So a track pump is a track pump. You push down the handle and air goes quickly into a tyre. It’s not often when you pull the track pump out of the car and everyone oohs and aahs. The Specialised Air Tool Pro must be something a bit different – even if it’s just to live up to a name like that.

Getting excited about a track pump must be the ultimate in bike nerd-ism. They are damn useful though if you have lots of bikes (guilty), particularly high psi roadbikes (guilty), you are particular about the pressure in your tyres (guilty) and you need to pump up tubeless tyres quickly (not guilty).

They are relatively simple things and should last for years like my 15 year old Silca track pump, which recently gave up the ghost.

The SATP does things that other normal track pump can. It’s got an easy to use pump head that doesn’t leak and it pumps up tyres quickly.

So whats so particularly good about the SATP? Well it’s got a huge base for stability (make the Silca look completely weedy); solid steel barrel; super long hose; the biggest pressure guage I’ve ever seen on a track pump (easy to seen from a distance).

One feature that caught me out when I first used the pump was the pressure release valve on the handle, there in case you put to much air into the tyre. I found myself accidently activating (much swearing) it when I was pumping up the tyres until I figured out what it is. The only thing missing is a moveable pressure marker on the dial but given how big the dial is this isn’t much of an issue.

However the main thing about the SATP is that it’s just a damn good looking piece of design. It’s almost too nice to consign to the garage.

Share:

About the author