Thanks to the huge amount of air volume in a fat bike tire, the bikes are a blast to ride on just about any surface. What’s not so fun is trying to replace that volume of air if you are unlucky enough to get a flat. Either you’re going to have to carry a number of co2 cartridges or hope that your standard mini pump doesn’t lead to death by 1,000 strokes.
Of all of the fat bike specific parts and accessories, one area that has been conspicuously absent is a purpose built portable pump. There are a few that have oversized barrels or two stage designs meant to make inflating high volume tires easier, but when it comes to something specifically geared towards fat bike usage, portable pumps have been mostly left out – until now. Well, at least until the end of Portland Design Work’s Kickstarter campaign which will introduce the Fat Stevens fat bike pump to the Wild World…
Other than the ability to rapidly inflate huge tires, just what makes a fat bike specific pump? Basically, all of the touch points have been designed to work in an extreme range of conditions while wearing bulky gloves or boots. Instead of using a fold out handle which tend to be somewhat fragile (especially in below zero temperatures) the Fat Stevens uses a durable pommel handle that fits nicely in the palm of your hand. At the base of the pump is a sturdy steel foot peg that flips down for use and has been tested in deep snow, mud, and sand with boots that can be found on many fat bikers. Finally, at the end of the flexible hose is a thread on chuck with an oversized and knurled nozzle, again to make it easy to use with thick gloves.
To guarantee the tires fill before you freeze, Fat Stevens has a 39mm diameter barrel that is claimed to fill fat bike tires with half the strokes of a standard mini pump. Measuring in at 14″ long and less than a pound in weight, the pump should fit in most frame bags and backpacks.
As part of the Kickstarter campaign, Fat Stevens pumps will also ship with a rad carrying case made by Blaq Paks in Portland. In addition to storing the pump, the bag has two internal storage pockets for other tools and is available in blue/orange or camo.
Expected to ship by October 2015, Fat Stevens pumps start at just $35 for the early bird special, up to the unlimited $55 option. There is even a $90 option which includes the pump and a set of the PDW Dave’s Mud Shovel fat bike fenders.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fatstevens/the-fat-stevenstm-fat-bike-pump
