PDW big silver road pump

The Portland Design Works (PDW) big silver pump is a beautifully executed example of the ton-up pressure midi size pump that has largely superseded the humble frame-fit.

Tipping the scales at 138g and measuring a practical 29cm long, it's capable of belting a credible 120psi into a 700x23 tyre in five minutes and 450 strokes, That's useful performance for most situations, road or trail, bar racing. Competitive types wanting an instant pick-me-up and/or running tubulars should stick with CO₂ inflators or look at PDW's magic flute mini-pump with integral CO₂ launcher.

The big silver is fashioned almost entirely from forged aluminium with a mirror polish barrel and contrasting aqua anodising that oozes a timeless vogue. It's not just a pretty face, though; spare parts are readily available. Excellent machining and build quality means replacement/servicing is a simple 'while watching the telly' affair so it was straightforward to give the component parts a precautionary lick of silicone grease.

You do have to manually switch between Presta and Schrader but this takes literally seconds - simply unscrew the head, swap the ends over and refit.

The rubberised dust cap does a sterling job of locking out dirt and water when big silver is riding shotgun on the frame. It's secure there in the beautifully sculpted bracket's vice-like grip and the Velcro tie has meant a marked lack of lemming tendencies over rougher surfaces.

I had feared the alloy bracket might be unkind to paintwork. This proved a moot point on powder and plain enamels but erring on the side of caution, using a clear protector patch as a buffer between bracket and flamboyant finishes paid dividends. In any case, modest dimensions mean it sneaks unobtrusively inside panniers and most rack bags should you prefer.

Whatever the valve type, or tyre genre, air delivery is extremely efficient, right to the point of maximum. Resistance increased the closer we climbed to optimum pressure, but stopped a long way short of lockout. That said; mountain bikers might be put off by the dust plug's loose fit in Schrader mode, which is a shame given the overall quality. We cruised a flaccid 1.9-inch fatty to 85psi in a matter of seven minutes and 600 strokes.

Verdict

Beautifully engineered inflator delivering realistic pressures and one that should prove very reliable in the long-term.