Test: Hand pumps especially for racing bikes have to meet very specific requirements: They should be as small and light as possible, but still strong enough to bring the narrow tires up to a decent pressure. It's a fine line between size and performance that many manufacturers have to walk here - does Topeak stumble with the Micro Rocket CB?
The Topeak Micro Rocket CB – key data
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Length, 160mm
Weight.55g
Valves,Presta valve
Maximum pressure.11 bars
application,Street
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The Topeak Micro Rocket masters the requirements for the exterior of the pump with flying colors: with a length of almost 16 cm, it is not one of the very small hand pumps on the market, but that does not necessarily have to be a disadvantage. Our experience shows that pumps of this length still fit into most jersey pockets without any problems and at the same time often have a better pump performance than the smaller representatives. At just 55g, the Micro Rocket CB is also record-breakingly light - this is probably due not least to the full carbon air piston, which also contains a lightweight aluminum piston. So only the weight remains pleasingly small, but the small pump is also a real visual highlight.
In terms of workmanship, Topeak hardly makes any slip-ups with the Micro Rocket CB - if you are looking for a hair in the soup, you could perhaps cite the sharp-edged upper side of the plastic pump head here. But to be honest, this is only noticeable because the level of workmanship is so high. The pump head consists of a plastic casing with an aluminum ring on the front. There is no clamping or screw mechanism, the Micro Rocket is simply pressed onto the valve. In most cases this worked very well, but a few times we slipped off the valve head under high pressure.
When pumping, the noble little Micro Rocket shows what it's made of and proves to be a well-balanced all-rounder. Like all of our test candidates, it has to fill a narrow 23mm tire with air as well as prove its volume performance in a significantly wider 28mm example. While many other racing bike pumps find it difficult to find a middle ground here, Topeak has succeeded: Although the pump is more in the upper midfield in both areas, it manages both tasks without any major problems. Only a few models from the competition manage to do this.
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