Save me from myself (& presta valves)

[Plax]

Ok, so I've had my new bike a few weeks now and decided for the first time I'd check the tyre pressure. I thought my foot pump & mini pump was for both presta and schrader valves. How wrong was I. So now my front tyre is only around 2 bar, and that was after fannying around with a wood valve adaptor so it wasn't completely flat. I gave up in the end.

I am thinking about getting a presta valve adaptor rather than replace my pumps, are they any good?

If they are crap, which pump definitely a) is for a presta valves where you don't have to faff with putting on an adaptor, is easy to use and c) has a gauge on it?

TIA, I shall be cycling my hybrid for a few days now and lugging round a rucksack

 

[Plax]

Some mini pumps are for both but you have to change the end around. Unscrew the end, pull out the rubber ring bit, pull out the plastic bit behind the rubber ring. Turn the plastic bit around and put it back in. Turn the rubber bit around and put it back in, then screw the top back on.

If you can't do any of the above, then it's not a pump that will do both valves. If it is, then Bob's your uncle.

You User are an absolute darling. You're right up there is my list of top 5 favourite people. My mini pump does indeed have a thing for the presta valve and you just turn the end around. In my defense I am a girl and the pump didn't come with any instructions . My tyres are now fully inflated. I have absolutely no idea what PSI they are but they feel as solid as the tyres on my hybrid.
My foot pump hasn't got a presta adaptor on it. I've ordered a presta valve adaptor for it off ebay;
http://ngvi.ebay.co.uk/vi?ngvi&back...lve+adaptor&pass=HUYoNNNifOtHa/G7zEe9oIxXGRM=
so hopefully this will work on the foot pump and I'll at least know what PSI my tyres are inflated to.

 

[betty swollocks]

If I may suggest: get a dedicated presta only frame-fit pump. Your life will be so much easier: promise. You must get the correct size for your frame mind, as these compress to wedge usually along your seat tube or the top tube.

 

[TheDoctor]

Just two words for you, Plax.

Track pump.

Trust me on this, it'll be your best bike-related purchase ever.

 

[Tynan]

seconded, Joe Blow for £20 is superb, a couple of strokes is all it takes

I carry a mini pump in the pannier, after a valve snapping experience I've just bought a toppeak mini morph baby track pump that looks very good on paper at least

I've got a bike adaptor for my footpump, it didn't quite work, too short to clear the valve head I think

 

[domtyler]

Track pump

 

[domtyler]

a couple of strokes is all it takes

Yeah, your missus told us!

 

[Tynan]

oh the hilarity, track pumps ae very good but a bit hefty to carry if that's what plax wants

 

[Plax]

Is a foot pump not similar to a track pump? You just use your foot instead? Or am I missing something? I suspect the latter...........

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I now have a topeak mini morph on the bike and a halfords red track pump, both work ok...but boy did it ever take me a long time to get used to this dam presta valves...I kept ripping the valves out of the inner tubes with my old pump...really frustrating..and expensive.

 

[Plax]

I now have a topeak mini morph on the bike and a halfords red track pump, both work ok...but boy did it ever take me a long time to get used to this dam presta valves...I kept ripping the valves out of the inner tubes with my old pump...really frustrating..and expensive.

Ugh, lets hope I have more luck. I am not very strong on the upper body strength anyway (My proudest achievement was doing 10 proper push ups - in fitness tests us girlies have always been allowed to do the "30 push ups in a minute" kneeling) so if I managed to rip a presta valve from the tube I'd be really impressed with myself.
Hopefully my presta adaptor will be waiting for me when I get home today or tomorrow so I can see if it is any good with the foot pump or if I'll have to splash out on one of these fancy track pumps.

 

[Christopher]

I spent £45 on a Blackburn TP-3 pump about 6 years ago. It has never given any trouble so far, it is used all the time and is some of the best £ I have ever spent on cycling (along with the half-price Mavic Helium front wheel!). It is heavy steel, works much better than the lightweight plastic ones.

Anyway Plax I'd recommend a track pump with the pressure dial at the top of the barrel and a dual head that can do Presta and Schreader, so no adapters to fiddle with or lose. Edinburgh bikes used to do such a pump for £20, not sure they still do.

Personally I find getting 23mm road tyres to 100psi is easier than getting a 2" MTB tyre to 60psi...

 

[Tynan]

the joe blow 11 does all those things and is well made as far as I can see, hardly expensive at £20

 

[Plax]

Well my presta valve adaptor arrived, and is sh*te. It fits on the valve okay to adapt it to a schrader valve but when I attach the foot pump to it, I heard the dreaded "Pssssssssssss" sound of escaping air. In the end I gave up and had to use the mini pump to pump them back up again.
So it looks like I need to get a dedicated track pump. I shall investigate all your suggestions and see how flush I feel afterwards (or I could wait a month and 10 days for my b'day and ask for it as a present.....Mmmm how desperately do I need it do you think.......).

 

[4F]

Plax, splash the cash and get a track pump with guage rather than leaving it to someone who will probably ending up buying what you don't want. It's one of the best investments you will make.