Pumps and Inflation
Browse used pumps and inflation gear for sale from riders across the UK. The category runs from workshop track pumps with 160 psi gauges through jersey-pocket mini pumps, 16g and 25g CO2 inflators, and the high-volume booster tanks used to seat a tubeless bead in one burst. It suits riders kitting out a home workshop as well as anyone replacing a saddlebag pump that has stopped holding a seal.
What is the difference between a track pump and a mini pump?
A track pump stands on a base plate, uses both arms down a long barrel, and reaches a road tyre's 100 psi in ten to fifteen strokes with a gauge to confirm it. A mini pump does the same job in around 200g of luggage, but a road-specific one can need 200 strokes or more for the same pressure. Most riders end up with a floor pump at home and a hand pump or inflator on the bike.
Do I need a CO2 inflator as well?
A 16g cartridge fills a 700x25c tyre to roughly 100 psi in seconds, which is why they get carried for racing and for cold, wet roadside repairs; a 25g cartridge is the size for a 29x2.4in tyre. The trade-offs are that each cartridge is single-use with no second chance, and CO2 migrates through a tube wall faster than air, so the tyre needs topping up at home. Some riders carry an inflator for speed and a mini pump as the backup.
Will a pump fit both Presta and Schrader valves?
Most current heads take both, either through a reversible internal grommet or a twin-sided chuck; older pumps are often fixed Presta-only. Deep-section rims are the other fitment question, since a 50mm rim needs a 60mm or 80mm valve stem or an extender before the head can grip anything. Check the head style and your rim depth before committing to a pump that only came with one chuck.
What wears out on a used pump?
The piston seal ages first: a dried leather washer or hardened rubber cup gives long strokes that build no pressure, though on better pumps it is a replaceable part. Look at the hose where it is crimped into the barrel for splits, the rubber grommet inside the Presta head for compression and tearing, and check the gauge sits at zero when nothing is connected. On an inflator, it is the small o-ring behind the cartridge thread that quietly vents a full 16g charge.
What should a used pump cost?
A plain new track pump is cheap enough that a second-hand one only makes sense well under half price, unless it is a rebuildable steel-barrelled design like the SKS Rennkompressor or Silca Pista, where the washer and seals are serviceable rather than the end of the pump. Booster tanks and machined alloy mini pumps such as the Lezyne Road Drive hold value better and are the sensible used buys. Buy new if the seller cannot confirm the pump still holds pressure under load.