BBB DoubleShot Mini Pump

The BBB DoubleShot Mini Pump is a pocket-friendly powerhouse, converting from its portable format into a user-friendly, capable way of inflating tyres. There are a couple of minor issues, and it comes with a high price tag, but this is still one of the best mini pumps we've come across in a while.

BBB's DoubleShot Mini Pump (DMP thereafter) is a rather clever design. Consisting of two short and slender tubes mounted in parallel, it detaches and threads together to create a much longer, not to mention more potent, pump than you would normally be able to stow in your jersey pocket.

Put it back together, each tube clicking in place with little effort, and its dimensions of 14 x 38 x 120mm (WxHxL) are pretty impressive. That it weighs in at a meagre 82g (1g less than BBB's claim) is the icing on a very portable cake.

Ergonomically, the DMP is a dream to use – you just disconnect the two sections and screw it together in the middle.

The plastic connecting sections act as handles at either end, making it easy to hold, and you simple press it on the valve to begin inflating. The valve in question is a Presta – the only type the DMP accommodates.

According to BBB, the two-piece design features four shafts for up to 35cc per stroke, and is capable of a respectable 116psi max air pressure. Indeed, I found the pumping power to be particularly capable. A 28mm road tyre took 185 strokes to 48psi, while 300 strokes easily inflated a 45mm gravel tyre to just over 34psi, which is a few more psi than I would run on gravel anyway.

There's only one downside (or a couple, to be specific). The first time I used the DMP, the rubber seal inside the screw-on pump head somehow ejected itself, which I may have caused when removing and re-installing said pump head (though it somehow ended up in my frame bag, which is a mystery). I'll chalk that one up to my clumsiness, or a ghost in the machine.

The second time, while dealing with a puncture in the middle of the New Forest, I discovered that the chamber seal for the rear portion of the pump had unthreaded itself slightly, preventing me from pumping the tyre; it took about 30 minutes of being ravaged by forest flies before I realised what had happened... Since everything has been tightened, there have been no issues, but it's something to be aware of out of the box.

Value

As mini pumps go, the DMP is certainly one of the pricier examples, although it's half the cost of the exorbitantly priced Silca Pocket Impero II Pump Silca Pocket Impero II Pump, and similarly capable.

The Schwabe SOS Mini Pump is less expensive by £14, is just 14g heavier, and offers a decent performance, though nowhere near as good as BBB's DMP.

Delivering greater performance at just £35, the Lezyne Grip Drive HP (medium) is hard to beat, but it's heavier and nearly twice as long, though it does come with a frame mount.

Our best cycling mini pumps buyer's guide is the place to go for our pocket-size favourites, with our best bike pumps buyer's guide rounding up a wide range of inflating options.

Conclusion

Given just how portable the BBB DMP is, I was very pleased with its performance overall, and I'm glad to see that it works just as well with larger volume tyres as it does with narrower road-oriented ones. Yes, there are plenty of cheaper options out there, but given its size and weight, I think it's worth spending the extra money if you want a pump that's as small and as light as possible.

Verdict

Fantastic design makes this pump not only super portable, but capable too – though it is pretty expensive