To inflate your bike tires, you should have a high-pressure, high-capacity floor pump at home to handle the air-filling duties smaller pumps can't. If you road ride, a frame-fit or mini-pump will come in handy. For impatient riders and mountain bikers, a CO2 pump will do the job in a fraction of the time.
Floor
The Topeak JoeBlow Max II is the best floor pump on the market, according to cyclist Ben Van Loon at Bestcovery. It easily handles both Presta and Schrader valves, has a built-in pressure gauge and accommodates a more-than-adequate160 pounds per square inch. You can even use it to pump up your soccer balls and basketballs. The Topeak JoeBlow Max II retails for $29.95, as of January 2011.
Frame-Fit
For a big-barrel, high-pressure, frame-fit pump, the Blackburn Frame is near the top. With a maximum pumping capacity of 125 PSI, a comfortable T-bar handle and a lifetime warranty, it can handle any job. The Blackburn Frame pump sells for $29.99, as of January 2011.
Mini
The Bontrager Air Support Minipump has a simple aluminum body, a foldout handle and adapts to Presta and Schrader valves. It's a small, single-action pump that "gets tires to road-worthy pressures without much fuss," according to "Bicycling" magazine. Its low capacity is impractical for trail riding, however. The Bontrager Air Support Minipump costs $23.99, as of January 2011.
CO2
While mini-pumps are convenient, you trade portability for power. Portland Design Works' Magic Flute Pump/CO2 is the solution to the mini-pump quandary. It accepts thread-type CO2 cartridges and features a bamboo handle. If you run out of CO2, you can still pump manually. The Portland Design Works Magic Flute Pump/CO2 retails for $50, as of January 2011.
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