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Topeak Roadie TT Mini pump

8
£29.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Simple and effective little pump with a great metal build
Speedy inflation for a mini pump
Fits well into jersey pocket
No flexible hose
Presta only
Weight: 
90g

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The Topeak Roadie TT Mini pump is simple and effective, with a pleasingly solid metal build. Tyre inflation is quick and it's unobtrusive either in your pocket or the frame mount, but it's a solid rather than flexible hose mount, and it's Presta-valve only.

This aluminium pump is 90g and 16.5cm long, meaning it fits comfortably into your jersey pocket. While noticeably bulkier than a CO2 system, it's light and certainly doesn't feel like it's weighing you down. It compares well to the competition, too, only ceding 11g to the impressive Birzman Mini Apogee Hand Pump and coming in 9g lighter than the Fabric Nanobar.

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The aluminium body feels really sturdy and has a neat twist-lock mechanism that stops the pump arm extending while in your pocket, while the milling that boosts grip is another nice touch. The pump also comes with a simple frame attachment to secure it alongside your bottle cage.

2020 Topeak Roadie TT Mini pump - bracket.jpg

The head attaches directly to a Presta valve, and feels very secure in use thanks to the aluminium locking lever. While ideally I'd prefer a flexible hose for awkward angles/reducing stress on the valve (especially when your arms get tired), that would only add complexity, cost and weight.

2020 Topeak Roadie TT Mini pump - valve head lever.jpg

The same goes for a head capable of fitting Schrader valves – plus that's something few committed roadies will miss anyway.

2020 Topeak Roadie TT Mini pump - valve head.jpg

This 16.5cm mini pump is surprisingly quick at getting your tyres up to an acceptable pressure to ride home. I was impressed that after 90 seconds the pump achieved 40psi in my 24mm tyres, which is just about enough to ride. A further 90 seconds took them to a pretty firm 75psi.

2020 Topeak Roadie TT Mini pump - in hand.jpg

Three minutes is good. The Fabric Nanobar takes five minutes to reach just 55 psi, and while Topeak's own Pocket Rocket almost matches the the TT, it's considerably longer and chunkier too.

2020 Topeak Roadie TT Mini pump - extended.jpg

The TT stands for Twin Turbo, in reference to a two-chamber barrel Topeak says 'compresses huge amounts of air into a smaller-diameter inner barrel to deliver more air and higher pressure with less strokes'. I would agree it works well, and 31.6cc per stroke is good – the Fabric Nanobar is 20cc, while Topeak's Roadie DA is only 36cc thanks to a dual-action stroke working its 18cc barrel.

2020 Topeak Roadie TT Mini pump - in bracket.jpg

Topeak also claims a maximum inflation of 160psi for the TT, which I have no desire to check... I'm not aware of any cyclist who wants a tyre at 160psi, but even if you do, you will need extremely strong biceps. Pumping up towards 100psi becomes tiring, and out on the road most will settle for 75-80psi.

> 7 of the best mini pumps: tiny tools to get your tyres topped up

Overall, I really like the Topeak Roadie TT mini pump. It looks good, slips easily into jersey pockets and performs well. Despite not possessing a flexible nozzle attachment, the pump secures to Presta valves really well, inflates tyres quickly and offers a strong build for a good price.

Verdict

Simple and effective little pump with a great metal build

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Topeak Roadie TT Mini pump

Size tested: 16.5cm

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?

The Topeak Roadie TT Mini Pump is aimed at road cyclists, who need a light and portable pump to carry on rides.

Topeak says (deep breath):

"The Roadie TT Twin Turbo is a full metal, pocket-sized mini pump that transfers larger air volumes from a bigger diameter outer chamber into a smaller diameter inner chamber to deliver more air at higher pressures to fill tires 50% faster and easier."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

From Topeak:

HEAD - Presta with integrated dust cap

BARREL / THUMB LOCK / HANDLE - Aluminium

CAPACITY - 160 psi / 11 bar

VOLUME PER STROKE - 31.6 cc

ADDED FEATURES - Side mount bracket

SIZE - 16.5 x 3.3 x 2.35 cm / 6.5' x 1.3' x 0.9'

WEIGHT - 90 g / 3.17 oz

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
10/10

Feels really good. The milled black aluminium finish is really nice. There's no rattling and the pump attaches firmly.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Inflates tyres in acceptable time for roadside use.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

Hard to see much going wrong in the long term.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10

90g is more than acceptable. Other pumps maybe shave off 15g, but that's equivalent to one sip of water.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

It's basic, but efficient pumping for the size and a solid build means it should give years of service.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Exactly as required. Fits into a jersey pocket easily and inflates tyres effectively.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Simple design and efficient pumping.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

No flexible hose.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

At £29.99 it's very competitive with its rivals. The Blackburn Core Slim and the Fabric Nanobar are exactly the same price, though the Birzman Mini Apogee is £7 cheaper.

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

This is a very good product with only minor points where it could be improved. It inflates quickly, feels built to last and is easy to carry – it's a solid 8.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 29  Height: 182cm  Weight: 69kg

I usually ride: Specialized Tarmac Pro  My best bike is: Specialized CruX Expert

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, cyclo cross, club rides, Gravel on a CX bike

Nick hails from the west country and combines riding bikes with hitting balls with cricket bats and golf clubs. You'll find him riding a mix of road, cyclocross and XC MTB.

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