Bontrager TLR Flash Charger Review

While both tubeless tire seating pumps we tested were up to the task, what really sets the Bontrager TLR Flash Charger apart is how well it works as a normal floor pump. It consistently filled mountain and road bike tires faster and more smoothly than the competition during our tests. It's also stable and comfortable to use, with a chuck that forms a decent seal with both Presta and Schrader valves and a broad, floating, flat-top handle that we found less fatiguing over time.

Performance Comparison

Ease of Use

There are few things more frustrating than wresting a nozzle onto the relatively delicate valve of your tire and popping your knuckles against the spokes as you attempt to flip the stubborn valve lock shut. The Flash Charger made a quick and easy connection every time we used it, whether with a Presta or Schrader valve, although we did find it to be slightly leaky, especially under high pressure. This wasn't enough of an issue to discount the pump's efficiency and ease of use. We also noted that the valve lock is longer than we prefer, but this didn't cause us enough problems to give it much weight.

Pulling the chuck back off the valve often proved trickier. It latched on so tightly that it was often hard to remove, and sometimes, we worried about bending our delicate Presta valve stems. Once we got used to it, we learned to handle it with the right touch. While the challenge of removing the nozzle isn't ideal, we really appreciate its quick and efficient seals, which let us get to the important work of filling our tire.

The pump has a universal valve, meaning it works with both Presta and Schrader valves with no adjustment. This chuck nozzle type is becoming more popular, but they aren't all created equally, with many struggling to create the quick and seamless seal that the Flash Charger manages. And it's much easier to use than versions that make you choose which side of the nozzle to use or unscrew the front of it to switch around internal components.

Inflation

As we mentioned, the Flash Charger works very well as a normal bike pump, and this is probably how you'll be using it most of the time. Just make sure both red handles are horizontal, pointing to release pressure and inflate, attach the chuck, and use it as a regular bike pump. It's one of the fastest and smoothest pumps we tested when inflating high-volume mountain bikes and high-pressure road tires.

It also works well on the less common occasion when you need to replace your tubeless tires or refresh their sealant. To do so, flip both red levers vertically, in line with the main tube. That allows you to pressurize the large charger tube. Bontrager recommends pumping it up to 160 psi, as high as the gauge will read. This took us 50 strokes on average. Then, flip the longer red lever up, followed by the shorter lever.

In our tests, this seated both beads of the tire on the first try most of the time. However, we did have to try it twice a few times. There is some variance among tire brands when it comes to seating them on a rim, and even though a pump of this style typically does the trick, it doesn't necessarily work every time with every wheel and tire combination. It helps if you keep the tire off the ground, preferably with a bike stand, and gently press the tread towards the wheel in several spots, working your way around the tire and moving both beads toward the rim.

On the instruction card that comes with the pump, Bontrager seems to recommend continuing to pump the tire while the blast of air goes to work. We didn't find that necessary and found more success gently working with the tire. A wide, flaring handle and solid base plate make for especially comfortable and stable pumping. We also appreciate this pump's relatively short height, which makes it easier for shorter riders to get good leverage. The handle hides a compartment for a ball and float inflater nozzles, making it a useful multi-tool.

Our main complaint with this pump is that the charge function is more complex than with some other charge pumps, which have just one switch that you flip to charge and then flip again to release. Because the Flash Charger requires you to flip two different levers in the correct order, we screwed it up more than once during testing. This earned us the pleasure of filling the compression chamber with another 50 strokes. Thank the bike pump gods for that comfy handle.

Stability

The wide, triangular base of this bike pump is among our favorites. We never once worried about knocking it over. It's made of durable metal with ends that curve down and grip the earth whether you're on solid or soft ground.

During testing, this pump consistently proved itself as one of the most stable contenders. The way the base is designed causes it to grip the ground even when a little bit of pressure is applied. When pumping with two hands and two feet, this pump is rock solid. When pumping with one hand and one foot holding it down, it hardly budged as we flapped our wing to bring the tire up to pressure.

Accuracy

We took this test to the next level for this round of testing, engineering and building our own pressure chamber to measure the accuracy of each gauge. We put the TLR Flash Charger up against the rest of the competition, and it wowed us with the results.

When we compared this pump to the control, it was the only pump in our testing that actually read 20, then 50, and then 100. It was only actually over the stated pressure by a matter of tenths of a PSI. This awesome accuracy across the board earned it the highest marks in this metric.

Should You Buy the Bontrager TLR Flash Charger Pump?

If you like working on your own bikes and frequently change tubeless tires at home, then the TLR Flash Charger is the obvious choice. Even if you don't use this function, it's a super smooth pump that's a pleasure to use. It isn't exactly cheap, so if that's a big consideration in your purchase, you'll find more affordable options that perform well enough. But if you want a pump that can perform any task, whether riding mountain, road, or tubeless tires, we consider this pump the best pick.

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