Vel AR-Flow Travel Pump

The Vel AR-Flow Travel Pump is a handy companion to have on any cycling adventure. It's efficient, simple to use and very well made. It's quite a bulky piece of kit for attaching to your frame, though.

Compared with a track pump, there are obviously a lot of compromises to be made to create a pump that you can carry around with you; the AR-Flow does away with a lot of them, though.

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At 315mm long, the Vel certainly can't be described as a mini-pump so it's not the type of thing that you'll be bunging in a jersey pocket, but this is the only time its size can be seen as a slight negative.

Vel does supply a bracket that'll mount to any existing water bottle bosses, although when positioned on the down tube there isn't a whole lot of clearance between your feet and the pump.

I carried it with me mostly on gravel rides where it'd easily slot into a large saddle bag or frame bag.

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The AR-Flow can be used with both Presta and Schrader valves by way of a reversible head, which is spun round by unscrewing it from the hose and reattaching.

The head attaches to the valve by being screwed on rather relying on a push fit or any kind of lever. I like this; it means you always get a good, secure fit.

The hose is a decent length of 265mm, too.

In use the AR-Flow is pretty efficient. On a 28mm road tyre I reached 45psi after 100 strokes, and 90psi at 200 strokes.

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At the higher pressures the handle got a little more difficult to push, but this is where the small fold-out foot comes into play. It helps you get a little more purchase on the pump.

The only thing I would say is that the handle has a notch machined out of it to accept the pump head when it is not in use. When pumping hard it can start to dig into your hand a bit, which isn't the most comfortable sensation.

One thing I do like, though, is that the handle doesn't compress all the way down into the barrel, which means there is no chance of trapping your skin on each stroke. There isn't a huge amount of heat build-up anywhere on the pump either.

Overall quality is good, and the CNC machined handle and barrel give it a classy look. The matt black paintjob gives a touch more grip than a shiny painted one or an anodised finish, and there is no slop or anything when the handle is fully extended.

Priced at £40, the Vel sits well against the opposition.

The Lezyne Micro Floor Drive Gauge pump is a couple of quid more at £41.99, but does come with a gauge which is quite helpful.

The similar Unich Mini Floor Pump is cheaper, though, with an RRP of £34.99.

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Overall, I found the Vel AR-Flow to be a reliable and efficient piece of kit to carry around with you on those longer treks and adventures, or even in a rucksack for your commute. The quality shines through, and it's not stupidly priced.

Verdict

Well-made and easy-to-use miniature floor pump that can comfortably achieve high pressures