Whether you’re a serious cyclist who spends hours out on the road or dirt tracks or just someone who occasionally takes a trip to the shops on a bike, this post compares six bike pumps available at Argos that will cater for both types and everything in between.
Coming in at £3.99 is a simple push and pull plastic hand pump with a maximum pressure of 30 psi, which is satisfactory for most standard bikes. The lightweight pump comes with a Shrader valve and needle ball adapter and measuring only forty centimetres in length, can easily be carried or packed away inside a bag for convenience.
At £9.99, the Truflo Micro II Mini Hand Bike Pump is ideal if you want something more portable. Small enough to fit in your pocket and intelligent enough to fit on the water bottle bosses on the frame of the bike, with its fitted bracket. The telescoping barrel feature means you’re able to pump at nearly twice the volume of pumps of the same size, and its dual head allows for the bike pump to fit on both Schrader and Presta valves. Well constructed and lightweight and with the added benefit of the integrated mud cap protecting it from the elements.
If you prefer to store your bike pump away in a garage or shed then, the Challenge Track Bike Pump is an ideal choice. Measuring thirty-two centimetres in height and sixty centimetres wide, this £12.99 model comes complete with an adapter enabling you to convert from Schrader to Presta valves.
Although handy, the adapter does seem to stir up a lot of complaints from buyers, many stating that it doesn’t fit Presta valves, with others saying it works just fine. The complicated way of using the adaptor seems to be the problem here.
Staying with Challenge, the Mini Hand Bike Pump is the smallest of the six pumps, measuring only twenty centimetres in height and six centimetres in width. It works with both Presta and Schrader valves with its reversible adapter. With the added addition of the pumps thumb lock securing the pump to the valve before inflating.
It does the job, according to buyers, and its compactness makes it a convenient pump to carry around. Value for money but concerns about how long it will last due to its weak and flimsy feel.
The Raleigh Floor Pump is popular with cyclists due to the added benefit of having an accurate integrated gauge measuring psi from 0-160. This Argos bike pump is a dual valve, allowing for the inflation of both Schrader and Presta and its sturdy rubber handle gives it a comfortable grip. With its solid alloy and plastic construction and sturdy design, this is an ideal addition to any workshop or garage.
Easy to use, quick and with it being a standing pump, a lot more comfortable to use, and at just £14.99 great value for money, compliments and praise for a pump that has little if any negative feedback.
Topping the bill as far as price is concerned is the Rolson floor/Track and Hand Bike Pump which comes with a puncture repair kit. A little more expensive at £24.99 but certainly the most popular. It’s two pumps in one. The larger floor pump has a 0-160 psi gauge with an adjustable indicator bezel. The mini hand pump has a maximum of 80 psi and comes with a bike frame clamp for convenience. Both have interchangeable valves allowing then to fit both Schrader and Presta, and with a repair kit that consists of two tyre levers a rasp and five patches, this is a pump to serve a family of cyclists.
The power of the larger pump shines through in reviews, and the added addition of the repair kit makes this an excellent value for the money. Its ease of use was also a big plus, with the only downside being the lack of a user manual.
Bike pump Argos Summary
If you’re just an occasional cyclist or a child learning to ride a bike for the first time then at £3.99 the plastic hand pump should suffice. The added benefit of an integrated gauge would probably appeal to the more serious of bike enthusiasts, making the Rolson and Raleigh models a great choice. Six bike pumps. Some quicker than others, some more robust than others and all with varying prices, but all befitting to individual needs.
