A bike pump is an essential tool for any cyclist, but how do you choose the right one for you and your bike? Our VeloChampion pump buyer’s guide will explain the fundamentals you want to consider before purchasing and covering the following sections:

• Volume & Pressure

• Types of Valves

• Pressure Gauges & Handles

• Attachments

• Comparison Chart

VeloChampion has been producing pumps for over 10 years. From day one, we started with the Alloy 7” Pump. The compact frame mounted pump that started our love of pumps. From there we looked at expanding our collection over the years to cater for most cyclists, whether road bikers, commuters, mountain bikers or tubeless ready cyclists.

Volume & Pressure

Volume and pressure is one of the biggest factors when you are looking to buy a pump.

Mountain bikers tend to have wider tyres compared to road bikes, which means that mountain bikes require a high volume tyre capacity with a lower pressure (approximately 20-40psi / 1.3-2.7bar). This allows for increased grip and to absorb impact from singletrack cycling and rough terrain.

Road bike tyres are much thinner and require a lower volume with a higher pressure. Road bikes usually ride with an approximate pressure of 80-120psi / 5.5-8.2bar.

Types of Valves

Another thing to consider when purchasing a pump, is the valve type you are using. Historically, mountain bikes used Schrader valves and road bikes used Presta valves, but today things have changed and we are seeing more mountain bikes being produced with Presta valves.

Presta - also called French valve.

A presta valve is a thin valve that screws in to lock off air from being released from the valve. You will need to unscrew the top of this valve to inflate. A presta valve is the most common type of valve.

Schrader - also called American valve.

A schrader valve is much wider and allows for a higher capacity of air to flow through the valve and into the inner tube. You may recognize these valves, they are also used on car tyres. To reduce the air out of your scrader valve, simply press the element in the centre of the valve. Scrader valves tend to automatically hold the air within the inner tube.

A Dunlop valve is used more often in European countries and pumps can often inflate Dunlop valves using the presta setting. This will be explained in the comparison chart below.

Pressure Gauges & T-Bar Handles

Not all pumps have a pressure gauge. It depends on cyclist preference and whether you are after accuracy when inflating your tyres. For example, if you are looking to inflate your mountain bike tyres between 43 - 45 psi / 2.9 - 3.1 bar then a pump with a pressure gauge is needed. We have a number of VeloChampion Pumps which include pressure gauges for accurate inflation.

T-bar handles are ideal for greater volume input within 1 stroke for high volume tyres. Our Alloy 12” Pump and Alloy 9” Pump both feature these handles that neatly click back into place to reduce the bulk of a larger t-bar handle.

Attachments & Accessories

We have recently changed our accessories to include a quick inflation pack with most of our pumps. This includes a sports ball needle and inflatables attachments. Most of our pumps also come complete with frame mounts and bolts.

Check out the VeloChampion Pump Comparison table below to find the ideal pump for you.

	*NEW* Professional Bike Pump	Uno Universal Pump	Alloy 9	Alloy 12	Alloy 7	Co2 Inflator	Track / Floor Pump	Sports Ball Pump
Suitable for...	Road Bikes.	All Bike Types.	All Bike Types.	Mountain Bikes.	All Bike Types.	All Bike Types.	All Bike Types.	Not suitable for bikes
Pressure Gauge?	Yes.	No.	Yes.	Yes.	No.	No.	Yes.	No.
Fits Schrader, Presta or Dunlop?	Schrader   Presta   Dunlop	Schrader Presta	Schrader Presta Dunlop	Schrader Presta Dunlop	Schrader Presta Dunlop	Schrader Presta	Schrader Presta	Sports balls only.
Maximum PSI / BAR?	120 psi / 8.2 bar	100 psi / 6.8 bar	120 psi / 8.2 bar	120 psi / 8.2 bar	100 psi / 6.8 bar	canister operated.	100 psi / 13.7 bar
Frame Mounted?	Yes.	Yes.	Yes.	Yes.	Yes.	No.	No.	No.
Weight*	172g	120g	169g	222g	112g	39g	1150g	105g

You can also download our VeloChampion Pump Comparison Chart Sheet here.

Now you are better equipped with the knowledge of what to consider when purchasing a bike pump, check out our VeloChampion Pump Collection today. If you would require further assistance, our helpful staff will be more than happy to help, please contact us.

All of our pumps are now part of the VeloChampion Sustainable Packaging Collection.

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*including packaging and additional elements such as frame mount and bolts.