Test: Few manufacturers in the bicycle sector can look back on a longer history than Zéfal. Frame and floor pumps were already being produced more than 100 years ago (then under a different name). But does this long experience also stand out in the current portfolio? With regard to the tested Zéfal Profil Max FP70, this can only be answered with a clear "yes".
Visually, the very high Zéfal pump made of high-gloss polished stainless steel is probably not to everyone's taste. The solid base is the first thing that catches the eye: it contains a very large and wonderfully easy-to-read manometer with a diameter of over 9 cm. Non-slip inserts in the standing area ensure that you don't slip off the floor pump, even in greasy conditions in the workshop.
The handle is completely rubberized and makes a valuable impression with the red inserts. Unfortunately, this positive feeling quickly dissipates when you grab it - the rubber coating is quite thin and the handle itself is very wide and relatively sharp-edged. It does not feel particularly comfortable in the hands and begins to pinch after a short time. Too bad, other pumps can do that much better.
Even with the pump head, the French pump is not as confident as the elegant look would suggest: The clamping lever is very small and extremely stiff - we had a lot of trouble just the first few times to clamp the head properly on the valve. Once it sits, it tends to loosen up afterwards and then no longer seals properly. In order to switch to a different type of valve, the pump head has to be unscrewed - this is quite fiddly and stiff.
But after so much criticism, there are also rays of hope: The pump performance of the Zéfal Profil Max FP70 is convincing in all areas. The pleasantly smooth-running air piston has neither problems with volume nor with high pressure. The operating forces also remain pleasantly low at all times. The pump itself stands as if nailed to the ground while pumping and the pressure gauge is very easy to read even when stationary.
[pricemesh]
