At a glance An ultra light 39g pump that will get you back on the road, but be prepared to put in a lot of hard work to get close to the pressure you really want
Tested by
Paul Larkins, tester for The Bike List
Performance
In the world of cycling formulae there's always one constant when it comes to determining speed on the bike and that is weight. The lighter the kit you carry, the faster you might be able to go. However, there are limits, which this 20cm, Presta only mini pump seems to have reached. Yes, it's the lightest on the market, which may put you on a par with cycling legend Bradley Wiggins (by way of the latest lightweight kit at least), but realistically, its use is pretty limited.
This 39g pump weighs less than your average energy bar, but is it worth the saving?
The manufacturer claims it's possible to reach 116psi or 120psi using it (it claims both as maximum outputs on the website) and in a quick test we managed 70psi in less than a minute, but anything beyond that is quite tough. Of course that's not all bad; the pressure should get you home okay and really that was achieved in just 30 seconds. In terms of wear and tear, it's light but surprisingly robust.
The pump attaches neatly to the frame using the provided rubber strap however if you prefer not to clutter your bike with accessories then its compact size means it'll easily fit into one of your jersey pockets or hydration pack.
Any negatives...yes, you have to keep checking it's in your backpocket as it really is so light you don't know it's there. The main downside however is that getting to 90psi is super hard work and yet SKS claim a max pressure of 116psi or 120 psi. We lost the will to pump before we got there.
So, if you want a pump that can guarantee to get you back in the game quickly after a flat in a sportive or long, remote training ride, you might as well carry a pump twice as heavy that can deliver the pressure you need. I recommend eating less pies to save that weight and looking elsewhere.
Buy from www.chainreactioncycles.com
Manufacturer's summary:
39 grams, the new world record for bicycle pumps. Thanks to our revolutionary ThinSkin technology, we have been able to drive down the weight of the Sub 40 the clue is in the name below the 40g mark. However, lightweight construction alone is no use for the ambitious roadie. The crucial extra feature is its outstanding performance of over 120 PSI.
- Valve: Presta
- Length: 200 mm
- Ouput max: 8 bar / 116 PSI
- Weight: 93 g
- Colours: White, Black
Find out more www.sks-germany.com
