would only mention that "buying new rims" actually means rebuilding the wheels, and that might be an expensive process. My opinion is going tubeless makes sense when given e-bike has already been designed as "tubeless ready", and the user never plans swapping the tyres for the winter ones.

For instance, any gravel cyclist I know who went tubeless is a happy person but gravel bikes usually come tubeless ready, and gravel cyclists hate swapping their tyres for the winter. Otherwise it requires a dedicated and aware cycling enthusiast to go through the ordeal of the tubeless conversion.

(Wes is contemplating purchase of a Gazelle C380, and that e-bike is not meant to be tubeless ready).

 

[Wes Turner]

One downside Stefan missed is that you need to be pretty fussy about checking your tire pressure, particularly with a new tubeless setup. But you should get into the habit of checking your tire pressure anyway so from a practical standpoint this is more about enforcing a good habit for any bike than a disadvantage of tubeless.

I am little confused. In some comments, you and others talk about reducing the tire pressure to get better traction and a softer ride. Here you are saying I should be "pretty fussy" about keeping the tire pressure up. Can you clarify?

Yes, you need to install rim tape. This takes a bit of practice but isn't super difficult. Expect to have to do three or four tape jobs to get the hang of it.

I'd just take it to a LBS and have them do it.

In most climates, you should expect to replenish the sealant every six months. For myself, I usually replace tires more often than that and so just put new sealant in when I replace the tires.

The bike I bought is a 2021 Radcity St 3 with about 2300 miles on it. It has the original tires, which I am pretty sure have tubes.

So, what do you get for all that mess and fuss?

Being able to deal with 99 percent of flats in a very few minutes without removing the wheel is a big win. Also keep in mind that a lot of "flats" that you would have had on a tubed tire will be magically sealed by the sealant with only the loss of a few pounds of air and probably without you even noticing. For reasons I don't completely understand tubeless setups seem to do that more often than tubes with sealant.

On the average you can run at lower tire pressure with tubeless. This makes it easier to reinflate the tire under field conditions, and also can smooth out a bumpy ride. It also gives you an advantage in low-traction situations (where you can get away with temporarily dropping your tire pressure to very low levels -- I typically run 30 to 35 psi and might drop that to 20psi in very sandy or very muddy conditions, but am always careful to air those tires back up when out of those conditions).

There is also this almost mystical term "ride quality". My observation is that a lot of cyclists, including very good cyclists, are often not very sensitive to it. But I think if you rode the same bike with tubes and with tubeless, you'd probably wear a bigger smile while running tubeless. Why? Probably some of it has to do with running at lower tire pressure which is both more comfortable and lets you stick to the road better. Some of it is probably due to a modest weight reduction on the wheels. Some of it is probably in my head.

We are still in early days with respect to tubeless tires, and I suspect that over time more bikes and more e-bikes will be available that can run tubeless right out of the bike shop. Chances are bikes will never be shipped from the factory with a complete tubeless setup, if only because the sealant will dry out on the shop floor.

On the other hand, my own opinion is outside a few relatively narrow applications tubeless is almost always a better deal. The technology is also improving very rapidly and my suspicion, again, is that the vast majority of bikes in a few years will be capable of running tubeless right out of the box.

These are the comments that confuse me. Is it OK to ride tubeless tires at lower pressure or should I be "fussy about checking your tire pressure"?

If lower pressure offers a safer (better traction), more comfortable (less bumpy) ride, why not ride at a lower pressure all the time?

Way back in high school, I worked part time in a gas station. One of the tasks I got to do was replace tires. My recollection is that I was told to make sure that the tire pressure was at the recommended level. I was told that if it was low, the tire could lose its "seal" with the rim.

Anyway, thanks for all the detailed information.

 

[Wes Turner]

Wes is contemplating purchase of a Gazelle C380, and that e-bike is not meant to be tubeless ready.

Yes, I was contemplating a C380. But one neighbor loaned me his old (2011?) Faraday while they were away for the month of October. That gave me a chance to ride around town and see if my bike riding skills are up to the task. I learned a lot. I am 80 years old. My balance is not what it used to be. I had 2 "spills" on the Faraday.

One was just a tip-over in the driveway. The Faraday is not a step-through. I had ridden it to tennis and made the mistake of having the handle sticking up. When I tried to swing my leg over to dismount, it caught on the racket handle and I lost my balance.

The other was on a narrow 2-lane bridge. One car coming toward me was over in my lane a bit. I made the mistake of slowing down, which made the bike less stable and, again, I tipped over.

Neither spill was serious, but I learned (a) get a step-through bike and (b) try to maintain a stable speed or stop.

While I was contemplating all this another neighbor offer his 2021 Radcity ST 3 bike for sale. It is a Class 2 (pedal assist and throttle) step-through. He let me take it for 2 days and I bought it. I took it to a LBS to be checked out. They said it was in excellent shape. It only needed a little adjustment of the rear brake.

I decided to do this rather than spend $4,000 only to find that my balance is too precarious. I'll ride it for 6-12 months and then decide if I need something better.

 

[rbeckert]

I've been using the Lamgool 150 PSI Tire Inflator Portable Air Compressor Bicycle Pump for the last 6 months and it's performed well. Right now (11/13/2023) it's $35.69 from AMAZON.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Radcity ST 3

You certainly do not think this e-bike has tubeless ready wheels? Good that you eventually bought an e-bike! Many happy rides!

 

[Mr. Coffee]

I am little confused. In some comments, you and others talk about reducing the tire pressure to get better traction and a softer ride. Here you are saying I should be "pretty fussy" about keeping the tire pressure up. Can you clarify?

These are the comments that confuse me. Is it OK to ride tubeless tires at lower pressure or should I be "fussy about checking your tire pressure"?

If lower pressure offers a safer (better traction), more comfortable (less bumpy) ride, why not ride at a lower pressure all the time?

I'll try to clarify.

On the average, you can run at a lower tire pressure with a tubeless setup than with the identical wheel and tire with tubes. Also, on the average, a tubeless tire won't hold air quite as well as one with tubes. This is particularly true with a new tubeless installation.

Now, with a tire with a tube and low pressure, you greatly increase your risk of a pinch flat or snakebite. That risk is still present with a tubeless tire but is much reduced.

In practice you should check your tire pressure every time you ride your bike, with or without tubes in your tires. But we all know very few people actually manage to do that. Because tubeless tires lose a little more air than tubes, especially with a new tubeless setup, it is a Good Idea to keep on top of the tire pressure.

Now, for a real-world example of what all that means. I run 47mm WTB Venture tires. If I have a tube in 'em I'll keep the tire pressure between 40 and 45. Without a tube I usually run 30 to 35. Now if I am in a low traction situation I might temporarily drop the pressure to 20, but I'd be much, much, much more willing to do so with the tubeless setup.

Hope that clears it all up.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

There has never, ever been any reason to think anything like that. Entirely the opposite. And of course you absolutely knew this when you typed it out.

You cannot prove you are riding. Your word against my word.
I am transparent, and you can easily check my yearly riding performance.
You only talk. The talking costs you nothing.

You are as rude as many stereotypical American bullies can be. Learn some politeness. I have never called you a liar. I have just pointed out you cannot prove you move yourself for a ride at times. On contrary, you seem to have an enormous workshop experience.

 

[Ben J]

I have the CYCPLUS one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BVW1CTZJ and it works. It's also tiny. Maybe the same volume as one CO2 + inflator, but shorter. I'm not carrying it because I'm lazy, it's just the smallest thing available that can reliably inflate my tires. Being faster and easier than a mini pump is just a bonus.

I also carry a short (8" or 12", I forget) USB C-C cable in case I need to power my phone from my bike. In theory it could charge the pump from the bike, too.

The argument I'd make is that the very small pumps (like the Fumpa Nano/Mini and the Cycplus) are of comparable weight and size to a CO2 inflator and cartridge(s) -- and comparable inflation ability.

Vastly more inflation ability compared to a single CO2.

 

[mfgrep]

It looks like these use replaceable batteries rather than batteries that can be recharged, usually via USB-C. Is that correct?

No, these use the Ryobi lithium ion rechargeable battery..... This is the same battery that works my jigsaw, my drill, my shop light, my sawzall etc

 

[linklemming]

You cannot prove you are riding. Your word against my word.
I am transparent, and you can easily check my yearly riding performance.
You only talk. The talking costs you nothing.

You are as rude as many stereotypical American bullies can be. Learn some politeness. I have never called you a liar. I have just pointed out you cannot prove you move yourself for a ride at times. On contrary, you seem to have an enormous workshop experience.

Stop projecting Stefan, the only bully on these forums is you, you seem to be of the mindset that strava stats make your bullying justified because you can PROVE.

You behavior on these forums is typical of a stereotypical 'eurosnob' who hates the US. Why you persist with this attitude on forums where most users are indeed from the states is beyond me and many others.

I have no reason to doubt anything about the riding of m@Robertson on these forums. Even if I did, why should I care? I judge his advice on common sense and the rational he gives on his advice which have helped countless others on these forums. He has no reason to throw around strava stats because the actual truth is more helpful.
You seem to want to be the authority on these forums based on your mileage which you can PROVE, thing is your not and your mechanical expertise about cycling rivals only that of a baboon despite your strava stats. You have done this to me on several occasions where I showed I had actually ridden more than you. That being said, mileage stats are not important to me, only to you.

Discussing mileage with you Stefan, reminds me of the saying...Never argue with an idiot, he will bring you down to his level and then beat you with experience.

m@Robertson has provided more technical expertise and good advice than anything you have ever provided. In fact he has probably provided 10 times more actual useful stuff compared to you in likely 1/100 the number of posts. He has also not spammed many threads with yet another picture of his ugly mug like you.

You really need to get over yourself Stefan, You have made yet another enemy on these forums. Did EBR ever upgrade your ignore list size?

Dont be a Stefan

 

[Gionnirocket]

I love rude comments from a non-rider who spends his sorry life in a workshop.

You're such an ass hole.
I guarantee those that work on their bikes have more time to ride then those who spend 10x the amount of time and effort getting their bikes back and forth to the LBS.
The only advantage I see to you taking your bike to the LBS is now I know where to send me DHL driver.
Does road kill show up on Strava?

 

[TrevorB]

I have been looking up specs for various pumps. Some report the battery capacity as "5,000 mAh". Others report it as "2,500*3 mAh". Should it make any difference to me whether a pump has one 7.500 mAh battery or 3 2,500 mAh batteries?

Thanks

Only need enough charge to fully inflate a couple of bike tires. Given it can be charged by any USB source recharging shouldn't be problem between uses.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

In the response to the verbal attack of the adversaries of mine:

"There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can "overhaul" it, or you can ride it. On the whole, I am not sure that a man who takes his pleasure overhauling does not have the best of the bargain. He is independent of the weather and the wind; the state of the roads troubles him not. Give him a screw-hammer, a bundle of rags, an oil-can, and something to sit down upon, and he is happy for the day. He has to put up with certain disadvantages, of course; there is no joy without alloy. He himself always looks like a tinker, and his machine always suggests the idea that, having stolen it, he has tried to disguise it; but as he rarely gets beyond the first milestone with it, this, perhaps, does not much matter. The mistake some people make is in thinking they can get both forms of sport out of the same machine. This is impossible; no machine will stand the double strain. You must make up your mind whether you are going to be an "overhauler" or a rider.

Personally, I prefer to ride, therefore I take care to have near me nothing that can tempt me to overhaul."
/Jerome K. Jerome, "Three Men On A Bummel", 1900/

The only thing that has changed over the last 123 years is the multimetre in addition to the tools mentioned above. Personally, I prefer to ride.

I think the 38,226 km (23,757 mi) ridden on several e-bikes over 4 years and 2 months give me enough competence to give advices for practical aspects of e-bike riding and e-bike selection. I can also say about typical issues met during riding particular e-bikes and the way to interpret and handle them.

I am sorry for people who tried to save their dollar and bought ridiculously cheap e-bikes then need to "work on them". I believe I need to let people earn their dollar for the work they do at LBS, or I manage the maintenance and repairs within my family.

The issue with people like lemming, gionni, or Matt is they seem to have never been taught politeness in their families, and it shows.

You behavior on these forums is typical of a stereotypical 'eurosnob' who hates the US.

If I hated the US, I would not be loving the American brand e-bikes On contrary, some of you seem to be in love with China and its e-bikes. The ones that need to be "worked on".