I’ve Ridden with an Electric Bike Pump for Months. Here’s Why I Won’t Be Ditching My Hand Pump.

The humble bicycle pump has largely been the same since it was first developed, with designs going back as far as the 19th century.

Oddly enough, it’s taken well over a century for the rechargeable, electric bike pump to take hold. We’ve stuck batteries into everything else, why not a pump?

Like many of you, I questioned the value of yet another battery-powered accessory to go out and ride my bike. What does an electric pump do better that my hand pump, CO2 cartridges, and even a floor pump can’t quite achieve?

What better way to do it than to try out an electric bike pump and find out whether they’re worthwhile, right?

If there was a reason why these electric bike pumps are popping up all over the place, I was determined to find out. To do so, I’ve spent the last few months bringing my electric pump with me on rides rather than a dedicated manual hand pump, as well as using an electric inflator rather than a standard pump whenever possible.

Below are my impressions of using an electric pump, and why, despite the obvious convenience of these pumps, I don’t see myself ditching my hand pump any time soon. Further, I’ve included some measured test results for the two electric inflators I’ve used the most here, the Prestacycle Prestaflator Go and the Trek Air Rush pumps.

Why do we keep seeing electric bike pumps everywhere?

Electric tire pumps (or tire inflators) aren’t new. Fumpa released one of the cycling-specific electric pumps on the market, and quickly followed it up with a version small enough to easily carry with you on a ride.

The smallest of these pumps aims to replace a dedicated mini pump or CO2 inflator, sized just right to fit in a saddle bag or handlebar bag. These pumps don’t have batteries quite big enough to inflate more than a pair of tires on a ride, which is why not-quite-mini electric pumps seem to be the most popular. They’re powerful enough to inflate several tires, and don’t require the grunting, grip work, and exhaustion that can come with most mini pumps.

The big advantage for the performance-oriented among us, however, is precise tire pressure measurements. Most electric tire inflators include a digital gauge of some sort, allowing riders to choose their optimal pressure on the pump, and the pump stops once it arrives after some time, and admittedly, a lot of noise. These pumps combine the convenience of a CO2 inflator with a digital gauge, ensuring you can start every ride with your preferred pressure.

So, electric bike pumps are convenient, precise, and easy to use. All of that is great, but I would be remiss to say that these aren’t the only reasons why you’re seeing more electric bike pumps.

There’s no getting around the bike industry hopping on a new type of accessory to sell stuff, and the electric pump market consists of existing tech repackaged for cyclists. That doesn’t mean that these pumps aren’t helpful, but they’re not entirely innovative.

And not to be discounted, I bet some of the electric bike pump purchases are by folks looking for a gift for their bike nerd friend who seems to have everything already. Electric pumps are genuinely nice to use

When is an electric bike pump better than other options?

If space is your ultimate priority, a CO2 cartridge and head (or two) are hard to beat. They’re the smallest, lightest, fastest, and most likely to re-seat your tubeless tire in the rare instance that your tire gets pulled off the rim. CO2 cartridges are a one-time use solution, however, requiring riders to bring several cartridges or buy more once they’ve used up their stash.

Likewise, a standard hand pump is a good option as something that’ll just work every time. Some are lighter than others, while some push much more air out than others. They’re never the lightest, and they’re likely going to take the longest to inflate your tires, but they’ll work every time.

An electric pump takes much of the ease of the CO2 cartridge by offering air on tap. Place it on your valve stem and let it whir away to your prescribed tire pressure. There are hardly any CO2 heads or hand pumps out there that offer that kind of tire pressure precision, but an electric pump just does that.

The key advantage, then, of an electric bike pump is the ease of use. They’re great for a pre-ride tire pressure top-up, and considering how much of a difference in efficiency, grip, and ride quality comes from proper tire pressure, an electric bike pump is an easy way to get the most out of your ride.

Of course, all of the pros of an electric pump are contingent on ensuring it’s fully charged.

Why haven’t I switched to an electric pump?

There’s no denying the portability, air pressure precision, and overall convenience of an electric bike pump. So why haven’t I switched to an electric bike pump?

My fundamental problem with the electric bike pump lies in keeping it charged. There are already plenty of batteries on a bike, between the drivetrain, power meter, and bike computer. Those devices at least pair with your bike computer, which will tell you when they’re low on battery.

I’m already not the best at keeping my electronics charged. And while I would trust myself to keep that pump inflated most of the time, I can’t help but feel that there will be one time when the battery won’t have enough juice to get me home. It’s the reason why I carry a hand pump with me on my rides rather than CO2: I can rest assured knowing it’ll work every time.

Now, I should note that I haven’t completely forsaken an electric pump. I’ve added one to my travel kit as a good way to top off my tires when I arrive at a new place. I won’t take it with me on a ride, but in my bike bag on a trip? It feels like an easy choice.

I did try out bringing an electric pump and a CO2 cartridge with me on a ride, which seems to be the most convenient solution to my worries. At that point, however, I’m bringing a minimum of three things with me rather than just the one mini-hand pump.

Will I ever switch to an electric tire inflator? Not anytime soon, at least not on many of my rides. I can’t get around my battery anxiety, nor can I get around the fact that most of these pumps can get ruined if you get caught in a rainstorm. While I haven’t gotten caught in the rain with one of these pumps, being caught riding in the rain happens more than I’d like to have happen.

But for travel and having something in my car? An electric pump is a whole lot more portable than a dedicated floor pump, particularly if I drive to a ride or race.

The electric pumps I used

I’ve used a fair number of electric pumps over the years, but the two I used most frequently over the last few months are the Prestacycle Prestaflator Go and the new Trek Air Rush electric pumps.

This isn’t an exhaustive review of the two, but a note of the two I’ve used the most over the past few months. Quick impressions are below, as are my findings for how quickly these pumps inflate and how long they last.

The Trek Air Rush is the new pump on the block. Trek claims the pump has a battery capacity to replace ‘nearly’ four 16g CO2 cartridges or inflate three 700c x 28 mm tires to 75 PSI from flat, seven 700c x 45 mm tires to 35 PSI from flat, or four 29 x 2.4 ̋ tires to 30 PSI from flat. Further, it gets a small built-in light to assist you should you need to see your valve more easily.

Then there’s the Prestacycle Prestaflator Go. When fully charged, Prestacycle says its pump can replace seven 16 g CO2 cartridges, or inflate four 700c x 28 mm tires to 75 PSI from flat, seven 700c x 45 mm tires to 35 PSI from flat, or four 29 x 2.4 ̋ tires to 30 PSI from flat.

Frankly, I don’t have a strong opinion as to which is the best here. The Trek Air Rush is marginally quieter to use, though nearly all electric pumps are gratingly loud to use. It’s also roughly 40 grams lighter, which makes a difference in the back pocket. But the Prestacycle pump feels nicer to use in the hand and has a slightly larger battery. Ultimately, I’d probably go with the Air Rush and save some cash, but they’re both effective options and some of the best mini electric inflators I’ve used.