Lezyne Digital Pressure Over Drive

The Lezyne Digital Pressure Over Drive pump makes installing and inflating tubeless-specific tyres a cinch with a big, clear LCD pressure gauge, but it's way more expensive than buying a standalone tubeless air tank inflator and separate track pump. It's also annoying to use as just a track pump on a day to day basis.

Tubeless tyres are slowly gaining more popularity in the road cycling market, but installation can sometimes be tricky with regular pumps. Lezyne's new Digital Pressure Over Drive tackles the issue by using two chambers. The large one you fill up with air – up to 140psi usually works a treat but it's rated to 220psi – and release this via a foot lever into the tyre in one continuous rush of air sufficient to inflate even the most stubborn tubeless tyres.

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The Over Drive is solidly built and feels reassuringly hefty. The base ensures it's planted during use, even on uneven ground, and the wooden handle makes it comfy to use and as ergonomic as it gets. On top of the barrel is a digital gauge with an on/off button that clearly shows pressure. It's powered by a coin cell battery that has not gone flat in several months of testing.

As I said, there are two barrels, a regular track pump skinny barrel and the second much larger chamber used to store air. The foot lever at the base of the pump – push it up to contain air in the chamber, press it down to release the air – is a nice idea, but it's not quite as easy to execute as I feel it could be, and it's a little tricky to hook your shoe over the edge.

On the end of the generously long hose is Lezyne's ABS2 chuck, which is compatible with Presta and Schrader valves; you simply push it onto the valve and ensure the outer aluminium sleeve is popped up to lock the head onto the valve. It stays firmly in place without any problems. There's a small bleed valve on the chuck so you can set your desired pressure.

Going some way to offset the high cost is the fact that it also doubles up as a regular track pump, so if you're also looking to invest in a track pump as well as a tubeless inflator, it might be a good option. To use as a regular track pump, make sure the foot lever is placed in its lower position, and pump away.

You do, however, have to fill the large chamber first, so there's a delay before the pressure starts increasing in the tyre because the chamber has to reach the same pressure as the tyre. Then, when you pull the chuck off the valve you get a massive rush of air from the second chamber of air, which is a tad noisy and annoying. It's useable, but not as pleasant an experience or as quick as a regular standalone track pump.

> Buyer's Guide: The best track pumps

If you've already got a track pump, you'd do well to save yourself a big wad of cash and look at the Airshot or Beto tubeless inflators. Each costs around £50 and is easy to use, and leaves you with a track pump that is potentially nicer to use on a daily basis.

The Lezyne Digital Pressure Over Drive is beautifully made and inflates even the most stubborn tubeless tyre. I've tested it with multiple road, mountain bike and cyclo-cross tubeless tyres with excellent results. But it's very expensive and slightly flawed as a regular pump, though it certainly works. If money is no object and you have a lot of tubeless tyres to manage, the Digital Pressure Over Drive has a lot going for it.

Verdict

Easy tubeless inflation and solid build quality but expensive and not as nice to use as a regular track pump