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
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
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
Yes doesn't she just look at the height of health. What chance have the population got when a "unhealthy" is in charge. Get a bike, walk a bit more...
Anyone got a map / view of what's actually being proposed (or indeed opposed)? The formal planning application seems to be here but ICBA to wade...
While Polis Scotland can come across as being inept and clueless regarding road crime I think they're stuck between a rock and a hard place due to...
Great win from Welshman Stephen Williams!
I haven't seen the report to which you refer but looking at the graph that you shared there it appears only to have looked at speed versus the...
Another utterly pathetic sentence...
Ah, well, without prejudice to my above defence, I would say that on the balance of probabilities the mudguards are SKS Longboards, fitted at a...
Those photos of Johnson deliberately wearing helmets badly always remind me of what Hunter S. Thompson wrote in his obituary of Nixon:...
It isn't. But the huge and apparently ever expanding cohort of people, especially in the media, who openly say that they despise cyclists and want...
Still got mine. 8.6Kg with Time ATAC pedals. Fork will take 38mm Gravel King slicks, rear 35mm. Really comfortable on shitty UK roads. Would prefer...