Cycplus AS2 Pro Tiny E-Pump
Pump Unit 124g Accessories 37g £103.58

The Cycplus AS2 Pro Tiny E-Pump sits in their range of electric pump and is really aimed at the light-weight day rider or the light-weight rider who does wants quick tyre inflation without the complications of carrying or using a traditional pump. It does just what it says and is seemingly accurate, however, whether I’d discard the pump completely is another matter – particularly in hedge-cutting time.

Pros: light, accurate, quick to charge.

Cons: two full inflations (see below), can one leave the pump at home? Can get hot.

Spec

Open the box and you’ll find the main pump unit enclosed in a silicone jacket that will protect your fingers if things heat up in use. You’ll also find all the necessary gubbins – charging cable, needle valve, valve pillar, hose, Presta adapter for the hose, seal for Presta valve.

There are instructions, too. Well-worth reading they are too. There are some warnings and some quirks that are best learned about before using the pump in anger. Whilst you can either connect the pump directly to the valve – be it Schrader or Presta – or use the hose. However, going a hundred psi plus and you should use the hose; resin valve? Use the hose.

There’s a seal-able pouch to keep all the stuff together, but I have also kept the smaller items separately in a seal-able plastic bag. The control buttons are clear and easy to press, although in winter you’ll probably need to remove your gloves. There’s also a digital display screen the indicates charge level.

The display also tells you the pressure. Put it on a partially inflated tyre and it will give you the pressure; use the buttons to enter the target pressure (which will flash three times); and then, when you start the pump, you’ll be shown real time pressure.

The pump should go up to 120psi

Charge and run times 3.5/5

Cycplus recommend getting a full charge on board before first use. When empty it took just thirty minutes (as in the spec) to turn fill the battery. Run time is not really relevant: you’ll get a couple of full inflations and more top-ups. The charge indicator seems pretty accurate and, when down to one bar, I’d reckon on fifty seconds to a minute of action – at a guess - and it is just that.

Speed and pressures 3.25/5

In the initial stages of inflation, the pressure gauge reading will go up and down. This is not a fault. Just keep going and it will soon show a steady increase, until auto-stop kicks in.

First up were a set of Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour (700x35) tyres. Full inflation to 85psi took around 90 seconds. There was a bar left on the charge indicator. Deflating the tyre and re-inflating, it got to 78psi before the charge gave out.

Next up were Schwalbe The Green Marathon (700x32). The pattern was repeated, although inflation to 85psi was a little quicker. Getting it up to 90psi took a little longer with the pump working hard to get to the target.

700x25 tyres went up to 100psi in a minute and a half. Things were getting distinctly warm when max pressure was reached. Again, the pump seemed to working pretty hard to reach the century. A follow up inflation quickly finished off the charge.

Pressures were checked against my reliable old pressure gauge and were within 1 or 2 psi each time.

General performance 3.5/5

Regardless of the advice in the instructions, I eventually decided that I preferred to use the hose. That was personal preference. With the direct connection on Presta valves, I found that the collar that secures the rim end of the valve vibrated and moved rapidly up the valve. Equally, I found that I had to constantly manipulate the unit to keep the best seal onto the valve and prevent leakage. Cycplus point this out in the instructions, but I found it inconvenient, so opted for the hose. Of course, for anyone desirous of speed, a direct connection may be preferable.

Given that you are likely to get two full inflation plus a little bit, I decided that I’d set-up the pump up for the relevant tubes before setting out. This is really a pump for the individual rather than the group and for the day out rather than the multi-day – unless you’ll have the opportunity to charge overnight. Even then, I’d hazard a guess that a tourer will carry a manual pump, too. In that case, the AS2 Pro Tiny, may be an unnecessary addition to your luggage.

Whilst the silicone sleeve prevents things getting intolerable, the pump does get hot on. This is recognised in the instructions, especially when aiming for higher pressures. With the pump connected directly, rather than by the hose, the heat may be a problem to more sensitive folk as you need to hold the pump firmly to manipulate the connection.

The unit is barely noticeable in your rear pocket. Equally, it fits neatly into even quite small seat packs, whilst a top tube bag, such as the UPSO Tebay Top Tube Bag swallows it without a gulp.

Value 3/5

Whether just over £100 is decent value or not may well depend on how much you need to avoid manual pumping and the extent to which you feel you might leave a manual pump at home. On the plus side, the AS2 Pro tiny is eminently portable. Some e,pumps are really only useful at the trackside or race start. It does the job, although not the fastest on the market.

We’ve tested a Fumpa Pump model (which is not directly comparable) which is more expensive, more powerful (going up to 125psi), and reaches higher pressures with ease. However, it is not a portable model, in the sense of sticking it in your jersey pocket. I mention it here because Fumpa offer a model similar to the AS2 Tiny we tested. It has a comparable spec and comes in at a similar price. As a footnote, Cyplus also offer a pump that you’d leave in your kit bag at the track or the start pf your time trial or at the trail had.

Cycplus offer a smaller version and a larger model – with commensurate trade-offs in power and portability. They also offer more “portable” e.pumps, but these are not bike specific and should be seen in that context.

Summary

A decent e.pump, the AS2 is probably best for those wanting easy inflation on day rides rather than the ultra-high pressures wanted by competitors.

Verdict: 3.5/5 easily portable and effective.

Steve Dyster

https://www.cycplus.com/products/tiny-e-pump-for-bike-as2-pro

PUBLISHED JULY 2024

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