Topeak

I have a couple of things to share after using this pump 3-4 times a week for almost a year. The biggest learning I had was to pump a tire to pressure and then close the tank/chamber valve before disconnecting the pump head from the valve stem. The disconnect and sealing of the Presta valve is fairly instantaneous instead of leaking off. Plus, there is less pumping to get to pressure for the next tire. Topeak should add this to user instructions for less savvy people like me. I have left the reserve chamber at pressure for multiple days without significant leakage and dropping in pressure. Its pressure gauge is easy to read and its accuracy matches my Topeak expensive digital pressure gauge. The pump head also fits Shrader valves nicely and without having to disassemble and reassemble the pump head like some other pump heads. The build quality is excellent. I can�t think of anything I would change on it. I hope it lasts as long as the 25 year old and still going Avenir pump I gave to my son.

So I used these to carry a running shoe each during a 30 adventure race in WV - probably not what they were designed for, I think, but they still did the job. The constant hammering of the trails caused the tightening screws to work loose over time, but once adjusted they were back to normal. I imagine on a more gentle tour type ride, this would not happen. They are super sturdy, the straps really held my shoes in place, not worried about loosing them, so all good really. When I took them off, there were some marks on my forks so maybe using some sort of tape under the attaching straps would be a good idea if you're worried about the look of your forks. All good though.

5 stars on overall rating; 4 stars on value rating at list price (5 stars with 25% BTD discount). Pump is built like a tank and is very solid standing up. This is helpful to keep it from being inadvertently knocked over and possibly damaging the very readable and accurate pressure gauge. The SmartHead works very well on both Presta and Schraeder. The lever securely locks the head to the stem with ease. The extra-long hose is nice, but I have not found it necessary for my use. Switching from the booster cylinder to regular cylinder is straight forward. It has worked well to reinflate my Conti 5000 S TR tires after refreshing the sealant. I have them on Zipp Firecrest 303 wheels, which are an easy-mount combo. I initially mounted them with a standard floor pump with more effort than it takes with this pump. This is a heavy floor pump and less suitable for frequent travel with than a standard one. It would be nice if Topeak would provide a chart to recommend how much pressure to store in the booster cylinder to safely and efficiently mount various tire sizes. The user has to figure this out by trial and error. A concern is that these Zipp wheels have a manufacturer's maximum air pressure rating of 72 PSI.

I bought this bag specifically because I wanted something that was small enough to carry the essentials and strong enough to keep dry in tough, gravel conditions. Additionally, I wanted the ability to have a quick connect to easily take the bag on and off for travel - yes, I remove everything from my bike when I tow it behind the car.

The first test of this bag was the Croatan Buck Fifty on a sloppy, wet course. Over 100 miles later, I was soaked and muddy - but the bag was great and the contents were as dry as expected. It passed the initial test and I have no doubt it won't continue to serve it's purpose.