# What floor pump do you use for successful tubeless inflation?



## icecreamjay (Apr 13, 2004)

Sorry if this has been covered, but I couldn't find anything with search. I have heard rumors of people using their floor pump to inflate tires tubelessly using Stans kits. I am currently running the Stans Arch 29er rims and they inflate very easily using a CO2 inflator. I know I'm not supposed to use CO2, but it works. None of my multiple floor pumps comes even close to beginning to inflate a tubeless setup. Although I may just shell out the dough for a compressor, I was wondering how many others have had luck just using a floor pump, and if so, what make and model pump are you using?


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## redeyeksc (Apr 14, 2007)

Every pump i've ever used have pumped my tubeless tires up no problem even the Canadian tire raleigh special.
Personally i use the Silca super pista pump i love it pumps up my road bike tires quickly too.


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## Squash (Jul 20, 2003)

*I've found it...*

depends totaly on the tires. I've had sucess with a cheapo Planet Bike pump, and a not so cheapo Topeak Joe Blow pump. But it depends totally on the tires I'm trying to inflate. I've been able to do Nevegals with a floor pump, and a set of Continental MKs. But anything I've tried from Maxxis in the "regular" tire catagory has required a compressor. Also new never mounted tires usually require a compressor as well. It helps to take new tires and mount them tubeless and let them sit for a few days especially folding (kevlar) bead tires. It takes the folds out of the bead and rounds them out nicely. They'll seat easier after that. Anyway the compressor is the better way to go. Then you don't have to worry about it. Like I said, it's pretty much hit or miss and depends a great deal on the tire. If your sure your going to go tubeless and stick with it a compressor is a good investment.

Good Dirt


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## peedrama (Jul 27, 2008)

Squash said:


> depends totaly on the tires. I've had sucess with a cheapo Planet Bike pump, and a not so cheapo Topeak Joe Blow pump. But it depends totally on the tires I'm trying to inflate. I've been able to do Nevegals with a floor pump, and a set of Continental MKs. But anything I've tried from Maxxis in the "regular" tire catagory has required a compressor. Also new never mounted tires usually require a compressor as well. It helps to take new tires and mount them tubeless and let them sit for a few days especially folding (kevlar) bead tires. It takes the folds out of the bead and rounds them out nicely. They'll seat easier after that. Anyway the compressor is the better way to go. Then you don't have to worry about it. Like I said, it's pretty much hit or miss and depends a great deal on the tire. If your sure your going to go tubeless and stick with it a compressor is a good investment.
> 
> Good Dirt


I'm with Squash on this.

When I converted my WTB Exiwolfs to tubeless I was able to do my front with my joe blow but my rear tire refused to bead and needed a compressor.

A pump just will not be able to put in the same volume of air per unit time that a compressor can.


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## forceyoda (Nov 12, 2005)

Another vote for a compressor. You can get the small craftsman model for $100 at sears. Once you get one you'll see what a waist of time trying to go tubeless with a floor pump is.


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## swoodbrn (Oct 5, 2005)

Yes, neither my Maxxis nor WTB tubeless tires would inflate with floor pump. I always end up using one of my CO2 cartridges to get it started - works fine, but costs a couple bucks every time you do it. Once the tires are beaded, floor pump works fine to get back up to pressure.


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## redeyeksc (Apr 14, 2007)

are you guys applying soapy water to the bead of the tire before you try to inflate it?


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## icecreamjay (Apr 13, 2004)

I think I'll just get a compressor. Thanks for the responses.


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## adamantane (Jan 27, 2005)

yeah, compressor and soapy water...some tires are easier than others


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## Maadjurguer (Mar 22, 2008)

Compressor for me....but even with a compressor...you can have trouble inflating if using a presta valve...just figured this one out....taking the presta core out makes a huge difference. Somehow I missed this in the miles of instructions listed on this website for ghetto tubeless.

I have not tried inflating with a floor pump...but would like to try with the core out. I suspect this to be the only way to get it to work.


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## J. Random Psycho (Apr 20, 2008)

No compressors for me... it's floor pumps all the way.

However, it's hard to find a floor pump that would deliver lots of volume AND be reliable. Currently I'm using a Blackburn Air Tower 5. It gives very inaccurate readings and is glitchy in high pressure mode, but it surely pumps lots of air in volume mode. A have also tried Blackburn Air Tower 4, which had more accurate readings but it was hard labor to seat a tire with it's lacking volume capability. Perhaps removing Presta valve core would have helped...

Anyway, those are tires I did with any of these:

Maxxis Ignitor LUST 2.1 (hard)
Maxxis Crossmark LUST 2.1 (easy)
Maxxis Larsen TT LUST 2.0 (easy)
Continental Mountain King UST 2.2 (very hard)
Schwalbe Nobby Nic UST Evolution 2.1
Geax Barro Marathon TNT 2.3 (very easy)

Ironically, I came upon this thread while googling for what is the best floor pump to inflate tubeless tires. )

Anybody there with experience with the likes of SKS Rennkompressor? Topeak JoeBlow Ace?


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## neex (Mar 30, 2005)

forceyoda said:


> Another vote for a compressor. You can get the small craftsman model for $100 at sears. Once you get one you'll see what a waist of time trying to go tubeless with a floor pump is.


I tried to seat my Conti MKs 2.3s with a Topeak floor pump and it almost worked. I took the wheels into the garage and hit them with 120psi. The compressed air is much easier. Wet the bead first and overinflate it to set the bead (60psi). I have seen tubeless tires seated with frame and mini pumps but if you don't have to, use the damn compressor if you can. I can't do them with a mini or floor. Not me.

Good luck.
A.


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

icecreamjay said:


> Although I may just shell out the dough for a compressor, I was wondering how many others have had luck just using a floor pump, and if so, what make and model pump are you using?


I usually use my Craftsman air compressor, but when traveling I am stuck with my floor pump. Any tire change at the trail or location due to different trail conditions than I anticipated has me reviving this thread to ask about any updates on the best floor pump - or at least the one with the most volume - to easily air up a tubeless tire?

Do I look for one with a larger pump tube?

I own a Wrench Force (older model - at least 7 years old). It works, but it is _a two handed, pump like hell, high heart rate, and as fast as I can_ affair to get it to work. The pump is nearing the end of its life cycle, so why I contemplate purchasing a new one - I'd love to hear any thoughts on powerful hand pumps that produce a lot of volume.

TIA.

BB


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## Shalom (Nov 7, 2008)

Squash said:


> depends totaly on the tires.


Have successfully done with a range of pumps. But compressors make life a lot easier.


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## Devinci luvr (Jul 26, 2009)

It really depends on the tire. I have been successful using a floor pump and straps, but I don't have an air compressor.

The best thing if you don't want to buy an air compressor or don't have the space for it is use the air compressor at your local gas station. I do all the time for hard tires that won't seat. Just make sure you use a high quality adapter made of metal and not plastic and it should be all good and also don't trust the pressure gauge on the gas station compressor. Just start the tire with it and then use your hand pump.


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## Devinci luvr (Jul 26, 2009)

BruceBrown said:


> Do I look for one with a larger pump tube?


I would imagine this would be the only way to really tell how much air the pump can move in one down stroke. Far as I know nobody has taken a bunch of pumps and tested the throughput of them.

Common sense would say the pump with the biggest tube, seals and hose would be the one with the biggest throughput.


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

Devinci luvr said:


> I would imagine this would be the only way to really tell how much air the pump can move in one down stroke. Far as I know nobody has taken a bunch of pumps and tested the throughput of them.
> 
> Common sense would say the pump with the biggest tube, seals and hose would be the one with the biggest throughput.


That's what I figured. I'll keep searching for reviews and then I guess I'll just go to a few shops/stores and check out the pumps with longer and fatter tubes to see what the flow is like. I had to swap tires Sunday morning before a race due to rain changing the conditions enough that mud tires were in order for the race. I did the change in my motel bathroom on the tile floor at 7:15 a.m. . I was two handed pumping like a madman and sweating like a pig, but the tires did air up. I'm just looking for a floor pump that will remove a bit of the _pumping like a crazy fool_ out of the equation for those tire changes.

Yes, I could have gone to a gas station as well (used to do that). But I like having a pump with me on trips to bike races, plus it's a mess and having a sink with soap suds helps the conversion. I did clean up the motel bathroom floor after I aired up the tires. Hopefully, the sealant will wash out of the damp towel (motel's towel) I used to clean up the mess...

BB


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## J. Random Psycho (Apr 20, 2008)

The quest for (MTB) tubeless floor pump may be over now for everyone, because Lezyne Dirt Floor Drive is finally out.

Meanwhile, I'm still using my Blackburn Air Tower 5.... and straps.


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## PG256 (Apr 21, 2009)

Lezyne dirt floor drive!


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## BruceBrown (Jan 16, 2004)

J. Random Psycho said:


> The quest for (MTB) tubeless floor pump may be over now for everyone, because Lezyne Dirt Floor Drive is finally out.


That looks like the solution. Good review of the Dirt Floor Drive here.

Snip...

_It turns out that Lezyne have increased not only the Dirt Floor Drive's barrel volume, but also reworked the rest of the pump's internals to allow for substantially increased air flow. It's that combination of increased stroke volume and decreased flow restrictions that allows the three pump Dirt Floor Drive line to effectively seat about 3/4 of the tubeless tires I've tried it on. It's not quite as effective as a small workshop air compressor- but with a bit of effort it sure comes close. And it's against that of an air compressor that the purchase of a Dirt Floor Drive should be considered._

Thanks guys. I think I will be ordering one of these.


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## icecreamjay (Apr 13, 2004)

I have a lezyne mini pump and it is of far better quality than any other mini pump I've used. 

Bruce, you'll have to report back when you get your pump. 

Funny that this thread has been revived as my compressor **** the bed.  So I guess a word of wisdom, stay away from the cheap Home Depot Husky compressors, they blow.  

Reminds me of one of my Dad's favorite sayings " When you buy cheap tools, you might as well add the cost of the cheap one to the price of the good one, because when the crappy one breaks you're gonna end up buying the nice one anyway."


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## J. Random Psycho (Apr 20, 2008)

icecreamjay said:


> I have a lezyne mini pump and it is of far better quality than any other mini pump I've used.


+1 on that. It looks like a piece of space exploration kit, no less. Way more convenient than the common mini pump, too.


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## icecreamjay (Apr 13, 2004)

Update, I got a lezyme Dirt Floor Drive. It works pretty well. Mostly. I've aired up quite a few tires with it, Racing Ralph's, a couple of WTB 29er tires. But then I hit a Wolverine that I just couldn't air up. It was about 90 degrees in my garage, sealant was splashing all over, I was dripping sweat and swearing like a sailor. I fiddled with it for about an hour and a half. Soapy water, rope around the tire, c02 cartridges, you name it, I almost tried spraying wd 40 in there and igniting it like I've seen guys do to mount tractor tires ( I didn't ). So I bought a Makita mac-700. Its fairly small and pretty quiet. Aired that sucker up in 2 minutes. 

In conclusion, go nuts if you want to use a floor pump, but none of em are even close to being as effective as a compressor.


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## Pete Cornelius (May 26, 2015)

hey guys, I know this thread is a little old now, and these have probably been around a while, but pretty nifty I reckon! Bontrager's TLR Flash Charger Floor Pump - Review - Pinkbike


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## Metamorphic (Apr 29, 2011)

I bought a flash charger. It works pretty great. I had one very folded tire that it wouldn't get, but after it relaxed a bit it was fine.


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