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review
£24.99
VERDICT:
Very good pump that's small, light and offers a decent inflation rate
Small but powerful
Robust valve
Weight:
86g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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The Birzman Swift Hand Pump is small but effective – small enough to sit comfortably in a jersey pocket but powerful enough to inflate a tyre quickly.
Starting with inflation, the Birzman Swift is pretty good. It took me 250 strokes to get to roughly 60psi in a 25mm tyre, becoming noticeably harder after 200, and took 325 to get to 70psi. That'll be enough for many – or at least to get you home if you prefer your tyres harder. With a 28mm tyre it took me beyond 400 strokes to get to 60psi. Birzman claims it can get up to 120psi, but I think you'd need to be Arnold Schwarzeneger to get to that.
> Find your nearest dealer here
One feature that makes this pump easier to use than some is that it has a hose that pulls out of the top, which is 12.5cm long including the valve. This gives you more freedom to move the pump around as you use it, something that is surprisingly important.
The valve itself works really well, with the ability to fit Presta or Schrader depending on which way around you screw it in. I used it exclusively on Presta valves and it held on impressively, regardless of how hard and for how long I was pumping.
One element of the pump I was initially a little concerned about was the plastic top, simply because it's more likely to break than metal. However, in reality, with the heat build-up when pumping it seems like a genuinely positive design choice – the metal barrel really heats up, while the plastic top remains 'holdable'.
In terms of weight, the 86g that this hits the road.cc Scales of Truth is pretty good for a 19.5cm pump and isn't particularly noticeable in a jersey pocket. It's 58g lighter and £5 cheaper than the BBB Samurai Telescopic Mini Pump. The Pro Bike Tool Mini Bike Pump is 14g heavier and comes in at the same RRP. I'd say £24.99 is a fair price for a reliable and relatively powerful hand pump.
> Buyer's Guide: 6 of the best mini pumps
Overall I thought this was a very good little pump. It's small enough to fit into a jersey pocket and light enough to not be too noticeable, as well as powerful enough that you won't spend hours inflating a tyre.
Verdict
Very good pump that's small, light and offers a decent inflation rate
road.cc test report
Make and model: Birzman Swift Hand Pump
Size tested: 19.5 x 2.6cm, 120psi max
Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
A mini pump that can easily fit into a jersey pocket.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Birzman lists:
Head: Threaded (Presta / Schrader)
Barrel: CNC machined aluminium
Size: 19.5 x 2.6cm
Weight: 86g
Capacity: 120 psi / 8.3 bar
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
A sturdy and well made pump. I was initially a little worried about the plastic top, but in reality this enhances the design as it reduces heat build-up.
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Offers a decent rate of inflation without a huge amount of effort.
Rate the product for durability:
7/10
Early days but signs are it should last. It's well made with a solid aluminium body, hardy plastic top and rubber topper to prevent dirt getting into the valve.
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
7/10
Pretty good weight for a mini pump – it's not particularly noticeable in your jersey pocket.
Rate the product for value:
6/10
If you compare it to the BBB Samurai Telescopic Mini Pump, it's £5 cheaper and 58g lighter. The Pro Bike Tool Mini Bike Pump comes in at the same RRP and is 14g heavier.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It sits in the pocket nicely and works well when needed.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The inflation rate is pretty good for the size, and the extendable hose allows for changing position while pumping.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing in particular.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It's a very good mini pump: it offers a decent rate of inflation, is nice and small, and has a robust valve. The inflation might not be as good as some I have used, but it makes up for it in the design – you can feel how hot the inner core is getting after about 150 strokes, but because the top is plastic it doesn't burn your hand, plus the head is much easier to use.
About the tester
Age: 32
I usually ride: CAAD13 My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo
I've been riding for: Under 5 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,
George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between.
Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.
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4 comments
250 strokes to get to 60psi??? Is that good? I'm sure I've read other reviews where similar pumps do much better than that?
it's quite a lot in my experience, but tyres have been getting bigger. back in the day we used to test with 23mm tyres, remember them?
yep I do...just
There's nothing like a swift hand pump to start the day.