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Blackburn Grid 2Stage mini pump - Features
The high-quality aluminium mini pump with its thick cylinder has a few special features: Its pump head, the so-called Anyvalve head, fits both Presta and Schrader valves without the hassle of re-fitting.
There is also a lever at the bottom of the pump that allows you to choose between High Volume and High Pressure. Because the Blackburn can manage a maximum of 8 bar, it is equally suitable for road and off-road use. Dust cap, fixing lever and a frame bracket are also part of the equipment.
Handling / processing
The Grid has hardly any weaknesses in terms of workmanship. The aluminium body is of high quality and looks stylish, the cylinder glides with little play when pumping. The pump head with its universal attachment is also easy to use. This saves you the annoying conversion if you need to inflate a tyre via a Schrader valve. The mini pump's clamping lever is pleasantly easy to move, even with one hand.
The design itself is less convincing. As with the BBB, which we will be presenting in an upcoming article, the head of the pump is very short. You barely have the opportunity to grip the pump properly and, if you're not careful, you can easily pinch your fingers.
Pumping capacity / manual force
58 strokes from 1 to 2 bar are few and far between compared to many other pumps in the test. The value on our precision pressure gauge climbs visibly with every stroke. Even fat tyres are inflated so quickly. Just as quickly as the pressure in the tyre increases, so does the manual force and at less than 2 bar you gratefully switch to high pressure mode. This brings the manual forces back down to an acceptable level.
We were a little confused by the noise of the Blackburn mini-pump. As the pressure rises, the pump gives the impression that air is escaping at the rear end. However, a glance at the precision pressure gauge shows that the air is reliably reaching the tyre.
Are you looking for a floor pump for the workshop rather than a mini pump for travelling? Read our last detailed test of 10 floor pumps.
Blackburn Grid 2Stage mini pump: Details - Price
- Price: 42 Euro >> available here
- Weight: 205 g / 26 g (pump / holder)
- Length / diameter: 240 mm / 32 mm
- Valve type: Presta / Schrader
- Equipment: Dust cap, locking lever; HV/HP mode; bracket;
- Pump strokes per bar / pressure max: 49 / 8 bar
Conclusion & evaluation
Conclusion on the Blackburn Grid 2Stage mini pump
Great all-round pump with high-quality aluminium body and practical multi-valve head. Thanks to the switch function between high-volume (HV) and high-pressure (HP) mode, road bike tyres can also be inflated - even if the size of the pump is likely to put many roadies off. When it comes to handling, the very short grip sleeve and the non-slip material are a problem. The Blackburn mini pump inflates even thick tyres extremely quickly, but at a pressure of more than 1.5 bar you are already struggling against high hand forces.
Rating & BIKE grade
Click here to go back to our overview article: 11 mini pumps in the test. There you will find all the important information on the subject as well as the remaining 10 models in the test field.
* Note: Weight, size and pump strokes per bar are BIKE measurements. We measured the pump strokes per bar with a precision manometer on the volume corresponding to a 29x2.35 inch tyre. The maximum pressure is a manufacturer's specification.
Stefan Frey
Editor
