Review Airshot Tyre Inflator

[Christurbo]

Product Image:

Product name: Airshot Tyre Inflator
Price paid: £44.99
Score (out of 10): 9

Review: I’ve never had an issue fitting a tubeless setup with a standard floor pump for many years. However, I had a nightmare re-fitting a DHRII after replacing a spoke. Just wouldn’t catch. I managed to do it in the end using various old school techniques.

It got me looking into alternatives, you can get the Topeak / Bontrager floor pumps with 160psi canister to charge then ‘blast the tyre on’. They are quite expensive - well over the £100 mark. Good value of you are in the market for a new track pump though. I’m not.

I found this. The Airshot. Basically you attach it to your tyre valve with the included adapter (I take the core out), but with the lever closed. Connect your floor pump to the canister and then charge it to 120-160psi.
Turn the lever to ‘open’, then watch the tyre immediately blast its way onto your rim with some loud and satisfying bangs!

Your floor pump will tell you the psi of the tyre without doing anything so you can check that it’s holding pressure. Then you disconnect it all and follow the standard process for sealant etc.

Fantastic product!

 

[steve_sordy]

I've had one for years and I would not be without one.

 

[Christurbo]

I've had one for years and I would not be without one.

Simple but amazing bit of kit.

 

[Robstyle]

I've thought about getting one of these, but I do have a legit 12v compressor that will just live in the van. Has anyone managed to seat a tricky tyre using a 12v compressor?

 

[irie]

I've had one for years and I would not be without one.

Ditto.

 

[Christurbo]

I've thought about getting one of these, but I do have a legit 12v compressor that will just live in the van. Has anyone managed to seat a tricky tyre using a 12v compressor?

how quickly do they inflate? The trick is sending quick burst of air in the blast the bead onto the rim.

 

[p3eps]

My track pump wasn’t great, so I bought the Joe Blow Booster a couple of years back. Got it from Chain Reaction in a sale for £78 (I think it’s normally about £140).

Shut the valve, pump to 160psi, open the valve to seat, and then keep pumping once the rush has finished to inflate the tyre to about 40psi.
Bounce it around the room for a minute or 2, then attach to the bike and spin it for a few mins to let the sealant get everywhere.

I’d never had an issue seating a tyre for years of tubeless… until I got a DHRII - and ended up taking it to my LBS to seat!

Now, every tyre goes on first time.

 

[Robstyle]

how quickly do they inflate? The trick is sending quick burst of air in the blast the bead onto the rim.

Reasonably quickly, not tank compressor quick though. I'll give it a whirl next tire I do.

 

[Christurbo]

My track pump wasn’t great, so I bought the Joe Blow Booster a couple of years back. Got it from Chain Reaction in a sale for £78 (I think it’s normally about £140).

Shut the valve, pump to 160psi, open the valve to seat, and then keep pumping once the rush has finished to inflate the tyre to about 40psi.
Bounce it around the room for a minute or 2, then attach to the bike and spin it for a few mins to let the sealant get everywhere.

I’d never had an issue seating a tyre for years of tubeless… until I got a DHRII - and ended up taking it to my LBS to seat!

Now, every tyre goes on first time.

Common theme!

 

[p3eps]

Common theme!

I’ve done quite a variety of tyres over my 7+ years tubeless… and that DHRII is the only tyre I’ve struggled with.

Some of my more recent tyres could be the same to be fair… but I’ve been using the Joe Blow, so wouldn’t notice.

 

[steve_sordy]

I've thought about getting one of these, but I do have a legit 12v compressor that will just live in the van. Has anyone managed to seat a tricky tyre using a 12v compressor?

I once tried the compressor at the nearest petrol station on the A1. "It can do truck tyres so it must have a good flow" is what I thought. It didn't and was totally useless. Yes, it could go up to a high pressure, but only slowly. The compressor at my LBS had a big reservoir tank and blew the tyre onto the rim with a loud BANG.

 

[Stihldog]

Product Image: View attachment 120868

Product name: Airshot Tyre Inflator
Price paid: £44.99
Score (out of 10): 9

Review: I’ve never had an issue fitting a tubeless setup with a standard floor pump for many years. However, I had a nightmare re-fitting a DHRII after replacing a spoke. Just wouldn’t catch. I managed to do it in the end using various old school techniques.

It got me looking into alternatives, you can get the Topeak / Bontrager floor pumps with 160psi canister to charge then ‘blast the tyre on’. They are quite expensive - well over the £100 mark. Good value of you are in the market for a new track pump though. I’m not.

I found this. The Airshot. Basically you attach it to your tyre valve with the included adapter (I take the core out), but with the lever closed. Connect your floor pump to the canister and then charge it to 120-160psi.
Turn the lever to ‘open’, then watch the tyre immediately blast its way onto your rim with some loud and satisfying bangs!

Your floor pump will tell you the psi of the tyre without doing anything so you can check that it’s holding pressure. Then you disconnect it all and follow the standard process for sealant etc.

Fantastic product!

I definitely went over-kill in the compressed air department but I’ve had all the kit for a while. Most riders don’t want to bother me(it’s no bother) for a single tire change. The Air-Shot inflator looks like an easy and quick tool for those tire change moments. Someone who doesn’t have the room or the time to find compressed air…this is a great little tool that fits on the shelf. Those blaster pumps look pretty good also.

I use a specialty wheel holder also that acts as a trash can when not in use.

Btw, I only use fresh air. …not stale air.

 

[steve_sordy]

..................

Btw, I only use fresh air. …not stale air.

Intriguing, do please impart your wisdom. It sounds like the sort of thing I didn't realise that I needed.

 

[Stihldog]

Intriguing, do please impart your wisdom. It sounds like the sort of thing I didn't realise that I needed.

I didn’t realize either until I preferred fresh air. The same reason I prefer coffee over tea.

 

[E-MAD MALC]

I used bungees around the centre circumference of the tyre which speeds the sidewalls to the inner rim
Been working for me ok

 

[Ian222]

Will it seat a 29” 2.6 tyre?

 

[RustyIron]

I use a specialty wheel holder also that acts as a trash can when not in use.

Good on ya. I have the deluxe model of your tire holder, that also converts into a chair or a carrier for five gallons of hydraulic oil. As for filling tires, for the past 40 years I've been using a 3hp Craftsman compressor. it was made when tools were intended to last. Prior to that, I had an air bottle.. Back then we didn't have fancy store-bought gadgets. I got an empty freon bottle and stuck a quick-disconnect on the top.

 

[Stihldog]

I was using a nylon strap around the circumference of a difficult tire. Removing the inner valve and blasting air from a compressor was not enough to seat the tire bead(s). A bungee cord might work also. A very fast gush of air seems too set that bead.

 

[Stihldog]

Good on ya. I have the deluxe model of your tire holder, that also converts into a chair or a carrier for five gallons of hydraulic oil. As for filling tires, for the past 40 years I've been using a 3hp Craftsman compressor. it was made when tools were intended to last. Prior to that, I had an air bottle.. Back then we didn't have fancy store-bought gadgets. I got an empty freon bottle and stuck a quick-disconnect on the top.

Many years ago I had to use a foam donut between the rim and bead. The foam donut would pop out just as the bead set. Keep your fingers clear …ouch! (Car tires btw).

 

[steve_sordy]

Will it seat a 29” 2.6 tyre?

It seats my 29x2.5 without any difficulty so I'd be confident that it will do a 29x2.6.

Later edit: Oh, and I was forgetting my previous bike that had two 29x2.6 and there was no problem there either!

 

[E-MAD MALC]

I had a separate booster for a few years now which I use in my workshop
But I'm contemplating getting a JB Booster to keep in my motor
What do you reckon bit overkill
Should I just stick to taking the pump and separate tank with me in the motor

 

[Christurbo]

I forgot I posted this up originally. Mine is still going strong inflating all sorts of sizes. Deals with it effortlessly. Makes installing tubeless so easy.