Winds of change

Could electric inflators consign CO2 canisters and mini-pumps to history?

- Words Jack Evans Photography Tapestry

Until recently, you had two options to reinflate your tyre when you punctured on a ride: a mini-pump or a CO2 canister. Now you have a third solution in the shape of electric bike pumps, with several big brands having released similar products recently.

The category is really starting to boom,’ says Josh Poertner, CEO of Silca, which is the latest company to enter the market with its range of two inflators.

So what are electric bike pumps? Who better to explain than Dr Byron Walmsley, the director of Fumpa, the brand that launched the first USB-rechargeable inflator with a digital gauge in 2015.

‘They are miniature air compressors attached to a lithium rechargeable battery that powers a highly efficient, brushless motor running the compressor’s piston,’ he says. Other components manage battery power, device temperature and air pressure levels to provide user information and control functions. For example, Muc-Off product manager Andrew Syme says, ‘With devices like our AirMach Pro, users can set a target PSI and the pump will automatically stop once that level is reached.’

'They require much less effort than a minipump and can inflate tyres more quickly and to higher pressures at the press of a button'