Electric Air Pumps 2024

[fooferdoggie]

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[fooferdoggie]

I almost got the mini Fumpa. There are 3 sizes...

Pumps

USB Type-C rechargeable electric bike pumps. Made in Australia. Buy direct from the people who make them.

www.fumpapumps.com

I carry little bottles of Stans with me. I've rescued strangers as well as myself when I didn't top up soon enough. I have 2 on me at all times on the ebike (along with hopefully topped-up Stans in the tires). Also use Orange Seal from time to time - both great sealants.

I found this Peatys its like Stans with upgrades it has glitter ij it for larger punters and it can handle c02 and takes longer to dry out. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B4WS1CNJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I use stans bottles to carry it

 

[Prairie Dog]

Since going tubeless I've been extremely lucky, no flats.
I run regular Stan's and carry a Stan's Dart system, spare sealant, and some bacon strips.

Bacon strips? I would think a side or slab might be cheaper over the long run. I carry a dynaplugger but haven’t needed it yet and hope I won't have to.

I also carry a small bottle of Stans on the trail and haven’t had a puncture yet. What is your preferred method for prepping tires for sealant? Do you set the bead first then add sealant through the valve OR just add sealant in an opening in the tire and follow up sealing the bead? I always like setting the bead first then injecting sealant through the valve. I’ve had a few incidents where the bead doesn’t play nice and I end up with a mess.

 

[Prairie Dog]

The Fumpa goes with me every ride, along with spare tubeless sealant and some tools.

I took our Fumpa on a recent overseas trip and it worked out great. We plan on doing it again this year. The extension nozzle is uber handy.

 

[DaveMatthews]

Bacon strips? I would think a side or slab might be cheaper over the long run. I carry a dynaplugger but haven’t needed it yet and hope I won't have to.

I also carry a small bottle of Stans on the trail and haven’t had a puncture yet. What is your preferred method for prepping tires for sealant? Do you set the bead first then add sealant through the valve OR just add sealant in an opening in the tire and follow up sealing the bead? I always like setting the bead first then injecting sealant through the valve. I’ve had a few incidents where the bead doesn’t play nice and I end up with a mess.

So far I have been taking my bike in for yearly check ups and sealant replacement. That leaves me with a couple of "top ups" with small bottles of Stan's regular in each tire through the valve.

 

[Doggyman1202]

Now that I had a chance to use the LiltsDRae/Amorno a couple of times, (https://a.co/d/iSAD3Ek) I'll offer a quick review:

The screw thread to Shraeder valve connection actually works well, but not quite as quick or convenient as the clamp kind. On the other hand, I did not notice any loss of air either attaching or detaching the nozzle as I usually experience with the clamp-on style. (My friend, Lisa, did though. I then noticed she was detaching the hose from the pump itself before removing the hose from the tire. Evidently, this is a common mistake judging by a few negative Amazon reviewer comments griping about air loss). The enclosed hose is 6 inches long which is long enough, but just barely. I still had to get on my knees or sit on my ass to attach and detach from the tire valves.

While milli-amp hour conversion to practical usage is beyond my scope of electronics knowledge, the 4000mAh battery capacity was sufficient to top off 4 50psi tires (her tires needed quite a bit) and barely make a dent in the remaining charge time. I do not see battery capacity as a problem going forward, but I noticed a number of these chargers that are priced the same or less also offer car charger cords. The two I'm reviewing, which appear to be identical with different branding, do not.

The LCD display is fine as long as you're not standing in direct sunlight. In that case, it's damn near impossible to read. I had to go back inside to set the parameters I wanted. With that said, I find the operational buttons and display much more intuitive to use and easier to read than my previous Cycplus brand pump. The Chinglish manual is pure gibberish but I really did not need it to figure this thing out. There are 4 preset device modes with adjustable PSI levels (or other units if you prefer). It's only important to select the right preset as it might restrict your PSI limit. Lisa originally had hers mistakenly set to "sports ball" and was frustrated by the 15 PSI limitation. The bike preset, on the other hand, supports an adjustment up to 150 PSI.

I like the cylindrical shape which also fits neatly into some water holders. (I'll probably keep mine in a saddle bag anyway). I did have a slight misadventure with it though. I placed it on the ground while I went to reset the trip meter on my bike. I didn't notice the pump rolling about 25 feet. We spent a good 20 minutes looking for it. I thought I had entered the Twilight Zone. Finally, Lisa spotted it underneath my car. The takeaway? Beware of rolling portable electric air pumps.

Overall, despite a few minor quibbles, big thumbs up for these things or ones like it. I consider these a great bang-for-buck purchase. I can't speak to car tire capability, but that's not why I purchased them. To paraphrase the old Amex commercial, I wouldn't leave home without it.

 

[m@Robertson]

Please feel free to chime in with suggestions or thoughts about these gadgets. Admittedly, I do not know much beyond what I wrote above.

I have been there and done that with regard to portable pumps with internal li-ion batteries. My advice is DO NOT DO IT.

They seem great, and they are... for a while. But reality is going to set in a couple of years down the road when you realize that a) you have to keep that battery pack charged up (and will need to top it up every month or two at the least). Then, after a year or so the chickens come home to roost. We all know that li ion packs are good for 800 cycles or so, right? Common knowledge, and that 800 cycles is more of an ideal than it is a normal value. Charging to 100% and letting the pack sit there is going to drag you down to like 400 or less.

So why would we think a li ion battery inside of a pump will be any different? Its not. That $30-$50 pump's internal battery will be all done in a year or so depending on how religious you are about keeping it charged up (i.e. useful).

In 2020 I wrote this article about using a battery powered pump, where the battery was the ebike battery itself. I had already been using them for about a year.

A Lightweight Electric Emergency Bike Pump

Got an ebike? Use the big battery you are already lugging around to power a small portable pump.

talesontwowheels.com

Then I found the self-contained pumps like you're describing, and after some testing and finding a couple that had really big battery capacity, I tried them, loved them and eventually went all in and bought I think like 4 of them for my various bikes (I keep a complete tool set on each bike so I never forget something mission critical on a ride). In 2022 I wrote about their use here, in detail.

(e)Bike Tool Kit – The 2022 Edition

In the last few months, I’ve made a few changes to my standard on-bike tool kits. Lets take a look.

talesontwowheels.com

And as the note in that article says, I learned the hard way they don't last. I have gone back to the original pumps I described in 2020. In fact, I just bought another one and found a better way to connect a proper XT60 plug to it that I have to write up (involves using a stripped pigtail and shoegoo to permanently attach said pigtail into the China-specific plug the pumps come with). The pumps in 2024 are identical to the ones I was buying in 2020 except now they are 48v-72v compatible instead of just 48v.

And they will never run out of gas.

 

[m@Robertson]

As far as pumps, the Milwaukee M12 gets used before every ride to top up to a specific pressure

I carry that in my car. I've bought into the M12 ecosystem so I have batteries galore and many drills, blowers, lights, that pump etc.

 

[Doggyman1202]

I have been there and done that with regard to portable pumps with internal li-ion batteries. My advice is DO NOT DO IT.



And they will never run out of gas.

I used the one I lost for two years and always assumed they had a limited shelf life, even if I didn't lose it in a bone-headed way. I've gone through a few Sonicare toothbrushes with the same expectation: They drop dead after a few years. I'm not wealthy, and don't like to burn money, but I don't consider $20-$40 a big investment if I get a few years of practical use from it. Admittedly, that is a little short sighted.

I hear what you're saying though, and for the long haul, your advice makes sense.

 

[m@Robertson]

I hear what you're saying though, and for the long haul, your advice makes sense.

I bought four of those self-contained pumps over the span of a few months. One is just flat out dead. Another has a severely reduced capacity such that its barely able to inflate a single tire. The other two, since I know I can't trust them any more, I use them at home only, which is of course a waste. Just counting the dead ones, I blew $80 in the 18 months (I checked and thats how long it took) they lasted.

Those ebike-battery-powered pumps run $25 to $30. And since 2020 I've never had one fail. So... live and learn I guess

EDIT: @DaveMatthews I'd be curious to hear how the Fumpa pumps fare over time. I think you've had yours for quite a while. Curious to know if the extra money they cost buys some longevity.

 

[DaveMatthews]

I bought four of those self-contained pumps over the span of a few months. One is just flat out dead. Another has a severely reduced capacity such that its barely able to inflate a single tire. The other two, since I know I can't trust them any more, I use them at home only, which is of course a waste. Just counting the dead ones, I blew $80 in the 18 months (I checked and thats how long it took) they lasted.

Those ebike-battery-powered pumps run $25 to $30. And since 2020 I've never had one fail. So... live and learn I guess

EDIT: @DaveMatthews I'd be curious to hear how the Fumpa pumps fare over time. I think you've had yours for quite a while. Curious to know if the extra money they cost buys some longevity.

I guess we'll see. My primary use case originally was merely to have quick/easy access to air in case of emergency. I do use it once or twice a month to top up the tires and "exercise" the battery. So far it has held up well.
I knew it would have some kind of shelf life when I got it, and I suppose that is the trade for convenience, size, and portability.

 

[Gionnirocket]

If you're handy I don't think the battery would be that difficult to replace in the future.
Soldering skills necessary.

 

[DaveMatthews]

Also, the $25 - $30 battery pumps should be generally viewed like cheap ebike battery packs. Some of them will be crap cells. Some will be OK.
As per usual, you get what you pay for.
That said I am sure that there are some good/great deals out there. Also I expect that manufacturing in Australia is a lot more expensive than in Asia.

 

[Aushiker]

In one of his Eurobike updates, Ray Maker (DCRainmaker) mentions a new[?] electric pump from XCADEY. I am unsure if this is the one on their website or if it is a new one. It does look a little different.

 

[jabberwocky]

I don't really get the point of the compact electric pumps. I'm almost always inflating at the shop before riding, so I'm using something that plugs in (compressor in my case) or a nice floor pump. For a portable pump I want reliability above all else since I'm only gonna use it in an emergency. I guess it might be nice in my MTB toolkit for top offs at the car right at the trailhead? Though I generally just toss the floor pump in the car.

 

[6zfshdb]

I tend to agree.

As you suggest, I keep one in my vehicle for pre ride top offs. Since I usually check tire pressure with a gauge before a ride, it's a 2 step process if air is required. To save a step, I use this rechargeable model from Fumpa Pump, which has a built in gauge.

Fumpa Pump

The fastest electric bike pump on the market. Fast, accurate and effortless tyre inflation. Made in Australia. Weighs just 360 grams. USB-C fast recharge. Buy direct from the manufacturer and save.

www.fumpapumps.com

Yeah, it's 5 times the price of other electric pumps, but I'm a sucker for quality well made products.

 

[DaveMatthews]

I tend to agree.

As you suggest, I keep one in my vehicle for pre ride top offs. Since I usually check tire pressure with a gauge before a ride, it's a 2 step process if air is required. To save a step, I use this rechargeable model from Fumpa Pump, which has a built in gauge.

View attachment 178635

Fumpa Pump

The fastest electric bike pump on the market. Fast, accurate and effortless tyre inflation. Made in Australia. Weighs just 360 grams. USB-C fast recharge. Buy direct from the manufacturer and save.

www.fumpapumps.com

Yeah, it's 5 times the price of other electric pumps, but I'm a sucker for quality well made products.

That's the one I chose as well, and for the same reason.

 

[mschwett]

I don't really get the point of the compact electric pumps. I'm almost always inflating at the shop before riding, so I'm using something that plugs in (compressor in my case) or a nice floor pump. For a portable pump I want reliability above all else since I'm only gonna use it in an emergency. I guess it might be nice in my MTB toolkit for top offs at the car right at the trailhead? Though I generally just toss the floor pump in the car.

they are for people who ride very far with relatively minimal weight, replacing the light and reliable but awkward and slow mini frame pumps as well as CO2 cartridges. certainly of no use at home, where everyone should have a standing pump, compressor, or similar.

i haven’t used one yet (for a really long ride i carry a CO2 inflator and a cartridge or two, total weight around 80 grams. these little pumps are very close to that, but slower and possibly less reliable.

 

[Aushiker]

they are for people who ride very far with relatively minimal weight, replacing the light and reliable but awkward and slow mini frame pumps as well as CO2 cartridges. certainly of no use at home, where everyone should have a standing pump, compressor, or similar.

i haven’t used one yet (for a really long ride i carry a CO2 inflator and a cartridge or two, total weight around 80 grams. these little pumps are very close to that, but slower and possibly less reliable.

As one who preference is tours I am considering an electronic inflator to replace carrying CO2. I am not sure however I am willing to give up my backup Leyzene pump.

 

[Aushiker]

Poking around Aliexpress and found this one, which looks like a Fumpa knock-off. Still pricey but at AU$78. They have a cheaper one at AU$52.