Last year, three types of public bike pumps popped up by Bálna Budapest, enabling cyclists to test them to see which one best suited their needs. This was a joint initiative by the Municipality of Budapest and the Budapesti Városarculati Nonprofit Kft., aiming to ease life for cyclists with flat tires. Based on feedback from bikers, the best type of pump was identified, and an increasing number of them are appearing near major bikeways citywide. The tenth pump was just installed at Liszt Ferenc Square, and according to plans for the near future, ten more will be installed by the end of 2017.

After last year’s bicycle-pump test by Bálna Budapest, the best type among the three was quickly identified based on feedback from bikers, and public pumps started flooding Budapest’s squares that are found adjacent to bikeways. The Magyar Kerékpáros Klub (Hungarian Cyclists’ Club) supported this initiative with their expertise, helping to pick out the most suitable pump and the most frequented public squares. With the newest installment on Liszt Ferenc Square, there are now altogether ten public pumps free to use in Budapest, and ten more will also be installed by the end of the year.

These hooligan-proof pumps are secured into concrete, they display tire pressure, and can be connected to all kinds of bike-tire valves. They also have a brand-new blue design, and feature a user’s guide on the side, and contact information in case of any damage.

According to feedback, the pumps work very well, and are also suitable for squeezing more air into a football, and even into the tires of some baby buggies. Furthermore, the masterminds behind the project also promised to continually maintain the pumps. Here are the ten locations around Budapest where you can now pump up your tires for free:

At the official launching event of the newest pump, we learned that according to a survey 7% of the city’s residents regularly use bicycles to get around, while this percentage is 25% nationwide. Therefore, there certainly is a need for more similar cyclist-friendly innovations in Budapest.