Recommend pump for Brompton - mini/lightweight Lezyne or Topeak ?

[snazpizaz]

Hi could someone help ?

1. What is the difference between the Leyzne HV and HP type pumps ? Which should i get for a Brompton ?
2. Which valve is on the Brompton Schwalbe Marathon tyres: Presta or Schrader compatibility ?
3. What is the better Lezyne pump size to get: small or medium ?
3. I've shortlisted the following Leyzne models for my Brompton:
sports drive : $19
Drive : $29
Lite Drive $35
Tech Drive $40 - lightweight comes in small and medium size
Alloy Drive $50 - lightweight
Gauge Drive $50 - has psi gauge
Not sure why $50 is any different from $19 given they all seem the same to me ...

Any advice appreciated.
Cheers
sp

 

[12boy]

I'll measure mine tomorrow..The $19 one has a plastic body. Mine are Al.

 

[12boy]

My alloy drive is 9 inches and the littler one is 6. The writing has worn off if there was any and they work about the same in pumping power.

 

[chriswoody]

1. What is the difference between the Leyzne HV and HP type pumps ? Which should i get for a Brompton ?

HV is high volume (City bikes/Mountain bikes) and HP is High Pressure (Thin racing bike tyres) . Probably HV would be more appropriate and looking at your list of pumps, I would be sorely tempted by the Alloy Drive.

2. Which valve is on the Brompton Schwalbe Marathon tyres: Presta or Schrader compatibility ?

Tyres don't have valves, inner tubes do. So your bike could have either valve, dependant on the inner tube fitted. If it's still the standard factory fitted tube, then I would guess Schrader. Here's a pic illustrating the difference:

All in all it's a moot point though, being as the Lezyne will fit both valve types.

I have the Lezyne Pressure Drive pump and it's a lovely bit of kit, really nicely made and because it uses a screw on chuck it will get into places more securely than a press chuck. It doesn't take much to get the tube up to pressure and will easily fit in a jersey pocket or saddle bag.

 

[snazpizaz]

Thanks - @chriswoody - & 12boy v helpful.

How many strokes of the pump would it take to fill a Brompton 16" tyre with a Lezyne small (6") or medium (9") sized pump and which do people here prefer - the small or the medium sized ? - (NB My intended use of one is on-board - lite-weight pack away for emergencies only)

cheers again
sp

 

[12boy]

Never counted but only a few minutes to pump it up. I prefer around 70 to 80 psi as it seems to gentle the ride. I have both small and larger and my bags and tool roll fit both.

 

[Rocky]

Just in case you haven't read the thread mentioned by @berlinonaut ..... here's a useful post (Brucey is no relation BTW):

Factory fresh Bromptons come with Schrader valves installed. However there is no such thing as 'a brompton valve' because aftermarket wheels/tyres for bromptons often use presta valves instead. So you need to be clear what valves you have, and whether you value a pump that can be converted to do either type (and/or woods valves too) or not.

There are plenty of published tests where folk have tested pumps and counted the pump strokes to get to a certain pressure on a certain tyre size; you can compare them with your requirements (which will vary with tyre size, bodyweight and personal preference).

FWIW the volume inside a 16 x 1-3/8" tyre is (at 60-dd cubic inches) very similar to that inside a 700x25C tyre, and the required pressures are often comparable, so tests on that tyre size are quite representative.

The best you will do is to displace the pump volume ( bore cross sectional area x stroke) into the tyre, which at about 5bar means about 300 cubic inches displacement into a tyre of that size. In reality the pump won't deliver its full volume with each pump stroke, so you might need at least x1.5 that nominal displaced volume.


A generously sized HP mini-pump might have a barrel which is 7/8" dia and 5" stroke; this will displace up to 3 cubic inches per stroke, so about 150 strokes to get your tyres inflated, assuming average efficiency. However there are plenty of pumps that are smaller than that and/or work less efficiently and these will need more strokes.

 

[snazpizaz]

Where are the :
plenty of published tests where folk have tested pumps ? which relate to Lezyne ? Cycle Forum UK can be opaque on their signposts at times ....

Also there are conflicting posts made about the number of strokes a 'small' (Lezyne) pump require - Brucey (not Brompton Bruce) seems to calculate mathematically 150 strokes to get your tyres inflated but others like 12boy above say just a few.

 

[Rocky]

I've got this and can highly recommend it:

 

[snazpizaz]

@Brompton Bruce - wow - that's the super teeny-weeny Lezyne model - 140mm -
How many strokes does it need to inflate / mins to inflate - a brompton 16" wheel - just out of interest ?
useful to know my end ....
cheers again
sp

 

[Rocky]

@Brompton Bruce - wow - that's the super teeny-weeny Lezyne model - 140mm -
How many strokes does it need to inflate / mins to inflate - a brompton 16" wheel - just out of interest ?
useful to know my end ....
cheers again
sp

That I can’t answer. I use it to put a bit more air in my tyres from time to time......but my Schwalbe marathon pluses have done their job so well that I’ve never had to inflate from zero. But given they are 16” wheels, probably wouldn’t take too long.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Mod note.

Some posts have been removed. There is nothing in the CycleChat rules to say that if you ask a question here you cannot ask it on any other site. If you feel affronted that a member has done so then it would be best if you ignore the thread. Likewise if you find that a discussion bores you.

Do not spoil other peoples threads by carrying over disagreements from other threads, fora or websites.

Back on topic from this point.

 

[u_i]

There is nothing in the CycleChat rules to say that if you ask a question here you cannot ask it on any other site.

To the best of my knowledge mentioning that an identical or similar thread is running somewhere is not against the rules either. We often mention other threads on the same or other sites to spare repeating the same discussion or statements, for ourselves or potential posters. Reactions to such a mention may go to different places, but that is the choice made during the subsequent posts. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Schwinnsta]

I bought a Lezyne HP. I store it in the seat tube. It is the medium size version. It has a flex hose. I have used it a bunch of times. It pumps to a point where I can make it home. It has no guage and I never count strokes. Part of the reason I got it was that I have Greenfield kickstand, which interferes with the Brompton pump. I probably would have got it just for the flex hose that screws on.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

To the best of my knowledge mentioning that an identical or similar thread is running somewhere is not against the rules either. We often mention other threads on the same or other sites to spare repeating the same discussion or statements, for ourselves or potential posters. Reactions to such a mention may go to different places, but that is the choice made during the subsequent posts. Please correct me if I am wrong.

You are absolutely correct. However, harrassing another member for having asked the question on other sites is not acceptable.

We are aware that there are people who go round the various forums attempting to troll or spam them - if you believe this is the case there is a report button under every post to bring it to our attention.

There has been plenty of good advice in the thread so far which is likely to be useful to a wider audience than just the OP so please keep it on topic now.

Thanks