Floor Pumps: 5 Fast Facts

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Fact #1. No definite date exists for the arrival of the floor pump. Common belief is that it appeared around the same time as the invention of the first practical pneumatic rubber tire in 1887. This invention was an adaptation of the football pump, which was invented in the 1860s. This early pump consisted of a metal cylinder and rod running down the middle. It acted as a piston to suck fresh air in and force pressurized air out.
Fact #2. The bicycle boom of the 1890s paved the way for many additional patents. Inventors began to direct their attention to perfecting the pump's design. This time period also saw the birth of the automatic pump, which kept tires inflated while a bike was in motion.
Fact #3. The floor pump is a manually-operated air compressor that leverages piston-style action and positive displacement to inflate a bike tire. The device is typically equipped with an air hose, a sturdy base, a metal or plastic shaft, a plunger assembly at the bottom of the shaft, and an integrated pressure gauge.
Fact #4. When the pump's handle and shaft are pulled in an upward motion, fresh air is sucked into the piston through an intake valve on the unit. When the handle is pushed down, the air is compressed by the plunger, forced out of the piston and into the hose. Finally, the air flows through the hose and out of the pump's fill valve, which is connected to the inner-tube valve on a bike's tire. The up-and-down motion gradually inflates the tire.
Fact #5. There are a few things to keep in mind before making a purchase. One consideration is the compatibility of the pump head. Depending on the type of bike you own, it might be worth the extra expense to purchase a pump with a double-sided head that easily connects to both Schrader and Presta valves.