Find your forever floor pump
6 factors by which you can identify a good floor pump
It is a purchase for life and is a basic piece of equipment in any bicycle workshop or garage: the floor pump. Before each tour, you should quickly check your tyres and inflate them if necessary. Floor pumps quickly and safely ensure the right pressure in this respect. But which pump should you use and be happy with forever? We will explain to you what constitutes a decent floor pump. Let’s start at the bottom:
#1 The base
Do you like to pump with one foot or two feet? 😉 Either way, the base of a floor pump should be made of solid material to ensure good stability. To prevent you from slipping while pumping, a ribbed or rubberised foot plate is recommended. The Rennkompressor pump from SKS GERMANY even has fold-up feet for better transport.
#2 The pressure gauge
An easy-to-read pressure gauge on a floor pump is essential. It allows you to precisely inflate the tyre with the appropriate pressure. For those who value extremely precise tyre pressure: The AIR-X-PLORER DIGI 10.0 with a digital pressure gauge measures accurately to two decimal points. For short-sighted people, the particularly large precision pressure gauge of the AIRKOMPRESSOR 10.0 is a good solution.
#3 The tube
In order to be able to pump high pressures into your tyres, the tube of the floor pump should be very resilient. Steel tubes are ideal. It is important to know what the thickness has to do with it. The thicker the tube, the more air per stroke. The thinner it is, the easier it is to pump.
Tip: When choosing the tube, consider the bike for which you need the floor pump. For example: For a 29” inch mountain bike, plenty of volume is recommended per stroke = thicker tube. For racing bikes, a thinner tube is ideal, which enables smooth pumping with high pressure.
If you are looking for a good compromise between the two, you can use the AIR-X-PLORER 10.0. This floor pump with a 35 mm tube combines generous volume with a maximum pressure of 10 bar and is therefore an all-rounder.
#4 The handle
For more comfort while pumping, you should look for an ergonomically shaped rubber handle that rests comfortably in your hand. The stability of the handle is also important, after all, it has to stand up to enormous effort. The soft-touch handle on the AIRMOTION 12.0 is robust and yet feels comfortable in your hand.
#5 The hose
The length is important: The hose of a floor pump should be long enough to allow you to inflate the tyre comfortably and protect the valve. This should always be at the top of the wheel of your bike while pumping so that it is not damaged by the weight of the pump head . It is important to ensure that the valve head is correctly positioned at a 90 degree angle.
#6 The head
Good floor pumps usually have valve heads that can be used to inflate the three common valve types: the Schrader, Presta and Dunlop valve. So you can use the pump for any bike. By the way, all new SKS floor pumps are equipped with the MV EASY valve head. It can be easily clamped to the valve with the locking lever, producing a reliable seal.
Tip: Floor pumps are also suitable for pumping up air mattresses or balls. However, this requires a suitable valve attachment, which is available to purchase as an option.
Finally a good piece of advice:
Pay attention to quality and durability to protect the environment. Before you make a purchase, be sure to check if the pump mechanisms can be repaired and the components can be replaced. At SKS GERMANY, the floor pumps are produced in Germany and spare parts are still available years after the purchase. So you can enjoy using your favourite pump forever.
