Using magnets to secure the hose to the pump body is a novel idea, which I was tempted to dismiss as a bit of a gimmick. But once I got to grips with the Crankbrothers Klic HV Gauge mini pump out on the trail, the benefits started to stack up.
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Stowing the hose away in the pump body, under a rotating cover, keeps nearly all trail gunk away from threads and seals if it’s stored on the bike. Extending the handle and rotating it into the T-bar position releases the hose, and if you attach it to the valve before docking the magnetised connector, you can avoid any awkward tangling, twisting of the hose or possible damage to the valve core.
The two parts combine with a satisfying click to create an airtight connection, but pull apart easily when you’re done. This makes it easy to use the pump while wearing gloves or in cold and wet conditions.
Switching between Schrader and Presta valves is also super-simple. The pump body isn’t the smallest or, at 134g, the lightest. Unfortunately, despite its size, it took me 350 strokes to get a 27.5x2.3in tyre to 25psi.
My main complaint, though, is with the gauge, which measures pressure up to 100psi, but only in 10psi increments — for mountain bike tyres, that’s about as accurate as giving them a squeeze.
For £10 less you can get a version without the gauge, but it has a shorter barrel so will require even more pumping.