Pumps are one of those products that are forgettable until you need them, whereupon they become indispensable. You can’t bodge your way around a pump that doesn’t work.
This pump from Truflo has been good at hiding in my bag (although at 30cm, it’s hard to miss) until it’s been needed. The pump has several features worth talking about: there’s a fold-out stirrup, which then pops out the hidden pressure gauge. The 30cm hose has a colour-coded, double-sided chuck which threads onto the inner tube’s valve. Finally, pulling up on the handle reveals the double-length piston, effectively giving you a 60cm ‘throw’.
In all my mountain biking days, I’ve never been asked about my pump as much as I have with this one. While others are faffing around with mini pumps, I’ve been able to quickly get tyres up to pressure with the minimum of fuss. On one particular ride, a combination of many punctures, deep section rims and not-very-tall valves on the spare tubes meant that mine was the only pump that would work out of those carried by ten riders.
The pump’s fared well in my bag (it’s too tall to get that squashed in the bottom) although one of the footpeg retaining pins has drifted out over time, which I’ve now fixed with a screw. Apart from that, it’s been fantastic.
Overall: The Minitrack is now an essential part of my pack and the most lent-out of my tools. Go get your own and stop borrowing mine.
Review Info
| Brand: | Madison |
| Product: | Truflo Minitrack mini track pump |
| From: | Madison, madison.co.uk |
| Price: | £29.99 |
| Tested: | by Chipps for Six months |