Topeak Joe Blow Mountain Bike pump has a larger than normal steel barrel, designed specifically for larger volume off-road tires. The analog pressure gauge is extra sensitive and has an air release button to help dial in the exact pressure. This pump also
Weaknesses: Easily pinches your finger and it hurts like a mofo. Check valve or something inside of it broke and new it rocket-ships the handle up into your face when attached to a bike tire (that, too, hurts like a mofo.)
Bottom Line:
Look elsewhere for an expensive bike pump. I've always hated this pump and won't buy another from Topeak.
Weaknesses: It is fragile and poorly constructed. A piece of junk. After 3 years the pump will no longer compress and air through the hose. This is a major failure. This is my last Topeak product, for that price it should last much nger. total B.S., where's the quality? Topeak blows!
Submitted by
NancyL
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2011
Strengths: Can accept Presta and Schraeder valves
Weaknesses: Seals wear and there is no replacement kit. At about 4 years, the pump was approaching unusable, especially for high pressure tires (100 psi)
Bottom Line:
I have the Joe Blow SPORT, the bright yellow one. As an earlier poster mentioned, there is no seal kit available when the seal on the twinhead begins to go. The poster indicated he had solved the problem by moving an O-ring from the base of the pump to the head. I decided to try this; the O-ring I found (by unscrewing the cap at the base) had a spring behind it, took flight and I never saw it again.
O-rings being standard items, I decided to visit my local Home Depot. I found that a #7 O-ring, near the faucet section, seems to work as a replacement for the O-ring in the twinhead. 1/2" OD x 3/8" ID x 1/16". A 10-pack is $2.27. To access, remove the screw on the twinhead, pull out the lever assembly, remove and replace the O-ring. Reassemble, making sure the O-ring slides into the twin head and doesn't become caught on or cut by the piece it is sliding into.
I replaced the lost O-ring from the base with a #78, 7/16" OD x 1/4"ID x 3/32". The pump is now working fine. I can repair it nine more times unless something else breaks first.
Submitted by
JJ
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2011
Strengths: Seems solid
Weaknesses: Doesnt last an no support, no manual
Bottom Line:
Works for a while, then stopped suddenly after a year. There is no breakdown manual or guide if you are a world traveler, and nothing on the Internet... best to buy a few small cheepies as disposables. Good thing is the heavy tube... you can use it for protection, nothing else.
Submitted by
Kristianpetrov
a Racer
from Irvine california US
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2010
Strengths: The pump looks strong,clean and has a nice yellow color.
Weaknesses: From the second I bought this product it would not pump a presta valve at all. The air would just leak and it basically sucks.
Bottom Line:
Do not but this pump if you are a road biker and is using presta valve!!! It is a complete ripoff and it does not do anything! I would rather use the 5 dollar pumps at target since THEY ACTUALLY PUMP!
Submitted by
Warren
a Cross Country Rider
from Japan
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2009
Strengths: When I first bought it, it worked well and I could inflate my tires easily without any effort, but that didn't last very long.
Weaknesses: The dual head leaked air after 20-30 uses and now I can not use it for anything other than pumping up my soccer ball.
Bottom Line:
It seems obvious from reading other posts that the pump head breaks often and quickly, amongst a variety of other problems. I am extremely disappointed with the poor quality of this product.
Submitted by
jaghouse
a Cross Country Rider
from Iowa
Date Reviewed: July 21, 2009
Strengths: Reliability
Bottom Line:
There are various versions of the Joe Blow pump. I have the Sport II (twinhead NOT smarthead) and it has worked wonderfully since day one. The twinhead design seems to be a winner.
Submitted by
greenforest56
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2009
Strengths: Good strong pump, nice design, well built, reliable
Weaknesses: handle
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent pump. I have used it a lot for seveal years, given excllent service. Solid, well built. My only criticism is the handles. Topeak put some kind of rubber material at the ends. I keep expecting it to come off. It hasn't yet, but it will someday. Otherwise, the pump is bullet proof.
Submitted by
dbarzel
a Weekend Warrior
from memphi, tn
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2009
Strengths: high gauge reading, and (when it works) the presta/schrader convertible head - good support from topeak (will ship new parts when your eventually breaks)
Weaknesses: subject to breakdowns - i have rebuilt mine at least 3x in 4 years
Bottom Line:
don't buy it - look for a sturdy rebuildable pump like the silca or lezyne
Submitted by
BigBull
a Weekend Warrior
from California
Date Reviewed: February 19, 2009
Strengths: Joe Blow Max is a piece of crap.
Joe Blow Sport is great and solid built.
Weaknesses: Joe Blow Max is a joke, cheap plastic cap broken in few months. Hard to get higher pressure than 30psi even when new. But Joe Blow SPODT is a great pump on the other hand.
Bottom Line:
I used Joe Blow Sport for years and love it so much so after I accidentally run my car over it I replaced with a similar model JB MAX: what a mistake. Do youself a favor and get the SPORT or Pro model.
THe 4 star rating is for Sport model.
Submitted by
T_woot
a Cross Country Rider
from Auburn, CA
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2009
Strengths: JOEBLOW sport pump... it works great, was a decent price compared to specialized pumps that would probably perform the exact same. I love the dual valve for schrader and presta, its awesomely handy, comes with a needle for basketballs and such, and another little adapter. I haven't used em but I like having such things handy regardless.
Weaknesses: the yellow is awesome, why not love it?
Bottom Line:
cheap price, fine pump, great functionality, still working just fine after 2 years
Similar Products Used: stuff at bike shops, specialized floor pumps
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Thorvald
a Weekend Warrior
from Bornholm, Denmark
Date Reviewed: January 18, 2009
Bottom Line:
After two years my Topeak Joe Blow Sprint began to work worser and worser. In the beginning it didn'nt pump in the top of the stroke, and later it also nearly didn't worked in bottom of the stroke. I opened, inspected, cleaned and greased the tube, the piston and the O-ring. And I couldn't see any faults. But, no, there were no changes. Then I disassembled the hole thing, cleaned everything, and greased it. Still no changes. Did everything once again. Still no results. Phoned the national distibutor asking for spare parts, especially the O-ring, which looked OK by visual inspection, but on the other hand problaly was the reason for the missing pressure. The answer from the distibutor was: Topeak don't sell spare parts for their pumps. Now I realised that I instead should have bought either a SKS floor pump or a pump from Blackburn, because both of these are selling spare parts for their pumps. Just before I ordering a new pump, realising I was the owner of a piece of garbage, I disassemblede my Topeak Joe Blow for the absolutely last time. And thanks for that. I saw this time that the bottom plug, which are screwed into the bottom of the cylinder, are fitted with two O-rings in exactly the same size as the O-ring at the piston. By changing one of those O-rings from the bottom plug with the O-ring at the piston, MY PUMP WORKS AGAIN. Now I just wonder if the pump also this time wil give up after two years. If this should be the matter, there is still one more O-ring in the bottom plug, which I can put to the piston, and then get two more years of life out of my Joe Blow sprint. A lot of trouble, but nice to have fixed it. - I haven't had other problems with this pump, which now works fine again.
Similar Products Used: Italian floorpump, can't remember the name, Silca, SKS, Blackburn Air Stick 1, Blackburn Mtn pump, Topeak Pocket Rocket
Bike Setup: Scott CR 1, Pinarello Opera, Specialized Stumpjumper Comp -91, Wheeler touring bike
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
_Lac_Man_
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix
Date Reviewed: December 31, 2008
Strengths: Real Carbon Fiber dial, two seperate ends - "Twin Head" - for Presta/Schrader valves, sturdy construction as far as I'm concerned.
Weaknesses: None that I have encountered.
Bottom Line:
This review is for the Joe Blow Sprint pump - - -
I haven't had any problems with this pump, I don't know how there could be issues with it really...my bike has Presta valves, my girlfriends has Schrader, the pump works great on both. This thing has gotten banged around in the bed of the pick-up, dropped on gravel, no dents, cranks, nada. It's also got cool little extras like a clamp that keeps the handle from extended if it's not in use, it has a spot for sport ball and floaty needles. It gives precise PSI measurments - I compared it with my digital PSI gauge.
It's a little pricey, but I guess the extra cost goes towads the real Carbon Fiber...which I love. I'd recommend it if you need a mid-quality pump at a pretty reasonable price.
Submitted by
Andrew Lang
a Cross Country Rider
from UK
Date Reviewed: December 11, 2008
Strengths: Looks good
Weaknesses: Original Joe Blo Pro - Rubber grip on handle slips off, pivoting support pointless over design , you will probably never use it - oh and it does not pump up bicycle tyres!
My pump has become progressively worse over a short period of use and it will now not inflate a tyre / tube beyond 35psi. At this point all air that is pumped goes somewhere other than the tube I want to inflate.
Bottom Line:
A piece of junk - on the face of it looks to be a quality product but is seriously let down by its function - or more to the point the lack of it!
Strengths: Quick pumping, solid feel, good connection.
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
This review is for the Joe Blow Pro. MTBR should really have different sections for the different Joe Blows because they are all pretty different. In my experience the Joe Blow Pro is an amazing pump. I actually liked mine so much that after 6 months of use I bought one for my fiance so that she would stop "borrowing" mine and "forgetting" it in her car.