Properly inflated tires will maximize your comfort, safety and performance. To ensure that your tires are adequately inflated, you need to check tire pressure and pump up those tires before each ride. A floor pump will become your go-to tool for maintaining proper tire pressure. While most pumps can keep you rolling, certain pumps make the routine task feel less mundane. All prices quoted are MSRP for May 2010
Topeak Joe Blow PRO ($79.00)
The Joe Blow earned accolades as the 2007 Bicycling Magazine’s Editor’s Choice Award. The ergonomic design, bleed-down button and ease of use all merited mention in their annual review. Riders will appreciate a top-mounted pressure gauge that they can read clearly and smart head technology that adapts to work with both Presta and Schraeder valves. Add to these features a padded handle grip to provide maximum comfort and an extra-long hose to provide maximum extension to understand why the Joe Blow emerged as the floor pump winner.
Blackburn Air Tower 4 ($60.00)
The lifetime warranty of the Blackburn Air Tower 4 may be the initial draw of this floor pump. Take it home and you’ll notice its smooth, solid strokes give the pump what Bicycling Magazine has called a “high-class and high-quality feel.” Redesigned in 2009, the pump now features an ergonomic rubber T-handle with storage drawers to hold a patch kit or valve extenders. The aluminum base provides increased stiffness and stability. The pump’s pressure gauge is top-mounted, and its head accommodates both Presta and Schraeder valves.
Bontrager Turbocharger FIT WSD ($69.99)
Bontrager designs the Turbocharger FIT pump for lightweight riders who struggle to achieve high tire pressure with a standard floor pump. The pump features a slimmer diameter barrel to indicate its intended use by smaller riders. According to Bontrager, a multiposition handle provides increased leverage, and a wide, stable platform allows riders to easily anchor themselves to the device to make maximal use of their body weight. The pump's head automatically adapts to fit Presta or Schraeder valve tubes. Bicycling Magazine editor Emily Furia has selected the pump as “Gear of the Day” on Bicycling.com and writes: “Even though I’m 5-foot-9, I felt much more comfortable and control with FIT than with any other pumps I’ve tried.”
Wrench Force Air Daddy ($60.00)
The Air Daddy features a durable aluminum barrel with a wide, stable base to assist in pumping and minimize tipping. The pump action is strong, and once you acclimate to the grips, you might wonder why more pumps don’t incorporate a loose, rotating handle. Like the other floor pumps that have made this list, the Wrench Force Air Daddy features an easy-to-read pressure gauge with adjustable indicator and a dual-compatibility Presta/Schrader valve head.
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