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review
Pumps & CO2 inflators
Push Headrush HeadTurner mini pumpPush Headrush Headturner mini pump

Push Headrush HeadTurner mini pump

7
by Shaun Audane
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Apr 23, 2009

0
£6.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Decent budget pump for lower pressures
Weight: 
80g
Contact: 
www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk
How we test

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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Despite the bargain basement price tag, the head rush could be perfect for commuters and mountain bikers looking for a simple, reliable pump. Rotating 360 degrees, the swivel head also tilts giving better access to hard to reach valves-the sort typically found on small-wheeled folders, children’s bikes and trailers. A thumb lock prevents frustrating air leakage but swapping between Presta and Schrader valves demands stripping of the valve head, yet the piston action felt smoother than models costing twice the price.

Weighing a very respectable 80g the resin construction is surprisingly hardy, resisting careless handling with only the smallest of scuffs. The T-handle is fairly comfortable, but achieving remotely rideable pressures is ponderous at best, requiring seven minutes and 122/153 strokes to inject 80psi into a flat 700X23 and 26X1.5 respectively: disastrous in a competitive context but infinitely preferable to a long walk home. The Nylon mounting bracket is utilitarian but effective, although I was slightly irked by the use of Phillips rather than Allen head screws.

Consuming nominal space in a rack bag, rucksack or pannier, this is an ideal contingency pump especially in situations where you're towing a tag-along or trailer with small wheels. It has proven a particularly useful companion for a 20inch wheeled folder and for seven quid represents pretty good value for money.

Verdict

A basic but surprisingly effective mini pump for lower pressure tyres.

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Push Headrush HeadTurner mini pump

Size tested: n/a

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?

The Headrush headturner mini pump is basically a lightweight mini pump aimed at a utility/commuter market, although in fairness, performance is markedly better than the giveaway frame-fit inflators that used to accompany new bikes.

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

Nylon construction with a head that rotates 360 degrees, tilting to accommodate awkward valve stems typically associated with small wheels. The T handle is surprisingly sturdy and offers much needed leverage when inflating to higher pressures.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
6/10

Surprisingly good given the sizing and price but took seven minutes continuous inflation to reach 80 psi

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

Stands up to accidental carelessness very well.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10

Very low weight thanks to the resin construction.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10

More comfortable than some costing twice the price.

Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

What can I say- fantastic value giving change from £7!

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

As an emergency pump it will certainly get you out of a jam so long as you're not in a desperate hurry or requiring higher pressures. However, it's one of the few designs I have found particularly effective on twenty inch and smaller wheels.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Surprisingly robust construction

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing given the price.

Did you enjoy using the product? indifferent

Would you consider buying the product? Possibly

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, as an inexpensive but reliable pump for lower pressures and roadside emergencies

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 1m 81  Weight: 70 kilos

I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset  My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road

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: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

Push
pump
mini pump
Headturner
Headrush
Shaun Audane

Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)

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