I have the tendency to over analyze certain parts that I am looking for and a portable pump for my bike was no exception. There are a ton of pumps out there to choose from ranging from cheap-o plastic junk to really nice and expensive ones. Then there are the CO2 inflators which are usually small and simple, but require you to carry CO2 cartridges and if you run out of those, you’re stuck. I like to plan for the worst and hope for the best, so I would rather spend more time on the side of the road pumping a flat tire instead of relying solely on a one shot deal. With this pump from PDW, you can get the best of both worlds, which appealed to me, so I gave it a shot. It weighs 72 grams and the construction of it is very nice and the pump does not feel flimsy at all, even while pumping, there is no flex. With a deflated road bike tire, it took me 1:37 to get the tire firm enough to the touch to be able to ride home safely. I tried counting the pumps, but got lost after 158 or so pumps. What can I say, I’m not good at counting fast, my bad. If I had to guess, it would easily be over 200 pumps, but they go quick. If you plan on using this as your only pump for any bike, get the taste out of your mouth right now. It is way too impractical and moves very little air and high pressures are not easy to do. After 1:37, I checked with my Birzman gauge and was surprised to see I was only at 65 psi… Guess my “sidewall squeeze test” isn’t very accurate, haha. In my opinion, this pump’s only purpose is to get your bike rideable again so you can get home. The CO2 inflation is super easy and went just as planned, so no issues at all with that. Pumping it up to 100 psi took forever and what do you know, I lost count again, apparently me no count good. When you get to the higher pressures, it gets pretty hard to pump. My biggest gripe about the pump was how hard the Presta attachment was to get loose the first time. Seriously man, I’m not some weak little human being that can’t open pickle jars and stuff, I’m the one that opens them for those kind of people. I thought I was going to break the pump in half and throw it across the road, I was so mad. I had to use some pliers to get it loose the first time, which no one carries on their bike when they’re riding, so you would be screwed if you didn’t do it before you need it. For this, I knocked a star off. Other than that, it is a great pump and will get you home if you need a pump. It came with a small mount that goes under a bottle cage, but I don’t use it and instead put it in my SpeedSleev Saddle bag. Anyways, I hope this review helps someone and if you do get it, make sure you pull the Presta valve attachment out before you actually need it, for real.
