Lezyne Alloy Floor Drive

The Lezyne Alloy Floor Drive Pump is great quality, and the ABS-1 Pro chuck, compatible with both Presta and Schrader valves, offers possibly the most effective attachment system possible. Previous versions have been popular among cyclists using higher tyre pressures, but the pump is also great for setups requiring lower pressures.

The Alloy Floor Drive Pump has undergone very few changes since we last reviewed it, though Lezyne has continued to refine the chuck. Each iteration is designed to be more efficient, versatile and user-friendly. If you're interested, you can read all about the chuck evolution on Lezyne's website...

While the Alloy Floor Drive feels pretty light – only 1.57kg on the road.cc Scales of Truth – its mass is concentrated at the tripod base, giving it a low centre of gravity. It tolerates accidental knocks well – just a little wobble before settling upright.

The CNC-machined aluminium barrel and base look classy, and the anodised finish is surprisingly hardwearing. I've transported the pump in my car boot a lot during testing and the satin finish is still looking like new, despite rough journeys packed alongside other gear. Lezyne offers a silver version, too, which you can also get in a tall (738mm vs 653mm) version.

The wooden handle is contoured and finished to give a really comfortable hand position.

Gauge, hose & chuck

If your eyes are failing you, you will appreciate the massive 3.5-inch gauge. Markings on the outer dial are in 5psi increments, up to 220psi; the inner scale is marked in 0.5-bar increments, up to 15 bar. These markings are bold and reflective, hence easy to read even in low-light conditions.

The body of the gauge is a continuation of the tripod base – not a common design, but certainly a robust one.

The hose is in excess of 120cm, making the pump ideal for inflating tyres when a bike is elevated on a stand. It originates between the barrel and the gauge, minimising chances of you accidentally treading on it while pumping. If you pull the hose taut, over the handle, the chuck will sit in a hook at the opposite side of the barrel. This is great if you regularly put the pump in your vehicle – it keeps the whole thing as compact as possible.

The ABS-1 Pro chuck is made with 'aluminium and composite matrix materials, finished in a red anodize'. Technical details aside, it looks flashy, feels robust and is easy to get to grips with, even if you might be used to a push-on mechanism.

The tip of the chuck detaches to flip between Presta and Schrader, with each end labelled.

Screwing the chuck onto the valve is pretty intuitive – just be sure not to over-tighten. If you're used to a lever attachment it can feel rather tedious initially, but that soon wears off. Once screwed on, the chuck will still rotate at the neck, so the hose doesn't become twisted.

A bleed valve releases pressure from the hose and you can then unscrew the chuck with zero air loss. As someone who has always used a push-on/lever chuck, this was the pump's most striking feature – to hear no air leaking when you remove the chuck is great! Other advantages include no wiggling or aggressive prising of a chuck from the valve, and no knuckle-spoke collisions.

Inflation

Inflation is efficient and effortless; even as the tyre reached higher pressures I didn't feel the resistance I have with other pumps.

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

Comparing it with my own Topeak JoeBlow Booster, 27 strokes of the Lezyne got a 25mm tyre up to 90psi, while reaching the same pressure took 30 strokes with my JoeBlow. Not a huge difference then, though not all pumps will actually be inflating to the pressure shown on the gauge...

I stuck a digital gauge on after pumping, which showed a five per cent difference to the Alloy Floor Drive gauge. In context, a tyre inflated to 80psi according to the pump's gauge was at 76psi according to the digital gauge; five per cent seemed consistent at lower pressures too. If the digital gauge is perfectly accurate then the higher reading still won't be an issue for most of us, but could be something to check if you're riding at a high performance level.

Core tool

The ABS-1 Pro chuck has a valve core tool too, making it useful for tubeless setups, though I think it could be improved by having more depth to it: if the core was tight, there wasn't enough engagement to get it loosened.

I contacted Lezyne to make sure I wasn't missing an obvious trick, and was told: "Due to the limited depth afforded by the swivel section, the tool can only be used as you have described. It is intended to be utilized when first fixing a tube or tubeless valve, or on a valve service, after which you should not need it."

This 'conditional' performance is the only aspect that disappointed me about the pump – it felt a little bit of a boast that doesn't fully deliver. I've resorted to using a specific valve core removal tool, so the feature is now redundant for me.

Support and replacement

It's worth mentioning that you can buy replacement chucks, hoses and gauges in case you accidentally break something. Indeed, if you already own a Lezyne pump, the ABS-1 Pro chuck might be worth considering as an upgrade.

Value

Lezyne's Alloy Floor Drive will set you back £85 (£90 for the tall version), which isn't to be sneezed at, but there's no reason to think this pump won't last a lifetime, so I think it's money well spent. And reading Steve's review of the £130 SKS's Rennkompressor-nxt you'll see that spending more won't necessarily get you a better, more ergonomic and easy-to-use product.

It costs a fiver more than the Topeak JoeBlow Sport Digital – up £20 since Mike reviewed it in 2020 – but although having a digital gauge might sound higher spec, Mike wasn't overly impressed with it. He thought the hose was a bit short, too.

There are much cheaper options on the market that will still get air into your tyres – the SKS Airkompressor Compact 10.0 is just £38, and the Topeak JoeBlow Roadie EX is £36.99 – but the SKS has a smaller gauge and a counter-intuitive attachment, while the Topeak's gauge isn't very easy to read, and it lacks a bleed valve (though for the money, Steve thought it was excellent).

For more choices check out our guide to the best track pumps, or for our favourite inflators of all sorts, our guide to the best bike pumps.

Conclusion

If you are on the lookout for a new track pump, the Lezyne Alloy Floor Drive should definitely be on your shortlist – its quality and performance are right up there with other leading brands. Its smooth stroke and efficient inflation make it a pleasure to use, every time. Just don't expect to rely on the valve core removal tool all the time.

Verdict

The ABS-1 Pro chuck is pure efficiency when it comes to inflating tyres, and the cherry on top of a built-to-last pump