Firefox micro floor pump - How to use?

[Praveen M]

Sorry guys long post, but I had to write the full thing. Main question about the pump comes in the second half of this post + pictures:

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2 days ago on the way home from an eye clinic, I happened to pass through a bike shop in bengaluru south (naming is not necessary) and I thought to fill air and requested the guy standing at the shop to pump air in kannada ("Saar, swalpa gaali haakthira?"). I also wanted to buy a pump and told him I may buy a pump if they have one and he said they have pumps upstairs.

He obliged and he asked the mechanic to pump air to my bike and immediately turned to me and started to scorn me that this is wrong bike for me, this is too big..blablabla and the conversation went like this:

Expert: "You are riding wrong bike, this is not for you, this is meant for aggressive fast riding, I know this". You"ll have back problems, your balls will burst, this bike is totally unsuitable for you!""

Me: "Sir, Kona website says this is a road bike that can be used as commuter".

That expert comes near the bike saying he knows kona very well and declares that this is no way a road bike.

"this is chromaly, and looking at tires and frame this is no way a commuter bike, this is cyclocross bike, I have worked for Kona for many years" 

I tried to explain that it takes max. 28c tires, this is not a cyclocross bike but he cut me right and said  with a rude tone,

"I build my bikes, I'm bike-fit expert, we have couple of konas, this is no way a roadbike, you are damned!"

Again I said,

"My inseam is little longer( between 77&80cms, cant remember), and this bike size is as as per kona size guide for Honkytonk"

By then the mechanic had filled the air, and the shop expert seemed very impatient to talk anything further with a total dumb-ass like me who also spoke in Kannada which was probably another reason for his disdain.

So it seems this is a wrong bike, wrong fit, wrong purpose. And I'm about to leave for a short tour on this. Attached a picture of my bike setup. I may come back with busted balls and a broken back.

But this is not the main story, I bought a pump there and here is my confusion:

So I went up to look for pumps and there were 2 types of small hand pumps and I chose the one with gauge by firefox and the expert came and said 

"For efficient pumping, you must hold one end of the pump on one hand and pump from the other hand(Horizontally)!" 

I was kind of shocked and showed him the pump cover which said it is a micro floor pump with a Gauge and it also has a fold-able support for legs to pump like a floor pump. But the shop expert said,

"Yeah, you can pump it like a floor pump but better and more efficient is if you pump using both your hands holding each end with one hand!!"

Now I am bit unsure how to use this pump! Is hand more firm and strong than solid ground?

Another point is, I had bought exactly the same pump 4 or 5 years ago from another bikeshop in Bangalore and I had been using it like a floor pump for 4-5 years and recently it broke (funny thing is I was a also scorned by the first shop expert at the time of buying :-)). Shop guy had asked whether I had ever ridden a bike in my life when I asked him how to change the valve from Schrader to Presta). 

So I just want to know if anybody is using this pump and what is the most efficient way to pump the air (using each hand on each end of the pump(pumping horizontally) or placing it vertically on the floor taking support from solid ground as shown in the attached picture?

-Praveen

@Prashant: If you are read this thread, thanks to you I bought Blackburn frame bag. I was going to buy expensive revelate designs.

[Jayaprakash E]

I too have a pump of same model and use it as a floor pump which is convenient to me. I filled the air up to 80psi within minutes. Not worried about any efficiency as I am leisure rider.

[Opendro]

I agree with the "expert" who told you to hold the pump with hands. The reason is simple. These small pumps need fast pressings, unlike those floor standing pumps. If you stand on the clip, every time you pull out the pump, it gives a shaky feeling and next press in is not firm due to the slight dislocation. I would typically hold the pump firmly with left hand and press it hard on ground while the right hand does fast push and pulls.

I think you misunderstood that the pump should be held in the air. No, it is not. It should be pressed on the ground firmly, but not with the toes on the clip, but rather with left hand holding the pump and pressing it down on the ground.

[Praveen M]

The shop guy demonstrated by holding the pump horizontally in the air.

[vivek]

The shop guy may not be wrong. I've seen some pros filling by holding the pump in the air. But most of us here don't worry much about the time it takes to fill up to the desired pressure. Plus the way you have shown in the picture is the most easiest I've found (I have a similar one). Filling by holding the pump in air takes some getting used to and strong biceps and forearms.

Regards,

Vivek

[Prashanth Chengi]

I have a Topeak Pocket Rocket, and it doesn't have a floor-peg, so I have to hold the pump with my left hand and pump down with my right. Since I don't have strong biceps/forearms, I totally fail to get anything more than 3.5 bar :( I'm looking now for a compact pump with a floor-peg.

/Prashanth

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[vivek]

And some mini pumps don't have the flexible hose. With those you have a risk of damaging or breaking the valve.

Regards,

Vivek

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[Praveen M]

I agree and I have one of those inflexible ones. It is hard to pump with them. And when I arrived here last week, I used it to inflate the tires with that and couldn't inflate properly.

Thats why I went to the shop to have the tires inflated.

But this pump, as firefox mentions in the picture, is for floor use, either with legs or with hands as Opendro said (which I have not tried). And that is not what the guy told me.

Also, it just seemed most of these guys have a sense of insecurity.  

[Opendro]

There are two ways you can do this without the extension tube. One is to hold the end of the pump with left hand along with the rim/spoke, ideal if bike is standing. Another way is to make the bike fall, get a stone or anything on which the pump end can rest at the right height reaching upto the valve and hold the pump firm with left hand and pump with right hand.

I have always used a small pump without the extension tube. I had never faced an issue. I release air and pump again depending on the road conditions. Having the confidence to be able to pump up is important.