Pumps & CO2 inflators

The SKS Spaero Sport Deep Black Pump is a recent addition to the German company's range and uses a retractable hose with an easy-to-use screw-on head. The pump action is smooth and solid feeling, and it'll inflate up to 70 psi relatively easily making it a good pump to get you home.

It's good looking as pumps go with a sleek black construction. You get to the short rubber hose via a rubber flap, the hose is only compatible with Presta or Dunlop valves. As I said up top it screws into place easily and once in place it stays put during inflation.

There's some pretty established brands making track pumps, compared with which Birzman can still be considered something of a new kid, but even so this Zacoo Maha III pump shows they're not messing around - aiming squarely at the shiny end of the market. In fact, there's a marked visual similarity between this pump and similarly priced offerings from Lezyne, but with some interesting and innovative features.

The new SKS Spaero Sport Alu is a solid mini pump that works efficiently to get a decent amount of pressure into your tyres.

I've had it with lightweight plastic mini pumps that mount directly onto the valve. Yes, they weigh nothing and they take up very little space in your pocket but most of them don't actually work very well.

This pump from SKS is 21cm long and it weighs 111g, which is a little heavier than some, but the crucial thing is that it does the job.

The Birzman Infinite Road + CO2 pump is a 2-in-1 pump and C02 inflator is a good-looking efficient machine to get you back on the road in the minimum of time.

Added bonus points are scored for looks and additional features that perhaps you wouldn't expect. First the looks: made from precision CNC'd aluminium alloy, the body is sleek but meaty enough for the job. The stated pressure the Infinite can achieve is 160 psi. Most users won't need that much unless using tubs so you'll be fine.

What a great little pump this Birzman Zacoo Tiny Tanker is. Birzman have been busy over the last couple of years making some really nice kit for your shed and the Tiny Tanker is one of their best offerings yet.

Tiny? Well, smaller than a normal floor pump. It measures 51cm high and the single foot means its footprint is very small; it's easy to tuck away in the garage or the boot of a car. The idea is that you get floor-pump performance with a bit more portability.

SKS make the bike-shop-stalwart Rennkompressor pump and a bunch of other high quality units, and they've trickled down some of that engineering into the new Airkompressor 12.0 - enough of it for the pump to be a very good buy for the £30 list price, and you can have it for less if you shop around.

The Profil Mini Trackpump RG01 is small enough to carry on your bike and has enough punch to get your tyres back up to full pressure – rather than 'get me home' pressure – if you have to fix a flat.

I must say, though, that I think calling this a trackpump is pushing it. It's more of a frame-mounted pump with a stabilising foot.

If you don't want to fit a big, efficient pump like the Topeak Road Morph or Zefal HPX to your bike frame, you'll at least need a mini pump in your pocket – something like the Crank Brothers Power Pump Alloy.

In terms of size and weight (165mm long and 94g respectively), the Zefal Air Profil Micro is about as 'mini' as they come, disappearing easily into a rear pocket.

Attached to the bike via the provided water bottle mount, the Air Profil is unobtrusive.

The light overall weight belies the fact that the Air Profil is made from aluminium throughout, with the sole exception of a plastic flip-lock lever. The all metal construction promises good reliability and in the hands, feels reassuringly sturdy and well made.

This is a very good CO2/mini pump that'll get both Presta and Schrader inner tubes up to high pressures – although you'll need to take preventative action to avoid problems if you use Presta valves with removable cores.