A few months ago I came across the Prestaflator from PrestaCycle. Any cyclist who has ever tried to inflate a set of tires with a presta valve has most likely cursed the attachments at the end of their air compressor hose, and the Prestaflator is the fix.
The Prestaflator is a hand-held tire inflation tool with a pressure gauge and blow off valve. This air compressor accessory looks like an air tool you may see at an auto shop, but built to higher standards for cycling needs. It has a quality bead blasted raw finish alloy body. An easy pull trigger allows for precise inflation or wide open for you trigger-happy types. No worry about too much air too fast, Prestacycle throws in a simple to use deflation button that sits slightly above and back to the left side. Be sure to watch the gauge though, as it sits right above the trigger. Prestacycle claims the gauge is accurate to within +/- 2%, and the dial has a range of 12 Bar/174 PSI. The hose is made of reinforced polyurethane and can handle up to 300 PSI. Of course, one would never want to test this on a bike tire. The grip body has a 1/4 inch male threaded adapter for many uses. Prestacycle’s presta head connects to your valve stem with a new and improved easy-on easy-off “24.1 pump head gasket” which you can service and rebuild with parts from any Prestacycle dealer.
Having used Prestaflator to air up just about every tire in my home from the riding mower to my wife’s unicycle, I was sure to put this tool through quite a few tests. The ease of getting the air pressure to the exact amount was great. Deflating a tire with the blow off button to the proper pressure without having to release the chuck was one of my favorite parts of the tool. I can’t even begin to count the amount of times I’ve had to let air out manually, then check a gauge, let some more out and check again. The Prestaflator does away with all those issues. You can also change the adapter on the Prestaflator in a flash. Just screw in the adapter to the hose head you want to use. You can’t get any simpler than that. If you look close, the smaller threads are where you screw the hose head onto the presta valve, and the larger threads are for the attachments. I really liked using the presta disc wheel adapter. It makes easy work of trying to fit a presta head between the spokes and rotor and inflating your tire at the same time. Using the schrader valve adapter was great too. While this adapter does not screw or push onto the valve, it does have a clamping trait. Just make sure to hold it firmly so air doesn’t escape like a standard car inflator does.
While it’s clear that many bike riders may not see a need for this tool at an MSRP of $49.99, I find it to be a great asset to my tool chest. Not only has it made one part of tire swaps and top ups very easy, but no longer do I have to use my poorly made floor pump. I will know for a fact that I have the tires inflated to the right PSI and ride in confidence.
Check out Prestaflator.com for more info, or ask for them at a bike shop near you!
– Ryan
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the Prestaflator for free from Prestacycle,LLC in consideration for review publication.