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Pumps & CO2 inflators
Bontrager Air Support Road mini pumpBontrager Air Support mini pump.jpg

Bontrager Air Support Road mini pump

8
by Shaun Audane
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published May 9, 2009

0
£19.95

VERDICT:

8
10
Well priced, high performance mini pump, looks good too
Weight: 
120g
Contact: 
www.trekbikes.com
How we test

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Bontrager's Air Support Road is another lightweight mini pump genuinely capable of delivering 100 PSI in 150 strokes and five minutes and would be my choice for those that want something that works well and looks good.

The extensive use of alloy gives a reassuringly solid feel and the intricately machined T handle offers surprisingly good grip - even at the higher pressures and being double action improves efficiency managing 100PSI in a 700X23 and 85 inside a 26X1.5 in one hundred and fifty and two hundred and twenty strokes respectively.

However, achieving this demands a steady, consistent rhythm. Swapping between Presta and Schrader valve heads can be a chore- albeit very straightforward and eliminates the need for a second, specific inflator (e.g. for a trailer/tag-along). Build quality is superior to most I’ve used at this competitive price point, the finish resisting inevitable drops and carelessness, although lazer etched detailing began fading after regular entry/removal from the nylon frame mount.

That said, while marketed as a road specific product, it performs well under more demanding conditions-the omission of an end cap/bung prevents me recommending it for mtb duties but it’s more than up to the thrills and spills of green laning so long as you were happy to mount away from the firing line of dirt and water thrown up by the front wheel.

Relaiablel, lightweight and efficient roadside companion it may be but race situations still demand Co2 cartridges for any chance of a good placing. That said giving change from £20 it’s certainly a contender for anyone needing form and function in a mini pump.

Verdict

Well built, good performance, good price, and it looks good too 

road.cc test report

Make and model: Bontrager Air Support mini pump

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Primarily aimed at the road market, it is designed to provide high pressures by the roadside. Delivers what it promises but there are others offering similar performance and comparable pricing.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Aluminium bareel, T bar presta and scharder ends 120g including bracket. Dual action design.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Reassuringly solid.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Good but requires a steady, consistent motion- takes about five minutes to manage 100psi into a 700x23.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Undamaged by accidental ejections from jersey pockets and build quality generally feels very good.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10

120g is very impressive.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10

Good for a minimalist design.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Performs very well in most contexts but the nature of the breed means you'll need five minutes spare to reach sensible pressures- stick with Co2 type cartridges for racing.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Nice detaling, solid feel, efficient action, low weight.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? It would be on my shortlist

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Again, it would be on my shortlist

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 1m 81  Weight: 70 kilos

I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset  My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

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Shaun Audane

Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)

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