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review
Crank Brothers alloy power pump£34.99
VERDICT:
Good all-purpose pump for trips on all your bikes, struggles over 90psi
Weight:
205g
Contact:
www.2pure.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.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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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.
At the best part of a foot long this isn't a lose-it-in-your-jersey mini pump by any means, but a deep pocket will swallow it, or you attach it to your frame: the mount doubles as a protective cover for the head, which is a good idea if a little fiddly. The presta and Schraeder heads are opposite one another, and to use either you simply twist the head in the chosen direction and start pumping.
The Power Pump has a switchable stroke and you twist the base to select either high volume or high pressure. High volume is good to about 40psi and is great for MTB tyres; high pressure is for skinny rubber and tops out at 130psi in magic fantasy land (the packaging) and about 100psi in the real world. You can of course combine the two, starting off on high volume to get the tyre up quickly, then switching to high pressure to get things nice and firm. That'll save a bit of time on the roadside.
Because the pump attaches directly to the valve you need to be a bit careful when you're going after it so as not to damage the tube, but the wide head is fairly easy to support with your spare hand. The gauge is accurate enough to be useful and big enough to be easily legible, and the build quality is generally good although there's a fair bit of wobble in the shaft when it's fully extended. So to speak.
Pumping up a 24mm tyre from scratch took 30 strokes on volume followed by 120 on pressure; that gave us a usable 85psi and the pump's good for a bit more if you've got the time or inclination. A big MTB tyre takes a fair while to go up but the Power Pump never struggles, and it's good for hybrid tyres and pretty much anything else. It's not the most ergonomic pump ever and it's hard work getting road tyres really hard, but since it can turn its hand to all your steeds it's certainly one to consider.
Verdict
Good all-purpose pump for trips on all your bikes, struggles over 90psi
road.cc test report
Make and model: Crankbrothers Alloy Power Pump
Size tested: Dual piston alloy pump with case - black
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?
Aimed at both MTBers and road users with switchable stroke volume for fat and skinny tyres
Rate the product for quality of construction:
7/10
Generally good but a bit wobbly when fully extended
Rate the product for performance:
7/10
Good all-round preformance, lacks all-out power for super-hard road tyres
Rate the product for durability:
7/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
7/10
It's big but not especially heavy
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
6/10
not a wonder of the ergonomic world, but okay
Rate the product for value:
7/10
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Pretty well
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The volume/pressure switch works well, the gauge is accurate enough to be useful
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Not very comfy above about 60psi
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Maybe
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Maybe
About the tester
Age: 38 Height: 190cm Weight: 98kg
I usually ride: whatever I'm testing... My best bike is: Genesis Equilibrium with SRAM Apex
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track
Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.
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