Small air compressors

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Simpsonville SC
Sorry if this has been hashed out allready.I am planning a long trip this spring and would like to carry a small air compressor in case we get a flat tire. Does anyone have any experience with this. Recommendations?
 

Boris

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I use a Rocky Creek compressor, works for me and fits under the seat on my Gen 1 bike.

Note - most plug in (accessory socket) comps will blow the fuse on the standard set up.
 

EricV

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I use a slime, but there are many different ones out there that are basically the same compressor with different features or size of cases. You don't need to pay $100 for a small compressor. Autozone in the states often has sales on them for $10-20 for pumps that are decent. I've used mine a lot and it has not failed. Previously I purchased a Walmart pump in a larger case and took the actual pump out of the big plastic case, wrapped the switch with some electrical tape, cut off the fan with a dremel and attached a leather boot lace to it to hang from the handlebar. Cost me $10. I used that for YEARS and many, many times and it was just fine. Finally just upgraded on an impulse buy at AutoZone because they had a sale and it only cost me $10. I gave the old pump to another rider that didn't have one. He's still using it 5 years later.

Welcome to the forum. Take a few minutes to fill out your profile with your location. Just state or country is fine. It adds context to your questions and allows everyone to better answer your questions, and gives context to your posts when you're helping someone else too.
 

Cycledude

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I’ve been carrying a Slime compressor for about 15 years, tested it a few times when I first got it to make sure it actually worked and it worked fine, from completely flat to fully inflated took about 5 minutes. Plugged a flat on my Goldwing once and the Slime compressor worked perfect in a store parking lot. Have plugged and inflated three other riders tires and it worked perfect every time.
 

Mak10

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Here is what I am putting together. I want to have a way to fix/air up-down my tires when going on/off road. So I need a compressor that is with me with or without my panniers.

I have been watching the pelican knockoff cases at the local discount tool store and came up with this.

The air compressor is from Wal-mart as well as the slime plug kit. Compressor and plug kit was under $17.00. Case was 9.00.

This takes up the spot I was going to mount a small rotopax for fuel, but I don’t see me needing an extra gallon on the rides I am going on in the near future. That could change.
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HeliMark

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Also have a slime one. Somewhere around $25 or so. Has worked for a bunch of years so far. Mine just attaches to battery cable that I have for a maintainer/tender and my heated gear. I have an adapter that converts the cable to a cigarette socket.
 
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EricV

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Remember that the cig lighter plug on the Super Ten is only 3 amps. Wiring is really smaller than you should use with a larger fuse, though some have reported getting away with a larger fuse.

A 10-15 amp fuse is ideal for the air compressor. It's really simple and cheap to install a fused SAE cord direct to the battery for an air pump. There are more elegant methods, but KISS works too. If you're considering just upping the fuse to the cig port, please keep in mind that you will have a long run time when filling up a flat tire. That generates a lot of heat on those small wires and bad things will eventually happen.

You can buy Battery Tender™ power cords for low cost at many auto parts stores or hardware stores. NAPA sells a SAE plug with wire for cheap too if you want to roll your own. Just remember that the 12v side is the recessed pin and the ground is the exposed pin! (you get both sides with the NAPA plug)
 

RCinNC

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Another long time Slime compressor user here. In my case, it started out looking like this:



That particular model is out of production now I think, but it was around 19 bucks when I bought it.

A lot of guys save room in their panniers by taking the compressors out of their housings; a lot of the housing is just empty space. This is how small the motor is when you remove it:



Some guys just tie a rope to the compressor and hang it from their handlebars when it's running, to keep it out of the dirt and because it gets too hot to hold when it's running.

I took that Slime motor and built a special box for it, so the compressor would slide easily into my square tool tube. When you compress all the empty space, the compressor takes up a lot less room. This is how small it is when in the new housing:




This cheapie Slime compressor has been enough to not only pump up my tires, but I also used it to seat a bead after I did a tire change. I did replace the hose and air chuck on mine (I got a better chuck from Amazon for about three bucks).

I've never taken apart one of those really expensive compressors like an Aerotech, so I have no idea what makes it worth a hundred bucks. The weak parts on the cheapie ones are probably the nylon drive gear, so maybe the Aerotech has steel ones. I suspect that at far as the cheapie and mid priced compressors go, they all use the same Chinese made motors, so mainly what you're paying for is how fancy the housing is.

I installed two 12 volt cigarette lighter style outlets in brackets on my handlebar clamps; both are set up with 14 gauge wire and are fused in an Eastern Beaver power distribution box on 15 amp fuses. One is always hot, and the other is switched. Either one can handle the amperage draw of the compressor.
 
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Sierra1

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Last year, somebody on this forum found a CASELING binocular case that held a small AIR MAN compressor like they were made for each other. There's also just enough room in the case to hold an alligator clipped socket for the compressor's "cigarette lighter" power cord. The alligator clipped socket allows the compressor to runoff of the battery, and not blow any fuses. Takes up next to no room, and everything is all together. Of course this just my two cents.
 

RCinNC

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I posted this to show just how much you can compress the space inside a compressor housing so it will take up less room on the bike.



You don't need the built in pressure gauge; a stick gauge works just as well (probably better in the case of some of the cheaper compressors), and the stick gauge takes up a lot less room. I plugged the pressure gauge fitting on mine with epoxy putty. I also made the power cable and the air hose detachable; the air hose screws into a brass fitting at one end of the unit, and the power cable plugs into the other end of the compressor using a two pin trailer connector, with the switch in the power cable itself. I also wired in a small 12 volt fan into the compressor enclosure; the fan was a surplus item removed from a computer. The fan pulls air in through the holes in the compressor housing and circulates it over the compressor to help cool it. It's always on when the compressor is on. If it gets too hot, I made the housing so that the cover can be removed to let even more air in. The red arrow in the photo points to the fan.

The compressor and hose slide right inside my tool tube, and leave plenty of room for the tool bag plus some other stuff. It's always on the bike even if the cases aren't.





You don't have to get this elaborate. If you want to save space, buy a small 12V compressor, take out the motor, and attach it to a small piece of plywood using some hose clamps.
 

dmulk

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I'll also toss a vote in for the Slime. I had the cheapest one for about 10 years before I gave it to a buddy who still uses it. That said, I finally threw some money at the BestRest Expedition Cycle Pump and Cycle pump EZ gauge. I just helped my brother swap his front tire and all I can say is WOW....big difference when using this little pump to set a bead (compared to the slime I had). Hard to describe but somewhere in between the Slime and using a full blown compressor in my garage. I'm sure I'll have this kit for the rest of my life so feel like it was worth the investment. YMMV.

https://bestrestproducts.com/shop/cyclepump-ez-gauge/cyclepump-expedition-tire-inflator/cyclepump-expedition-tire-inflator/

One word of advice if you go with this setup, if you want to run the their tire gauge in-line while inflating, make sure to order the STRAIGHT chuck option on the pump and then get the 90 on the gauge.

Cheers!
<D>
 
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ballisticexchris

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What are the advantages of a small compressor over C02 cartridges? I tried a compressor years ago and they are a pain in the butt to fill a flat. C02 is super compact, quick, easy. My double pump mountain bike hand pump is even quicker than the electric.

Just wondering as they seem very popular for the street bike guys.
 

Spider

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CO2 cartridges run out of air, pumps don't. On a long trip with buddies, I sometimes use my electric pump to top off tires on several bikes. So something reusable is essential. I haven't run across a good compact hand pump that's has a great valve connector, but I can see that as being a good option. My regular carry pump is the motopump...easy valve connector and accurate built in guage.
 

RCinNC

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For me, it's easier and more convenient to use a compressor. I used to use a CO2 cartridge in my bicycle seat bag, and it took two of them (if I recall correctly) to fill a 700x35C Panaracer Pasela to 90 PSI. I just watched a Youtube video where it took a guy four 16g CO2 cartridges to get a 190/55R-17 tire up to 19 PSI. He was getting about 5 PSI per cartridge. At that rate, it would take him 6 or 7 cartridges to get to 30 PSI. It would probably take that many or more to get my 150/70R-17 E07 up to 38 PSI. When I'm touring, especially if I'm in the desert doing some off pavement riding, I'm going to want to be able to fix at least two flats, which means carrying maybe 15 of those 16 gram cartridges. The space my compressor takes up is probably less than that taken up by 15 or those canisters, and with my compressor, I have an unlimited supply of air (or at least, unlimited until the battery goes dead). I can fix any number of flats, plus any that a riding buddy might get.

I agree that mountain bike pump can move more air per stroke than a mini compressor. To get that same 700x35C tire up to 90 PSI took me at least five minutes and probably closer to 10 using a Topeak frame pump. That can be a lot of sweat if you're doing it on the side of a trail or a road in June in Utah. With my bicycle, I at least had the advantage of taking the tire off and into the shade, and I didn't have to squat down beside it on the side of the road in an awkward position while I pumped (I'm old, and my squat doesn't work as well any more). I have no idea how long it would take with a hand pump to get my rear E07 up to 38 PSI, but there's a lot of volume in there; 10 minutes might be a conservative estimate. I opt for the lazy way out, of flipping a switch and standing in the shade while the compressor fills the tire.
 

2daMax

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Some mini air compressors have a hard time pumping from a complete flat. Test them before a big trip.

I use a mini foot pump. Was surprised that it could pump a complete flat even with the tire completely detached from the rim. But it was hard work pumping.

A cautionary word on those quick fix tire slime. They corrode aluminum rims from inside. Use it when you need it but HV the tire removed n clean the rims once you get a chance.
 

ace50

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I too added a 30 cal ammo box to the right side that contains a $35 Harbor Freight compressor, tools, plugs
and a couple other things. Never had to use it though, just piece of mind so far.
 
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ballisticexchris

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For me, it's easier and more convenient to use a compressor. I used to use a CO2 cartridge in my bicycle seat bag, and it took two of them (if I recall correctly) to fill a 700x35C Panaracer Pasela to 90 PSI. I just watched a Youtube video where it took a guy four 16g CO2 cartridges to get a 190/55R-17 tire up to 19 PSI. He was getting about 5 PSI per cartridge. At that rate, it would take him 6 or 7 cartridges to get to 30 PSI. It would probably take that many or more to get my 150/70R-17 E07 up to 38 PSI. When I'm touring, especially if I'm in the desert doing some off pavement riding, I'm going to want to be able to fix at least two flats, which means carrying maybe 15 of those 16 gram cartridges. The space my compressor takes up is probably less than that taken up by 15 or those canisters, and with my compressor, I have an unlimited supply of air (or at least, unlimited until the battery goes dead). I can fix any number of flats, plus any that a riding buddy might get.

I agree that mountain bike pump can move more air per stroke than a mini compressor. To get that same 700x35C tire up to 90 PSI took me at least five minutes and probably closer to 10 using a Topeak frame pump. That can be a lot of sweat if you're doing it on the side of a trail or a road in June in Utah. With my bicycle, I at least had the advantage of taking the tire off and into the shade, and I didn't have to squat down beside it on the side of the road in an awkward position while I pumped (I'm old, and my squat doesn't work as well any more). I have no idea how long it would take with a hand pump to get my rear E07 up to 38 PSI, but there's a lot of volume in there; 10 minutes might be a conservative estimate. I opt for the lazy way out, of flipping a switch and standing in the shade while the compressor fills the tire.
To each his own I guess. I'm not sure how many cartridges it takes to fully inflate a tire on this beast. In the past, I just used one or two and pumped up the rest of my tire with a hand pump. Very quick and easy. I also have a set of the extra large set of cartridges that I've never used. I might just end up getting an electric pump down the road since these tires are quite a bit larger and take more pressure than my dual sport bike.
 
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