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When the tyre hisses as if you've opened a bottle of fizzy water too quickly, it's clear that you're at a standstill on the trail. And yet, as a biker, you can easily get out of breath in such situations. That's if you have the wrong mini pump with you.
Hardly anyone rides mountain bike tyres with more than 2 bar pressure anymore, but their volume has steadily increased in recent years. Today, 29 x 2.35 inches is considered a healthy size for an MTB tyre. With mini pumps, whose cylinders are often no larger than 60 cubic centimetres, this means a lot of lifting work for the arms until the fat tyres are filled with air.
Special high-volume pumps are designed to inflate bike tyres significantly faster and more comfortably. But high-volume pumps don't just have advantages, as our test of eleven current models shows.
We have tested these 11 mini pumps
Click on the respective model to go directly to the detailed test.
- BBB SingleShot MTB >> e.g. available here
- Blackburn Grid 2Stage >> e.g. available here
- Crankbrothers Klic HV CO2 >> e.g. available here
- Decathlon MTB Pump >> e.g. available here
- Lezyne Micro Floor Drive XL >> e.g. available here
- Pro Minipump Performance HV >> e.g. available here
- SKS Airflex Explorer >> e.g. available here
- Specialised Airtool MTB >> e.g. available here
- Syncros Boundary 1.5 HV M >> e.g. available here
- Topeak Mountain TT Twin Turbo >> e.g. available here
- Zéfal MT Mini >> e.g. available here
High-volume mini pumps - high volume is a matter of opinion
Even the definition of an HV pump is a matter of opinion. While the tiny pump from BBB can be clamped between your thumb and middle finger, the mini floor pump from Lezyne is the size of a kitchen roll and cannot be transported without a rucksack. Most mini pumps with the abbreviation HV also have to relinquish the all-round claim. Many of the pumps manage a maximum pressure of 4 to 5 bar - Lezyne even stops at 2.4 bar. Road bike tyres can no longer be inflated with this pressure. The exceptions: With Blackburn you can switch between high pressure and high volume. And the slim Pro generally manages up to 7 bar. However, it also requires the most strokes in comparison to inflate our test volume from 1 to 2 bar.
Pumping capacity: the differences are huge
While Lezyne with just 28 strokes 1 bar of pressure into the simulated 2.35 tyre, you have to use the Pro for the same volume. Pump almost ten times as often - It's like torture for the arms. If the handles are also too short or have sharp edges that make handling more difficult, it becomes doubly strenuous.
The most comfortable way to pump is with the mini pumps, which also offer sufficient grip surface for the hand holding the pump and can be used in the have a small hose in the best case. This decouples the pumping process from the valve and reduces shear forces acting on the valve head. With pumps that are clamped directly to the valve (BBB, Blackburn and Specialised), the grip sleeve is often so short that you have to quickly pinches your fingers or the heel of your hand. The folding handle of the Klic HV from Crankbrothers is practical, but here the knuckles easily hit the pump housing - ouch!
HV mini pen - often high forces even at low pressure
Another shortcoming of HV mini-pumps: as the volume increases, so does the force required to push the air into the tyre. Blackburn and Zéfal have proven to be particularly sluggish. Topeak reduces the forces with a special double chamber, while Specialized plays tricks with the pump length. And with Lezyne, the effort required is kept within limits because the Micro Floor is supported on the ground like a floor pump.
There are also major differences in the pump heads. Most mini pumps are either clamped with a lever or screwed onto the valve. The former are generally somewhat larger and have the disadvantage that the head has to be converted when switching between Presta and Schrader valves. The small parts then quickly disappear into the botany. The clamping levers are also not always easy to operate and are often angular or fiddly.
The universal head of the Blackburn has proven to be particularly practical: It serves all common valve types without the hassle of conversion work. Only the pump head from Decathlon is similarly clever, with a T-shaped attachment that fills Presta valves on one side and Schrader valves on the other. Pump heads that are simply screwed onto the valve have proven to be convenient and space-saving. To switch between the valve types, simply turn the top of the mini pumps. But be careful: If the valve head is not tight enough, simply unscrew it together with the pump head after inflating. Then the air hisses out of the tyre as if you had opened a bottle of mineral water too quickly and you can start all over again.
Mini pumps - the most important details
Tech-Info: The different pump heads
Conversion head
The conversion head is somewhat more complex and involves more small parts. Here, the pump head of the mini pumps must be screwed on and the parts inserted correctly depending on the valve. A clamping lever ensures a firm hold on the valve. The pumps from Specialized, Syncros, Topeak and Zéfal have a conversion head.
Flip-flop head
An adapter with two different connections sits on the hose. Depending on the valve type, the flip-flop head is screwed in rotated accordingly. This type of pump head is threaded onto the valve and sits very securely when pumping. The pumps from Crankbrothers, Lezyne, Pro and special models from SKS and Decathlon are equipped with flip-flop heads.
Universal head
The universal head always fits on any type of valve without prior conversion and is therefore particularly practical. The universal head is clamped onto the valve using a lever. Can be found on the Blackburn pump.
This is how we tested
Pumping capacity | 35 per cent
Our test rig simulates a 29 x 2.35 inch tyre. Starting from a pressure of 1 bar, all mini pumps had to fill the test volume up to 2 bar. The pressure was read with a precision manometer, and we determined the required pump strokes in three passes. In the end, the performance depends on a balance between the diameter and stroke of the pump. A voluminous cylinder also fills large tyres quickly, but also requires more power as the pressure increases and vice versa.
Handling/ergonomics | 35 per cent
Here we pay attention to hard, sharp edges, as well as the grip and diameter of the mini pumps. Bare aluminium often offers a poorer grip than rubberised or silicone-covered surfaces. The risk of pinching fingers and palms due to short grip sleeves is also included in the assessment. The same applies to the handling of the pump head when attaching and clamping it to the valve. Another point we assess is the manual force required when pumping.
Equipment | 15 per cent
When equipping the mini pumps, we pay attention to the presence of a dust cap for the pump head, which valve types are operated and whether a frame mount is supplied. Additional points are awarded for folding handles, CO2 adapters, etc. A high-quality finish with low tolerances promises a long service life for the pump.
Weight/pack size | 15 per cent
A certain size is essential for a high pump volume. Nevertheless, this plays a role when transporting it in a rucksack, hip bag or jersey pocket. A slim design is also an advantage when mounting on the frame. Less is more when it comes to weight. Good models are available weighing well under 150 grams.
Stefan Frey
Editor
