Bicycles

Bontrager TLR Flash Charger pump delivers a blast of air to wily tubeless tires

Bontrager's TLR Flash Charger pump
Bontrager's TLR Flash Charger pump

Tubeless tires are pretty much standard on higher-end mountain bikes now, due to their lower weight and rolling resistance, along with their ability to contain sealant. However, they do have one drawback – you need to use a CO2 cartridge or an air compressor to put the things on. Bontrager has set out to change that, with its TLR Flash Charger pump.

In order to get a tubeless tire securely seated on the wheel rim, a lot of air has to be pumped into it very quickly. Standard human-powered pumps simply don't have the output, so they can't be used ... or at least, it's very hard to use them.

The TLR gets around this problem by incorporating an auxiliary air chamber, which users can pump up to 160 psi (11 bar) using the regular handle – just like they would if they pumping up a tire directly, which the pump also allows them to do. Once the pump head is attached to the valve stem of a rim bearing an unseated tire, the user raises the chamber's release lever. All of the compressed air then rapidly flows into the tire, causing it to satisfyingly pop into place.

The Bontrager TLR Flash Charger pump is available now, for US$120.

Source: Bontrager via Bike Radar

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4 comments
Mel Tisdale
Pour some lighter fluid into the new tyre and flick your lighter. Big bang and if the tyre survives, call it job done - but for a bit of pumping up to the correct pressure, of course. Then go and buy something with the $120 saved.
Slowburn
It seems very expensive for what it does.
Jeffrey Mika
Not lighter fluid...STARTing fluid.(ether)..and you will probably STILL need a quick impulse of compressed air to keep it seated..the danger comes from spraying in too much..it only takes a small amount..then you have to pump REAL fast..what you need is a small cylinder that you can load with compressed air from your standard bike pump,(carry in water bottle cage),attach to the stem..put in a one second blast of starting fluid (auto store)..be ready to inject the air from the cyclinder..light the ether.after it explodes,inject the cylinder..finish with standard pump..
canderso
You mean like a 13ci "pump" tank made by ninja air? Use one for paintball and have been tempted to make an adapter for use on a bike tire for a quick fill. 3k PSI tank about the size of one of those "ICE" water bottles. Like the 16 oz ones. Look it up people