Cannondale CO2 Road Mini Pump

The Cannondale CO2 Road Mini Pump enables you to do more, with less – as it's a hand pump and CO2 inflator in one, you can reduce the number of things you need to take on your rides. Cannondale has managed to keep it pocket-friendly and light, too, and it's also really simple to use. It does everything, or nearly everything, really well... it's just lacking in power when used as a hand pump.

It features a dual-head design but it's a Presta-only pump – the dual head enables you to use it as a regular hand pump or CO2 inflator, simply by choosing the specific connector.

Attach it to your valve using the hand pump side and you can inflate the tyre under your own steam – handy for a top-up. Flip it over, attach it to the valve again using the CO2 side, screw in a CO2 cartridge (a 16g one is included) to the top-mounted port, and inflate your tyre in seconds.

Why is this useful, you might wonder? Well, it allows you to inflate your tyres in the way that best suits your situation. If you want to just top up your pressure, go for the hand pump, but if you've got a flat then CO2 is the way to go so you're not standing by the side of a road or track for ages.

The other reason this is a good thing is it means you don't need to carry a separate CO2 inflator alongside your bicycle pump. The inclusion of the CO2 port doesn't add much size to the pump, either.

When the port isn't in use, a grey rubber cover tethered to the side of the pump neatly attaches to seal the hole and prevent any dirt or water from getting inside. Even though it feels secure, I did find that the cover occasional came loose when it was crammed inside my bike's frame bag – it could do with being ever so slightly tighter I believe.

The pump is about 18cm long and weighs just 108g, and will just about fit into a jersey pocket. It feels well built, with a black aluminium body that features a grippy CNC-machined section on the handle and near the connector head.

Another grey rubber seal prevents dirt or water ingress inside the body, but this needs pushing back into place each time you use the pump, so it's something to remember each time.

When pumping, the dual-chamber telescopic section inside extends quite far out, almost doubling its overall length. That gives the impression Cannondale's little pump has a lot of potential, and Cannondale says it's good for easy inflation up to 100psi.

Attaching the pump is simple, whichever connector you use – just push it onto the valve and away you go. As it's not locked in place, you do need to consistently apply a bit of pressure from above, to prevent it moving around while you pump.

On a 28mm road tyre, 300 strokes added about 50psi from empty, while on a 35mm gravel tyre 300 strokes equated to about 32psi. That's an incredible amount of effort for not a lot of gain. And by the end of it, the pump was warm enough to keep your hands toasty on a winter's day.

> How to choose the best bike tyre pressure – balancing speed, comfort and grip

Using the CO2 cartridge is a lot simpler – you just have to remember to place the connector onto the valve before screwing the cartridge in, as it'll start inflating as soon as it's been pierced. Note, there’s no way of controlling or stopping the flow once the cartridge is pierced – it's a one shot deal.

Handily, there's a visual aid on the side of the head which guides you to the right connector when using the CO2 cartridge; the last thing you want is the CO2 firing out the wrong end when you're in a rush.

Value

At £32, the Cannondale CO2 Road Mini Pump represents decent value considering you're getting a combination of pump and CO2 inflator, plus a 16g CO2 cartridge and a frame mount.

The majority of mini pumps we've reviewed on road.cc start at around £25, while a basic CO2 inflator will cost about £5-10, so the Cannondale seems about on the mark for what you get, not factoring in the added convenience of having everything in one package.

> Buyer’s Guide: The best cycling mini pumps

Indeed, the Birzman Infinite Apogee Road with CO2 pump offers a similar package, albeit not anywhere near as neat and convenient, and it's much longer (read Simon's review from 2020 here). It costs another eight quid now, too.

> Buyer’s Guide: 7 of the best CO₂ inflators

As a pure hand pump, the Cannondale can't compare with the likes of our favourite mini pump right now, the Topeak Pocket Rocket, which although slightly longer, is the same weight, and inflated a 28mm tyre to 70psi in about 150 strokes – about twice as effective, then. It's gone up to £24.99 since Stef tested it in 2020, though obviously you'll need to carry a separate CO2 inflator if that's your thing.

Conclusion

Although the hand pump in this Cannondale combo is lacking in the power department, it's fair to say that with the CO2 option available you'll probably only ever use the hand pump for top-ups. If that bothers you then more's the pity, because this is a very convenient all-in-one way of carrying a hand pump and inflator, and it's very easy to use.

Verdict

Neat all-in-one hand pump and CO2 inflator, at a decent price, but the hand pump lacks power