Lezyne's CNC Tubeless Drive Pump has a Secret - Pond Beaver
Are you the kind of rider who heads off into the bush with nothing but blissful ignorance in your pockets? Or do you carry every tool you'd ever need on-trail and a bunch you don't? I mean, you can probably leave those cone wrenches and mini-espresso machine at home... Somewhere in the middle of parasite and doomsday prepper is the responsible rider with a pump strapped to their bike 24/7. Just in case. Lezyne's new CNC Tubeless Drive mini-pump has all the bits you'll need in those just-in-case moments, as well a bunch of features to make the job easier.
The aluminum mini-pump uses a hose, which lessens the chance of you damaging a valve stem while rushing to pump your tire in front of impatient friends, and a there's a small button that, when pressed, releases built-up pressure so that the thread-on chuck unscrews without taking the valve core with it. I've always preferred thread-on chucks for the better seal they can provide, but hated how the core would sometimes come loose; this should fix that. It's also a mountain bike-specific, high-volume pump that moves a lot of air quickly until you reach 30 psi, which is more than enough for most of us.
If you'd rather skip the pumping and get back to the riding sooner, there's a 20-gram C02 cartridge hidden in the handle, along with the inflator, to speed things up. Lezyne has also found room for a bunch of tire plugs and the stabber thingy to install them. The CNC Tubeless Drive mini-pump is 170mm / 6.69” long, is fully rebuildable, and will cost $79 USD when it's available.
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In all seriousness, a thread-on connection provides a much more secure and long lasting connection than a press fit or clamp connection. As long as your valve cores are properly tightened and the pump isn’t white-knuckled on to the valve you shouldn’t have any problem. When you’re finished pumping, our patented ABS button will release the backpressure within the pump system to relieve the pressure from the valve.
But I simply disagree on this callout about the small backpack pumps I've used/own. they are notorious for pulling out cores. The screw in is much better just like you describe but something is not working at least on the small pumps of yours that I have. I never have had this happen with the floor pump FWIW
Figure out how to take the floor pump fitting and get it on these mini pumps and you're golden.
Until then...CO2...which is a bummer as its such a planet killer.
Seriously. I have three of your pumps. I hate the threaded chucks but the pumps won't die. You've forced me to pay more attention than I want to, but the pumps still live on. You win. Go buy another shiny watch, you deserve it.
"we're not happy until you're not happy" lol
If it wasn’t obvious, we’re riders too, and we realize that a lot of tubeless systems are good enough today that you’re (hopefully) not getting too many flats in the first place. Our philosophy is that pump you threw in your pack 2 years ago should still work when you do get a flat and should be rebuildable when wear parts wear out. Stories of pumps “that won’t die” put a smile on our faces, so thank you for that.
Not sure about your “shiny watch” comment though. This is still the bike industry after all – If we wanted to get rich we would’ve sold everything and invested in Zoom two months ago.
Cheers!
I don't know the solution, but worth your engineering team looking into it.
The first time I accidentally yanked a valve core, I *slightly* tightened all the cores on my bikes with a pair of needle nose pliers, and added a drop of WD40 on to the core threads for good measure. No more pulled cores ever again. I push pens for a living and even I figured this out. C'mon guys
SRSLY, I have used the 120psi minis for YEARS with no issues. Bought a fancy-ass CNC floor pump that unscrewed valve cores at least 70% of the time. Lubed the o-rings, got dainty with it, got mean with it, sacrificed a goat, didn't matter. After the gauge failed, I was going to throw it out, but a buddy intervened, saying "These things are the biz! I'll get it going, no problem!" After a couple of weeks, I think he tossed it.
I have had one of your chucks pull a valve-core out once before too. Only once. I re-tapped the chuck and it was great for the rest of time (it was an Alloy drive). FWIW I think the threaded chuck is awesome and I always carry a micro floor drive for longer rides (i've had it for years) - your pumps are some of the best out there - a million times better than any Blackburn or Topeak shite.
1. Tighten down valve core good and tight with a tool. I've had new factory ones under tightened.
2. The Lezyne fitting only needs screwed on enough to seat the O-ring, it does not require much. The torque of your index finger and thumb is enough.
For every time I've seen a valve core back out with the lezyne pump I've seen valve stems snapped off by people using compression style chucks. Either one happens maybe once every 2-3 years so pick your poison.
I'm sure this can be avoided with careful maintenance, but most people back then weren't using tubeless, so the tube in their bike was whatever had come out of their back pocket. They'd never have thought to check the tightness of the valve applied at the factory.
In the end it got to a point where as soon as someone new in the group got a puncture, someone would check they weren't about to use a screw on pump as they were such a menace!
There surely must be a good engineering solution that has the safety of the screw on thread, but without the potential to back out the valve core?
The best solution would be to follow our tips for valve cores in our FAQ: ride.lezyne.com/pages/faq. If you continue to have problems, our customer service team is always happy to help provide a solution via Support.Lezyne.com or even on the phone. Cheers!
My friend was selling them a few years ago. I was injured and itching to buy something bike-related, and I had no floor pump. I got one from him and threw in the ultra-slick looking hand pump with the hidey hose. They looked trick, and still do. That hand pump was the main culprit of the valve issue for sure--I ruined a couple on-trail tire swaps, publicly, and jumped into that more-than-hand-tight valvelife because of it. The worst experience with it was coming up on another rider with a flat in need of a pump...I waffled on offering it up, afraid it'd be more trouble than it would be worth. Watched that poor guy reverse his valve out with my pump, reached into my bag to grab my needlenoses that are the unofficial required companion piece to these things, and performed some PR for goddamn Lezyne. Damn pump.
And then yeah I guess the third pump is one of the mini mini hand pumps with the one-foot stabilizer that is just so damn cool looking. I'm actually not sure I bought it, it may have been a "aw just take this thing out of my garage" piece. I keep that in the giant panniers on my lectrified commuter bike. Thing's a battle wagon with a ton of cargo space, I got like three different sizes of tubes, too many tools, emergency pre-rolls, extra tshirt and underwear, tampons lighters straps and zipties and whatever else so it's not a problem to also bring along the needlenoses in case the Lezyne eats someone's valve.
So yeah. That's why I have three. Floor pump is great, because there's usually other tools around in case it eats a valve. The gauge is precise (may not be accurate, but it's the same every time). The mini floor pump is rad to pull out of the battle wagon. It's that damn hand trail pump. Ruining it for the other two, probably.
I get way fewer flats these days, too, so these mofos are probably with me forever. Congrats again, Lezyne. Buy some polish for that big watch.
I had several random things happen, and the two CO2's I had in my bike didn't fix the problem. So I ended up either riding out flat (which I did at Sedona, but the wheel was on its way to the trash anyway), or riding very low and cautious in the desert. So I went back to packing a pump where at least I had unlimited attempts to either make the repair, or reinflate a slow leak until I got off the trail. I also carry a tube, patch kit, several plugs, and a bottle of sealant. I ride in very empty areas, often without even cell signal.
Grease is what I would investigate as a way to keep the valve core from removing. Since the threads of the valve core are smaller than the OD of the valve core then the screw on chuck has more leverage to remove the core. Use a dab of grease to reduce the friction. Water might also work.
Now I have topeak pumps.
Great reliable small easy ergonomic use floor /foot drive that moves plenty of air.
Pos that unscrews removable valve cores unless there tight to the point of striping threads and you only tighten it to the absolute minimum on the stem.
Locktite your valve cores!
On another note, my anxiety will not let me carry a CO2 cartridge as a pump solution. I've tried. I just need that peace of mind of infinite opportunities to pump up my tires. It freaks me out just thinking about CO2 cartridges.
Here's an example: ride.lezyne.com/collections/hand-pumps-high-volume-trail/products/1-mp-alldr-v2m04
I don't carry a Lezyne pump anymore.
P.S. While we're bitching about @Lezyne, I had one of their alloy CO2 inflators and that thing was a pain in the arse. Used to freeze/shrink on to the valve stem. Bashed my kuckles on the cassette a couple of times trying to remove it. Relieved when it developed a leak and I had an excuse to bin it. Replaced it with a Silca one that I haven't had to use yet.