To learn more about the issues with gauge accuracy and precision, we consulted Josh Poertner, the CEO of pump manufacturer Silca. While it may not be a significant factor for all bikers, consider hose length. The longer the hose, the easier it is to use. Type of Gauge & the Maximum Pressure Additionally, remember that the pressure may change due to outside temperature. This phenomenon is referred to as Charles’s law. Therefore, if you plan to ride in the winter, inflate the suspension slightly as pressure decreases due to the cold temperatures, and vice versa. The minimal 1in gauge is surprisingly accurate, and the countersunk bleed button behind it is a nice addition for such a compact pump. While researching, I could not find many technical specifications for this pump. However, technical details are often unnecessary when the pump functions well, which is the case with this one.

RockShox Air Pump (300 Psi Max/High Volume Convertible, Black

Reasons to buy: Braided hose, Pressure Rite connecter means no air loss when disconnecting, accurate digital readingMost pumps on the market use rather simple dial gauges, which typically work just fine. However, these can lead to some level of human error in reading and so for absolute accuracy a digital gauge is hard to beat. If you have an RCT3 model fork, the low-speed compression is adjusted using the smaller-diameter knob on the top of the right leg. Because it’s still quite compact, we found that it does take a while to inflate a tyre but is great for suspension setup since you can use the high-volume setting to initially boost a load of air into your fork, then the high-pressure setting to fine-tune it. We managed to get about 70psi in 20 strokes. This is always a personal adjustment”, says Cancellier, “dependent on your air pressure — rebound is trying to control the force of the air spring returning to full extension.” To counter such issues, Poertner suggests that whatever you choose to buy, you should treat it as a reference.

High Pressure Fork/Shock Pump - 300 psi | TL-PUMP-HP3-A1

Some pumps claim to have special valve heads that isolate attachment and the valve pin engagement; others don’t say much about the fact. DON’T MISS: The Best Mini Bike Pumps selection, including comparisons with CO2 inflators and much more. Additionally, we compared the pressure read-out a number of times on each pump to that of our verified gauge.Others, such as those from Birzman and Topeak, are different in design (but not manufacturer), and so there are still plenty of familiar characteristics. Precision is how repeatable your darts are. If you aren’t always hitting the 20 but you can tightly cluster your darts, you are inaccurate but precise. Similarly, if you hit left of bullseye, bullseye and right of bullseye, your average accuracy would be good, but your precision would be bad.” For more aggressive riders, I recommend one or two tokens at 160mm”, explains Cancellier. “For each 10mm decrease in travel, I add one token. For example, 150mm would be two or three tokens, 140mm three or four tokens etc.” However, always remember that it’s the sag that you’re setting your suspension to, and the gauge is merely a tool to help aid this – either way, the desired outcome can still be achieved without a gauge. 5. Durability is a factor