mini pump

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 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.

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.

Like many cyclists, my Sunday mornings usually involve packing the car in the pre-dawn chill en route to the far corners of the country for some race or other. I'd dearly like a van but I have to make do with a 10-year-old Corsa packed to the gunnels with bike, spare wheels, tools and enough food to survive a minor environmental disaster. Space, it goes without saying, is at a premium, and this is where the Lezyne Travel Floor Drive comes in.

The Lezyne Micro Floor Drive HPG (with Gauge) is basically a miniature track pump that sits on your bottle bosses. It'll raise a 700x23 from zero to 120psi in just 158 strokes and three minutes while the gauge seems accurate to within three psi. But be careful of accidentally depressing the bleed valve when unscrewing the hose if you are using it with a Schrader valve.

Topeak Mini Morph splices the best features of a track and mini pump - you know, in one of those experiments involving matter transfer demonstrated by Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum's unfortunate scientist in David Cronenberg's visceral remake of the Fly).

SKS Puro Pro road pump's diminutive size will appeal to racers determined to shave every last gram from their bikes without forgoing a basic toolkit. However, while a tangible complement to Co2 inflators and with build quality to the brand's usual high standards; you'll need arms like Popeye and the patience of a saint to restore everyday 23mm training rubber from flaccid to 125, let alone 144psi as claimed.

There's no two ways about it: I've never seen a pump like BBB's Oval Integrate Mini Pump before. With its slender concave shape, the design is simply unique, and undeniably intriguing.

So let's have a closer look.

The SKS Diago's sleek appearance sets it apart from the vast majority of mini pumps but the design isn't just for show. The smooth integration of the handle and pump head helps to prevent grit and dirt from fouling the mechanism whilst the ridges that run the length on the pump clip nicely into the provided frame mount.

The Crankbrothers Alloy Power Pump is one worth considering if you want a single pump to take out on all your bikes. While it lacks the outright pushing power of some mini pumps the switchable stroke volume, useful pressure gauge and easy-to use twin head make it a good choice if your stable spans road and dirt.