6

I have recently bought a Specialized women's road bike and for the last couple of weeks was borrowing my boyfriend's hand pump with no real issues.

Last night I finally purchased my own (Topeak RaceRocket HP) but each time I try to inflate the tyre (just a top up of air, not from flat) I can either hear air hissing out (I believe the pump isn't screwed on enough then) but even a quarter of a turn too far means the pump won't work as the air pressure seems to be too much and this would suggest I've screwed it on too tight. Just can't seem to get a happy medium.

It could be resolved with a floor pump but as I've just dropped £30 on this, I want to be sure before I spend another load of cash just to eliminate possibility.

Any suggestions? Should I return the pump or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks :) x

PeteH
  • 9,733
  • 5
  • 33
  • 53
Suzy
  • 91
  • 1
  • 6
  • 3
    Possible duplicate of What do I do if my bike won't pump with an air pump at all? – PeteH Nov 11 '15 at 08:29
  • That dup question is worded badly, but the answer seems to be exactly what is required here. – Móż Nov 11 '15 at 08:40
  • 1
    Thanks I read this question before I posted :) The trouble with mine is that it can't be clogged as I haven't ridden it enough and I can pump the air into the tyre when the pump is loosened, but the air hisses out at the same rate so I get nowhere with it. 300 pumps and still no change in pressure – Suzy Nov 11 '15 at 08:42
  • 1
    Also I am definitely unscrewing the actual Presta valve knut enough to let air in :) – Suzy Nov 11 '15 at 08:45
  • 2
    okay, I see that pump has both presta and schrader connections, are you sure you're using the right one? That you hear air hissing suggests that the pump is ok, and the problem is with your technioque - but unfortunately those minature pumps are always a bit crappy. Worst case, do you have a bike shop nearby? Tradition is that they'll have a track pump you can use, and I'm sure if you ask them nicely they'll help you out. A decent track pump would be a good investment btw, and not that much more expensive than what you've just paid. – PeteH Nov 11 '15 at 09:03
  • 1
    that your boyfriends pump works suggests that you know how to pump up a tyre and that it's not the valve that's the problem. Can you try pumping up a different tyre with the same valve type? That will confirm whether it's the pump, at which point you need to go back to the shop. They might be able to say "oh, do this" and fix it, or they might replace the pump. Also, retracted my close vote. – Móż Nov 11 '15 at 09:12
  • It's not hugely uncommon, BTW, for the pump to be either fiddly or slightly out of adjustment when first bought. I'm well used to having to strip down and re-assemble mini pumps and I have a collection of dead and crap ones accumulated over the years. It seems to just be hard to make a small, light, decent pump. Albeit I am also old, so "over the years" is a fairly long time. – Móż Nov 11 '15 at 09:16
  • Thanks all for the advice so far!! Very helpful. Yes I'd have blamed the tyre were it not for my OH's pump working fine. I've got it with me, perhaps I'll pop into the shop for a demo on my way home from work, ask them if they can try on a display bike, see if it works then. Make sure I'm not making silly mistakes. – Suzy Nov 11 '15 at 09:21
  • Actually, the cool thing about that pump is that the conversion from presta to schrader is easy and looks as though it's hard to get wrong. Of course, from Suzy's problem it may also be hard to get right or to fix if it goes wrong. I'm curious to see what the shop says now. Suzy, please do report back. – Móż Nov 11 '15 at 09:26
  • You said Presta - are you sure the pump is in Presta mode ? Image of how to change it http://www.topeak.com/mediafiles/products/5210/ – Criggie Nov 11 '15 at 09:32
  • Yep 100% sure it's in Presta mode. I'll call in to the shop and see if the problem is the same on one of their tyres and report back. At first I thought maybe I didn't have the strength to pump up the last bit but as it can reach 160psi I'd be surprised if it was that difficult and I'm pretty sure it's on too tight in this case....! The tyre is still 'squeezable' yet no air can get in... or the air whooshes out when it's on too loose. Nightmare! – Suzy Nov 11 '15 at 10:09
  • 1
    This really is a dupe, five times over. With a Schrader valve the most common problem is simply getting the chuck pressed firmly onto the valve (I still have trouble doing this, with a semi-decent floor pump). With a Presta you have that problem plus the problem of failing to unscrew the lock nut on the top of the valve and give it a little tap to make sure it's loose. – Daniel R Hicks Nov 11 '15 at 13:22
  • What you're describing sounds a whole lot like the pump being in "Schrader mode" – the pin in a Schrader chuck that opens the valve will cause the chuck to force open a Presta valve. Since you're confident that the pump is set up for Presta valves I think you should take it back to the shop. The process can be a bit fiddly but it sounds like you were having no problem with boyfriend's pump – it all seems to point to the pump. – dlu Nov 11 '15 at 18:43
  • 1
    @suzy Try putting it specifically in schrader mode - perhaps its just mislabelled. – Criggie Nov 11 '15 at 19:06

3 Answers3

4

As other have commented since you can fill the tires with another pump the issue is not your tires. If you bought it at your LBS (local bike shop) I would bring it in and have them demonstrate its' proper use. If they can't get it to work they should replace it at no charge. While the listed capacity is 160psi, the amount of effort required to generate the pressure will vary with pump design. A larger diameter pump will require fewer pumps to inflate a tire but with more effort. While not as much of an issue with a floor pump the difference can be considerable with a small pocket pump.

mikes
  • 18,592
  • 4
  • 32
  • 51
4

I was unable to inflate a presta tire. After much experimenting found that the valve was not opening and closing with each mini-pump stroke, as it should. If I did not unscrew the collar nut all the way, but only a turn or 2, then it worked properly.

Shorebuck
  • 41
  • 1
  • Thank you for that - its a valid point and hasn't otherwise been mentioned as a possible cause. Do take a moment to browse the [tour] too. – Criggie Aug 23 '19 at 12:17
  • Another thing to do when attaching pump chucks to Presta valves is to wiggle the chuck after it has been locked onto the valve. This mechanical movement tends to help the valve to fully open and "connect" the tube and the pump chamber. – Grigory Rechistov Nov 28 '19 at 09:41
3

So I think this thread can now be closed, thanks to everyone who replied. I went to the shop who sold me the pump and they had no issues. Still struggled when I got home so I removed the wheel from the frame before inflating it, and this seemed to work. So from now on I guess I'll remove the wheel!

They confirmed I had set it correctly in Presta mode so they were confused too haha, but at least I have a solution. Perhaps the weight of the frame was pushing the valve down...!

Suzy
  • 91
  • 1
  • 6
  • 4
    Removing the wheel should not be necessary. If that helps somehow, then the problem is angles, and the angle you're using is different when its on the bike vs off the bike - it sounds like a technique problem now. Just practice and try and spot the differences. It'll come. You're the OP - you need to accept an answer as correct to finalise the question. Click the tick box / check box to the left of this answer, below the up/down buttons. – Criggie Nov 12 '15 at 11:00
  • This suggests that you were not getting the chuck all the way onto the valve. – Daniel R Hicks Nov 12 '15 at 12:27
  • If one of the provided answers adequately addressed your question you should select it (you can select your own answer if needed). This "closes" the question. – Rider_X Nov 12 '15 at 20:45