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Getting a flat tire when out enjoying a nice ride on the trails can be annoying. It can be an obsolete disaster if you don’t have a means for repairing it and re-inflating your tires. I’ve had to do the slow walk back to the car, looking at the trail and thinking “if only…”
If you’ve ever had this problem then you’ll know the best solution is to get a decent trail pump. In this guide, I will take you through what a trail pump is, how to use them and share with you what I believe are the best trail pumps for fat bikes that you can buy today.
Interested? Then read on…
Recommended Trail Pump for Fat Bike Tires
LEZYNE Micro Floor Drive XL
Key Features:
- Max PSI = 35psi
- Weight = 13oz
- Valve Type = Presta and Schrader
- Pressure Gauge = Yes
- Designed specifically for high volume tires (Fat Bikes)
What Is A Fat Bike Trail Pump?
A trial pump is a specific type of bike pump designed to be used when you’re out riding your bike on the trails. Unlike foot pumps and track pumps, trail pumps are small and can fit either inside a backpack or attach to your frame.
Fat bike trail pumps in reality are very similar to other trail pumps that you can buy. They should be small, light and preferably have a pressure gauge to help you get the right amount of pressure into the tires, something that is particularly important with fat tire bike riding.
If you think you need a different type of pump for your fat bike, check out our guide to the best pumps for fat tire bikes, where you can find other great options to keep your wheels inflated.
Why Do I Need A Trail Pump?
Punctures
Whilst you might not think that tail pump is necessary, a sudden puncture that you need you replace when out riding can usually change your opinion fairly quickly!
If you are heading out for a long ride, where it will be difficult for you to get back to your car/home if you were to get a puncture, then you will no doubt want to be able to quickly change a tire so that you can get riding again and head back to your vehicle/home.
Trail pumps are great for this situation. A good trail pump will help you to quickly change an inner tube or repair a tire and get riding again, without the need to give up on that day’s expedition.
Far better than giving up and going home in my opinion.
Quick Tire Pressure Adjustments
Trail pumps are also great when you need to adjust your tires pressure when out on a ride.
You might be wondering “why would I want to adjust my tire pressure when out riding?”. Well, there are a couple of reasons:
- Your bike doesn’t feel right – Sometimes it is hard to tell if your tire pressure is correct until you get out and ride. Rather than having to head back to where your big pump is, you can make a quick adjustment when on the trail
- The surface is different to what you expected – Your route might take a turn onto sandy or other loose surfaces and you feel that dropping the pressure temporarily in your fat bike tire would be beneficial. You can use your trail pump to let some air out and get down to the right pressure and then pump it back up with you get onto more solid ground.
Key Features To Look For In A Fat Bike Trail Pump
There are a few features that you should look for when buying a trail pump for your fat bike and you might find it is hard to get all of them in just one pump. The below are what I believe to be the key factors to look for in the order of priority you should aim for.
Size
Making sure that you have a small, transportable trail pump is the most important factor when choosing a trail pump for your fat bike.
Think ahead to the gear you will be taking with you and work out what size pump you will need.
- Taking a backpack? Then size may be less of an issue, but the pump still needs to be able to fit inside.
- No backpack? You will need a trail pump that can attach to your bike frame and is small enough to do so.
If you forget about size and just buy the nicest looking trail pump, you might just end up with something you can’t carry with you and you may end up having to adjust your setup to a point of being less comfortable just to accommodate it!
Pressure Gauge
Having the right pressure in your fat bike tire is very important. Whilst you can use a pump with a pressure gauge to get the tires to the right PSI before your ride, once you are riding, that pump will be of little help to you.
There are a lot of trail pumps available with pressure gauges on them and fat a fat bike rider this is a must. Getting your PSI incorrect will make your bike feel sluggish and not fun to ride, so if you do need to pump your tires up again, make sure your trail pump has a gauge so that you can get the pressure right and enjoy your ride a lot more.
Weight
Less important compared to the factors above, but still important is the weight of the pump.
Fat bikes in general are heavier than other bikes, due to the oversized tires and frame to compensate.
Adding a trail pump to the frame will have little impact on the overall weight, however, if you are carrying the pump in a rucksack/backpack, you might want something light, so that you don’t feel uncomfortable when out riding.
Valves
This one might seem like an obvious one, but you should check that your trail pump has the right valve adapter for your tire/inner tube.
There have been quite a few times when I have been out on a ride and met another rider with a flat tire who has discovered that their pump has the wrong adapter for their tire (it’s usually riders with Presta valves I find who make this mistake). Lucky for them I usually carry a pump with multiple valve adapters!
If you want to be a cycling hero, choose a trail pump that can adapt to multiple types of valves. Otherwise, just make sure it fits your tires first!
Material
Choosing a trail pump that is the right material might not seem that important, but it can be very helpful in the long run.
Trail pumps are not the sort of equipment you want to need to reinvest in constantly. Choosing a pump made mainly of plastic might be cheaper in the short term, but over the long term, it won’t last as long as a pump made from metal.
The whole pump doesn’t need to be metal of course, but you chamber where the air is generated in the pump would benefit from being metal as this will make for a more durable pump overall.
Do I Need A Special Pump For Fat Bike Tires?
No, you don’t need a special pump for fat bike tires.
The valves on fat bike tires are the same as mountain, gravel and road bikes. The only real difference that you should look out for is making sure you have a pump with a pressure gauge.
Unlike other bikes, you generally don’t pump up your fat bike tire up to the same pressure as other bikes, so being able to properly measure the amount of pressure inside your tire (without just giving them a quick squeeze) is very important.
You also might be tempted to purchase a CO2 pump, which is great for providing a quick blast of air in the event of a puncture when out on the trails. Whilst these are great for emergencies, the question around these pumps is the number of tires each CO2 cartridge fills, especially fat bike tires.
LEZYNE Micro Floor Drive XL
Key Features:
- Max PSI = 35psi
- Weight = 13oz
- Valve Type = Presta and Schrader
- Pressure Gauge = Yes
- Designed specifically for high volume tires (Fat Bikes)
When it comes to getting a trail pump for your fat bike, the clear winner is the LEZYNE Micro Floor Pump.
This pump has been specifically designed for tires that require a large volume of air, such as your fat bike tires. The XL size means that more air is pumped into the tire with each movement of the plunger, saving you time and energy when inflating your fat bike tire.
It also comes with a pressure gauge so that you can get your tires just right before riding again.
At 13oz it is also very light, so you will barely notice you have it with you.
There are a couple of downsides though, the first being that this pump has a maximum PSI of 35, meaning that it will really only work for your fat bike or mountain bike (the latter of which at a push). If you ride multiple types of bikes, you will probably need another pump if you get caught out when riding.
It also doesn’t come with a frame mount, meaning you will either have to get creating and make one or take a bag with you.
Despite the negatives, this is still the best fat tire trail pump you can buy.
ROCKBROS Portable Bike Pump with Gauge
Key Features:
- Max PSI = 120psi
- Weight = 4.8oz
- Valve Type = Presta and Schrader
- Pressure Gauge = Yes
- Frame mountable
The ROCKBROS portable Bike Pump with Gauge is a good pump for those who like the design on the LEZYNE pump but want something a bit smaller and with a higher PSI rating.
With a max PSI of 120, this pump can be used for multiple types of bike tires, making it a good all-around contender trail pump.
It is also very light at just 4.8oz. Along with the frame mount, you will barely notice that you have it with you when hitting the trails.
It also has a pressure gauge, so you can get your tire levels correct without having to guess at the rating. It should be noted that with such a high PSI rating, this gauge is good but not super accurate, so you will be working more in a range of the right PSI rather than exact.
With this pump being smaller than the Lezyne, it will take more effort to pump up your fat tires and also take longer.
This pump is a great choice if you are looking for a cheap alternative to the Lezyne XL pump.
3. LANDX Portable Bike Pump Electric Tire Inflator
Key Features:
- Max PSI = 150psi
- Weight = 30oz
- Valve Type = Presta and Schrader
- Pressure Gauge = Yes
- Electric, therefore no need to pump!
If you prefer the easy life and can’t be bothered with the hassle of pumping up tires yourself, then the LANDX Portable Bike Pump might be your ideal riding companion.
This electric pump will inflate the bike tire on its own, without you needing to do any physical pumping. Much easier than having to do it yourself.
With a maximum PSI of 150, it can be used with any bike tire that you will need to inflate.
To operate this pump, simply set the PSI you want to inflate your bike to and then press the inflate button. In just a few minutes your tire will be inflated.
It’s not all upside though with this pump. If you fail to charge it or keep it charged you might find yourself getting caught out if you do get a puncture on the trail as you might not have enough power to inflate your tires.
It is also quite a heave pump, weighing 30oz, which is much more than other options available.
A great choice if you don’t want to do the hard work of pumping yourself and you’re organised enough to make sure it is charged before setting out on your ride!
GIYO Mini Bike Pump
Key Features:
- Max PSI = 120psi
- Weight = 5oz
- Valve Type = Presta and Schrader
- Pressure Gauge = Yes
- Frame Mounted
Mini by name and mini by nature. The GIYO Mini Bike Pump is a very small trail pump that is great for those who want a pump that you can attach to your bike frame and then forget about.
Weighing just 5oz and measuring just 9 inches, this pump is very light and very small, meaning you will barely notice it is there (until you need it).
Suitable for use up to 120 PSI, this pump can get you to the right pressure for your fat tire bake, as well as other bike tires.
It also includes a pressure gauge to help you get the right pressure, however, this is best used as a ballpark figure as it has a small range sensitivity.
A good choice if you want a really small pump that won’t get in the way, but will be there when you need it.
PULIVIA Bike Pump with Digital Pressure Gauge
Key Features:
- Max PSI = 210psi
- Weight = 4.2oz
- Valve Type = Presta and Schrader
- Pressure Gauge = Yes
- Frame Mounted
If you struggle to read the pressure gauges on most bike pumps and need something that is a little clearer, the PULIVIA Bike Pump might just be the perfect trail pump for you.
This small pump comes with a digital display, meaning you get a more accurate and easy to read display to know whether you have pumped your fat tire bike to the right pressure.
Whilst this display is digital, you don’t have the problem of the pump being completely useless if the battery runs out, as the pump can still be used to inflate your tire. You would simply lose the ability to measure the pressure. Not a bad compromise if necessary in an emergency.
With a max PSI of 210, you are also able to use this with other bike tires with ease.
This pump also weighs just 4.2oz, which is fairly light for a trail pump and means it won’t be a hindrance to you when out riding, particularly as it can be mounted to your frame.
A solid option for those who want an easy to read display when getting the right PSI for their fat bike tire.
Summary
I hope that from reading this guide you have found the perfect trail pump for you.
Despite the many advantages that some of the other trail pumps have, I would still opt for the LEZYNE Micro Floor Drive XL, as it is designed for getting as much air as possible into your tire with as little effort as possible.
