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SKS Wese Roadrace pump

8
£17.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Lightweight and simple pump that provides good emergency back up
Weight: 
117g
Contact: 
www.madison.co.uk www.chickencyclekit.co.uk www.raleigh.co.uk

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The SKS Wese Roadrace minipump is a neat and practical solution if you are looking for a relatively cheap and lightweight pump to keep you rolling on your road bike. The Wese only has a Presta valve fitting, which rules it out for some, but as it does say on the side, this is a Roadrace pump.

The pump fits snugly into its plastic bracket, held in place by a rubber strap that prevents it from falling out going over bumps. As you'd expect, it was very easy to fit under a bottle cage via the two Allen bolts, and it didn't subsequently cause any problems either getting in the way of pedalling or rattling, as some pumps can. The valve adaptor is protected from water and road dirt by a plastic cover that clips into the adaptor's opening. The Wese is sculpted to fit in a smooth aerodynamic-looking fashion to the tube it is attached to. Whether this actually makes any difference is debatable, but it looks good.

So how did it fare as a pump? Well, clearly you aren't going to be filling large volume tyres in a hurry with a pump of such low stroke volume. From completely flat it took me a minute and a half of effort to reach a rideable 80psi in my 700x23c race tyre. Not bad if this is an emergency last resort, but well behind a Carbon Dioxide cylinder and adapter if you are in a real hurry. Carrying on further with the hard work, I managed to reach 120psi before giving up with the veins popping out all over my forearm. I'm sure you could go higher still, but for the amount of time and effort, I doubt many would ever bother. SKS claim an optimistic maximum pressure of 144psi for the Wese but for a small pump it is capable of some high pressures. The small diameter alloy barrel and plastic ends keep the weight of the pump right down to a featherweight 115g (117g on my microbalance) which compares well with competitors' offerings in this area, although there are some lighter pumps available.

All things considered this a cracking little pump for the money, and makes for a good insurance policy out on the road, without weighing you down too much. If you want a rock hard racing tyre in super quick time, however, you'd better start training your pumping arm or look elsewhere!

Verdict

A lightweight and simple pump that provides good emergency back up on a road bike for a reasonable price.

road.cc test report

Make and model: SKS Wese Roadrace pump

Size tested: Silver

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

SKS describe the Wese as "the first mini pump specifically developed for road racing, which satisfies all demands from ambitious road racers without compromise". In practice the presta-only valve restricts the bikes this will be used for, but it's a decent pump, provided you are filling low volume, racing tyres

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

- Strong T3103 alloy barrel

- High pressure 144psi

- Soft rubber pad fitting

- Compact

- Encapsulated head (dirt and rain proof)

- Super Lightweight

- Universal fit

- Length 240mm

- Weight: 115g

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Lightweight. Easy to use.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 36  Height: 1.78m  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: Surly Long Haul Trucker  My best bike is: Litespeed Saber

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, touring, Triathlon

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