Topeak TubiHead review: Smart pump head upgrade makes seating tubeless MTB tires easier

Seating tubeless mountain bike tires can be challenging. Though it’s been a while since I needed to use an air compressor, sometimes a burst of air is necessary to get a stubborn tire mounted. The Topeak TubiHead pump head is designed to remove the Presta valve core while pumping up a tire, and then replace the valve without losing pressure. It’s an elegant implementation of an old trick bike mechanics have been using for years, and a nice upgrade for your floor pump.

Removing the valve core for better airflow

Home mechanics know that you can seat a tubeless tire more easily by removing the Presta valve core before inflating, which dramatically increases airflow to the tire. The only challenge is that once you remove the pump head from the valve, you need to quickly cover the open valve with your finger to prevent all the air from escaping before screwing the core back into the valve. Or not; if the tire bead is well and truly seated, there’s a good chance it’ll stay in place even without air pressure in the tire.

The Topeak TubiHead dispenses with all the theatrics and allows you to unscrew the Presta valve core while the pump head is attached to the valve. It’s recommended that you position the valve at the 12 o’clock position to prevent liquid sealant from entering the pump head, which can gunk up the moving parts inside.

I found the TubiHead works as advertised with standard, removable-core Presta valves. The head slides onto the valve securely, and turning the external knob unscrews the core easily. With the core removed, air rushes into the tire quickly, and there’s less resistance from the pump. A bleed valve makes it easy to dial in the exact pressure you need.

Because of the tight fit, the TubiHead is more difficult to remove from the valve than other pump heads I’ve used. Fortunately, Topeak designed a tab on that head to make it easier to pull the TubiHead off the valve, but it still takes significant effort.

Despite the tight connection, I could hear some air escaping from the head when inflating a tire. Using soapy water, I traced the leak to the screw cap at the valve side. Tightening the cap significantly reduced the leak, but I couldn’t eliminate it entirely. Perhaps some Teflon tape would do the trick.

The Topeak TubiHead is made with aluminum and plastic for a quality feel. It’s incredibly serviceable, too… you know, in case you happen to get sealant inside by mistake.

One problem, many solutions

The mountain bike world continues to seek new solutions to a big problem with Presta valves: their narrow opening makes tubeless inflation difficult. Many brands have attacked the problem at the valve, with designs from Reserve, Muc-off, and Stan’s reinventing the valve with a wider opening for increased air flow. TubiHead, by contrast, is designed to work with standard Presta valve cores. In fact, it doesn’t even work with those other valves. (Well, it does work with them in the sense that you can inflate any Presta-compatible valve; it just won’t remove their valve cores while inflating.)

The TubiHead upgrade

Currently, the TubiHead is only available on one Topeak floor pump, the JoeBlow Tubi 2Stage. Most buyers will instead purchase the TubiHead upgrade kit, which includes the pump head, hose, and various attachment bits to make it work with your existing Topeak floor pump.

Admittedly, I had some trouble figuring out how to install the upgrade on my Topeak JoeBlow Mountain II pump. I called Topeak’s customer support number and, less than a minute later, spoke with a representative who walked me through the installation in real time.

You might recall from my review of the JoeBlow Mountain II that I wasn’t a fan of the Twinhead two-way pump head that almost always leaks air when you remove it from a valve. For the past year and a half, it’s served as my backup, backup floor pump to be used only in case of emergencies.

The TubiHead upgrade fixes what was easily the biggest flaw with the JoeBlow Mountain II floor pump. It sucks to have to spend another $38 to make the pump usable again, but at least it’s cheaper than buying a new floor pump.

If you’re buying a floor pump anyway, the JoeBlow Tubi 2Stage includes the TubiHead, but it’s expensive at $159.95. A better option for mountain bikers is the $59.95 JoeBlow Mountain EX with its oversized barrel that delivers a massive volume of air with each stroke. With the TubiHead upgrade, you’re still under $100 and won’t need an air compressor for 95% of your tubeless tire installations.

Pros and cons of Topeak TubiHead

Pros

• Slick way to increase airflow for seating a tubeless tire
• Quality materials and construction

Cons

• Tight fit makes for difficult removal from the valve
• Tiny amount of air leakage at the head

Bottom line

If you’re using Presta valves with standard, removable cores and don’t have access to an air compressor for seating tubeless tires, the Topeak TubiHead is a nice upgrade for your manual floor pump.