Tunnels eat into the rock. Small shreds of rubber whirl through the air. With a loud bang, the air hisses out of the rear wheel until the tyre is just babbling on the rim. I come to a standstill with the disc brake smoking. Emergency braking on the towel-wide, blocked trail - snakebite! The ingredients of the classic puncture are high speed and the wrong line choice, the recipe for repairing the tyre is a spare tube and a proper pump. While I curse and fill the 2.4-inch tyre with air, my buddies race towards the valley. Now it remains to be seen: Is it worth investing in a mini floor pump?
Let's get straight to the point: Investing in a good mini-pump is always worthwhile. Before buying, however, you should decide how the blower will be transported. Most touring bikers will stow the pump in their rucksack, while racers will clip it to their frame or stuff it into their jersey. The pump should not be too heavy for either.
Tools: The quality of a mini tool is determined by tool quality, handling and weight. We present the best tools currently available.
Bags: No room in your rucksack? Or none at all? Then a good saddle bag will happily take a tube, mini-tool and spare parts.
