High pressure vs high volume bike pump for 2023! Which One Should Use & Why?

We all love taking a nice stroll down the road with our trusty bicycles and we need those hard surface gripping tires to support us during our journey.

But what if all the air in your tires gets deflated and your bike isn’t riding as smoothly as it should. Anyone can find themselves in such a situation and it’s not easy to find your way into a bike store and get this air pumped up because it costs much more.

Not to worry because this guide is here to solve all your queries and questions regarding bike pumps, let’s learn the difference between high pressure vs high volume bike pump and which one is the right one for you.

What makes a bike pump desirable?

There are some bike pumps on the market that are a must-have, but it’s not as simple identifying those ones as you think it is. There are some physical cues you need to look out for to select the best one.

Attaching to the bike

What’s the point of a bike pump if it doesn’t attach easily? That’s where you seriously need to consider choosing a pump that comes with ease of attachment, which means you can easily attach and detach the hose to the valves of the tires.

Tire inflation

Let’s be honest, riding a bike is already a workout, and having to put more energy into inflating your tires can get pretty exhausting.

That’s why a bike pump needs to inflate your tires quickly so that it reduces the effort to fill up your tires with air and so that you can concentrate more on your bike journey.

Stability

You have to agree it gets very annoying if most of your time is consumed having to keep the pump upright or balanced. A good pump should have a wide base and a stand that not only helps you stand at a perfect angle to the bike and allows you to pump air.

Durability

Although you aren’t paying a lot for your bike pump it’s always useful to have a bike pump not break on you. This is especially useful if you are traveling and are hard on your pump. Try to look for pumps constructed out of wood and metal and those are particularly the ones that last the longest.

Which one to choose – High pressure vs high volume bike pump

Now to determine which one is the right one for you, high volume or high pressure bike pump, let’s determine what they are and what benefits and downsides you can expect to get out of both of them.

High-pressure bike pumps

High-pressure bike pumps are those types of bike pumps that allow you to pump a smaller volume of air with each stroke. If you are the type of person that rides bicycles that are generally lower than 60 PSI then high-pressure bike pumps are not made for your bike.

High-pressure bike pumps are ideal for bikes that require pressure between 160 and 220 PSI. The LifeLine Professional pump is an excellent choice for a high-pressure pump that will allow you to reach 25 PSI with only 25 strokes.

High volume bike pumps

On the other end of the spectrum, high-volume bike pumps are responsible for moving a larger volume of air and are made to fill tires that are fatter rather than skinnier. The maximum amount of pressure these types of pumps can manage is only 60 PSI.

But they have one advantage and that is that these pumps have large and easily identifiable markings which are easy to read and help you dial in your tire pressure. The Topeak Joeblow Mountain X is a solid choice for a high-volume bike pump.

Frequently Asked Questions

Although we have covered most of what there is to cover about different bike pumps let’s take a look at some frequently asked questions that the majority of people have surrounding this topic.

Should you have CO2 inflators as backup pumps?

Depending on the type of pump you have at hand, it is always a good idea to make sure you have a backup pump and CO2 inflators will do just that. CO2 inflators require some hands-on experience before you can get used to them. These are recommended as intuitive backups because of their incredibly lightweight nature.

Does a bike pump appearance/design matter?

Although the appearance of a bike pump doesn’t necessarily impact performance, it is something that is nice to appreciate every once in a while, because it is something you will carry around with you, considering you are an avid cyclist.

Are floor pumps superior to hand pumps?

This will ultimately come down to preference, because although floor pumps are the most prevalent, one is not better than the other. Floor pumps are usually constructed out of materials like aluminum, steel, or plastic. The long barrel coupled with the piston shaft aids in allowing you to pump high pressure quickly and at the same time, they can push a large amount of air. Hand pumps are also known as mini pumps because of their size, which makes them incredibly compact. The downside with these hand pumps is that they don’t pump up nearly as much pressure compared to floor pumps and pumping only becomes easier as air pressure increases.

Can the car tire be inflated by the bike pump?

Yes, a bike pump can allow you to inflate car tires because the valves are similar in nature, but don’t expect them to fill up regular car tires all that quickly because they have much larger capacities.

Final words

So lastly, we have a question for you, which one would you prefer when it comes to making a decision between high pressure vs high volume bike pump. If you own a skinny mountain bike that has very thin tires than you won’t need all that volume to inflate the tires, but a higher pressure will definitely be welcomed. But if you are the type of person that demands a large volume of air and you own a bike with fatter tires then you definitely need a high-volume bike pump. Let us know which one would you choose, we would love to hear from you.