So I was looking to get an air compressor to help keep the inflation right. I noticed that some of the British forum members mention using a foot pump. When I googled these, most of the sites that come up are uk sites. Does anyone use a foot pump? How easy is it to use? Any recommendations on where to buy them, etc? Thanks!
u can get an inexpensive 12 volt compressor to maintain tire pressure, why would you want a foot pump
I have one hanging in my garage, it's been there about 25 years. Was good for pumping up bicycle tires for the kids. For the Prius I bought a combination air compressor/battery jumper.
Plain and simple - Forget it. The best ones don't last long in use, the seals go bad, the shaft bends, but more importantly, unless you're Walter Payton, you don't have the stamina to pump up a car tire. A tire takes a lot of air, even though it's at lower pressure than a bicycle tire. Get a 12 volt compressor. They are lightweight, easy to use, and come with emergency lighting. A combined compressor/jump starter/power pack is better as you can use it as a power supply, jump start cars, charge your cell phone or whatever.
Thanks for all the replies. Guess I'll get the compressor instead. I was hoping to avoid noise and also to not use electricity!
If are going to go with a manual pump I would suggest investing in a good bicycle floor pump. I use my Silca floor pump on the bikes as well as the Prius. On the plus side it is a simple, proven design with a steel barrel that will last a lifetime, is easy to maintain/repair, requires no power (other than you), is virtually silent and requires a bit of manual labor to operate (about 10 strokes per 1 psi gain). On the down side, it is more expensive than the cheapo compressors, takes a bit of time if you tires are really low and requires a bit of manual labor to operate.
I second that. I use a bike pump that has both schrader and presta connections (use the schrader). Works great to top off the pressure once every week. It can be a good workout too!
I wouldn't bother w/a foot pump. Long ago when I was little, that's what we used to inflate car tires. It took forever and yes they bend too. These days, I avoid even using the cigarette lighter based pumps I have and just go to a gas station near my work after work (and use their air hose). It takes WAY less time than my pump and is convenient enough.
my two cents on this is to avoid the cheapest compressors out there.. a la walmart ones. i bought one because it fit in that little compartment in the back but now regret it after using it. 1. it fails to mention on the box how darn how it gets and you should only use it for 10 minutes at a time and then let it rest 30 minutes (cool off). 2. it did not fill the tires quickly... in other words it took a multiple minutes just to raise the tire pressure a few notches. 3. i could barely hold the thing it got so hot and was afraid to put it back in the compartment in the box because i thought it would start a fire :-| 4. it sucks. Spend a few more dollars then i did and be happy!
I totally, totally disagree. I have a better "bicycle" floor pump (not the $8 cheapo model), and it's been great for 8 years so far. Takes 10 pumps per psi, generally I'm never more than 2 or 3 psi from where I want to be - that takes 30 seconds. Even with the Subaru when I had a leaky tire (bigger tires took 12 pumps/psi) and needed to put in 5 pounds every week, it was still no big deal (I went over a month before fixing the tire, and by then I needed to put air in every other day). It's better to get a minimal amount of exercise and at the same time avoid using fossil-fuel derived power. Much more convenient than going to a gas station, and much, much quieter than one of those little whiny cigarette-lighter-powered units, and definitely faster too. But I would recommend an upright floor pump instead of a foot pump.
Michelin make an excelent 2 tube footpump. I over inflate my tyres on my way home, just 3 or 4 PSI over the 42/40 I like at a petrol station then adjust the pressure to 42/40 the next morning with a dial type gauge
Husky has the air scout, they cost about 80 bucks though..not bad and pretty cheap for a oiless pump. Has 2 gal air, i used it for more then just pumping up my car tires, works double duty on dusty computers in a pinch every few weeks. is quite portable also and not very heavy, google Husky air Scout.
100% Agree with Nerfer, I use a floor pump, JoeBlow $30 at REI, work great with my 3 cars and 2 bicycles
Hand pumps are better than foot pumps, which take longer to inflate. A hand pump is adequate for keeping tires at the desired inflation pressure. I've used one for years.
Ditto on the bike floor pump and 10 strokes per psi. Nashbar currently has this Zefal pump on sale-- http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?...storeid=&pagename=Shop by Subcat: Floor Pumps -- list $49.95, sale $26.96. And it pumps up to 160 psi. Go hypermilers! PA P
Floor Bike Pump I've recently decided to go with a moderately decent floor bike pump as well for my car tires. My daughter, a biker, is giving me one of hers. She says that I can choose between her Avenir Air Source Pro or her Blackburn Air Tower 2.
