Schwinn Air Driver 1100 Floor Pump with 5 in 1 Review

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(More customer reviews)Yes, the reviews are correct.This is the most counter-intuitive pump I have ever used.That being said, the major flaw is only that it does not come with good instructions.Actually the 3 step instructions are a joke.Once you know how to use it, you will find it reliable and pretty easy, albeit strange, to use.

Here is the "theory" of this pump from my experiments in using it.There is a magical valve in the filler head that decides which way to send the air based on where there is back pressure.This is a design flaw because I doubt it will let you fill a completely empty tire without some luck and use of your mouth to generate backpressure to properly set the valve.Try the experiment yourself.Stick the tire filler section into your mouth and blow hard, you will feel a little valve give way.Then if you pump using the handle you will definitely feel the air pumping into your mouth.Now the pump is in "tire mode".To switch it to "ball mode" you should try 1 of two things, shake the head crazily a little bit (sometimes this resets the valve into ball mode) or put your mouth over the ball inflator pin and blow hard into it.You will feel the valve switch and now air will come out of the ball filler pin.Crazy huh?Yep, I have a master's in engineering and it took me about 30 minutes to figure it out.Either way, using the "mouth blow method" of switching the internal valve postion should allow you to fill up an ball or tire regardless of whether it is completely flat or not.Just get the pump in the right "mode".

Here is how to use the Schwinn Airdriver 1100 in 3 cases:

Schrader Valve:

1. Make sure the pump is in "tire mode" (see theory section above)
2. Put the "locking lever" in the unlocked position, the unlocked position is when the silver metal lever is parallel to the air hose, or said another way it makes an "L" with the air outlet that goes on the tire air filling stem.Yes, this is opposite of every other pump I have ever used.To verify this is correct, look in the air outlet and move the lever from locked to un-locked, you will see an ever so slight change in diameter which is what holds the outlet on the filler stem.You can understand other's frustration given they try to jam the outlet on the stem in the locked position (smaller diameter) and then they unlock it (larger diameter) and start pumping and the outlet flys right off the tire stem.It is backwards, use it that way!
2. Push the air filler hole over the schrader valve really hard and make sure it is seated all the way down.Close the "locking lever" (silver metal lever should now be perpendicular to the air house and be in line with the air outlet... i.e. point straight out away from the tire filler stem.
3. Pump like a champ, you may have to push really hard at first to get the tire valve to open.
4. The pressure meter is almost useless except in presta tire mode, so I wouldn't pay much attention to it.

Presta mode:
1. Make sure the pump is in "tire mode" (see theory section above)
2. Take off plastic caps off presta valves on bike tire
3. Unscrew the little nut on the presta stem to allow the tire valve to open when pressure is applied (you can test this by pushing the stem in a little and air should escape, the nut holds the valve closed, so it needs to be loosened)
4. Take the adapter from the locking lever (silver metal lever) on the pump and screw it on the presta valve.The adapter is the brass looking thing.Screw the rubber gasketed side down on the presta valve.
5. Press the air pump tire filler outlet onto the adapter like a champion.Push hard.
6. Close the locking lever to seal the filler head on the adapter.
7. Pump like a champ.For my tires it takes about 10 pumps to get from 20psi to 125psi.The air pressure gauge actually works quite nicely in "presta tire mode".
8. Unlock the locking lever and pull it off quickly.
9. carefully unscrew the presta adapter and put it back in the locking lever holding place (for later use, do not lose this loose part)
10. Screw down the presta valve nut but just finger tight.
11. Screw on the plastic cover cap for the presta valve.
12.Take a ride!

To Fill a Ball:

1. Twist the ball pin filler out by rotating the gray plastic tab around until the ball pin filler is pointing straight out (in-line with the air hose).
2. Make sure the pump is in "Ball mode"(See theory section above)
3. Put the filler pin into a ball (you might want to lick the needle so it goes in better and so you don't break the needle by forcing it, old pro trick).
4. Pump like a champ.
5. Pull the pin filler out of the ball.
6. Carefully rotate it back into its protective plastic section (otherwise you risk breaking it during storage)
7. Play ball!

I hope this is helpful.The reason I wrote this "review" is because I got this pump as a gift and It infuriated me until I calmed down and just figured out how to use it.Once I had figured it out, it works reliably, but strangely.It is also a great joke.I can't help but chuckle when I have to switch modes by blowing into the filler head.Wait until your friend asks you why you have the filler head in your mouth."Airhead" may come up.Even if you explain yourself they will definitely think you are nuts.

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