Truflo Airess Track Pump

SO GOOD…

The head on the Airess is great – a super-simple metal design that just requires you to unscrew and flip the end round to change between valve types. It also has a bleed nipple for accurate inflation. Despite the gauge going up to 240psi, the numbers are easy to read from a distance and the pressure marker can be rotated easily before pumping to point at the right pressure.

NO GOOD…

The pump lacks puff, taking the most strokes in this test to get up to pressure. While the head is great, a larger lock mechanism would help. The Truflo has the most basic wooden handle on test.

30 strokes to 30psi

PRICE: 91$

Cannondale Trail SL 29 SS

The fat aluminium tubes are a constrast to the skinny items seen elsewhere in the test, but this rigid Cannondale uses them to create one of the most old-school - and lightest - rides here.

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SKS Airbuster CO2 inflator

The alloy Airbuster has a large knob so you can regulate the flow of gas, a mechanical stop to prevent the cartridge being pierced in transit and a dust cap to keep the valve free of debris. While it works with Presta and Schrader valves, switching between them requires a fiddly change of the valve head. The thin rubber sleeve doesn’t provide much protection from cold spent canisters. You can’t insert much of the valve into the inflator head, so you have to be careful to avoid leaks. Price $33 w/16g cartridge

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KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

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