Lezyne has made a name for themselves with beautifully crafted, exceptionally functional aluminum cycling gear and their Road Drive pump is no exception. And that's really saying something: you wouldn't think a pump could elicit such praise (you wouldn't expect their valve extenders to either, yet they do) but when you're sitting on the road with a flat tire, you'll be thankful you have this stuffed in your jersey pocket. The Lezyne Road Drive looks to be a simple enough pump, but that's part of it's charm. When it comes to pumps, the Road Drive sits near the top of the pile.
Road Drive: Keeps Rides Alive!
Fully aluminum construction hides the technological aspects of this little package. Instead of a fixed right angle head, the road drive pump hides a little secret in its barrel: something called an ABS flex hose with built in air bleed. Simply pop the cap off the pump, unscrew the ABS flex hose, flip it over and screw it into the end of the pump. Now you're ready to go.
As for the inflation characteristics, the overlapping handle and moderate length of around 230mm creates a supposed stroke of 170mm. This translates into about 215 pumps to get up to 90 PSI on the 23mm tires I generally run, but I honestly never tried to get it up to the supposed 160 PSI maximum, so I can't comment on that (and who would run their tires at 160PSI anyway?)
Overall, beautiful sturdy aluminum construction and completely rebuildable seals make this a long lasting piece of kit. The only major downside I've experienced in the past year of testing seems to be the difficulty I've had with unscrewing the ABS hose from the body of the pump. The knurled part of the ABS fitting is pretty small and the external threads are pretty sharp so you may end up slicing your fingers a bit. Gloves or some other fabric solved the issue. And finally, if you're running Schrader valve tires, you're out of luck with this pump, but there are others in the Lezyne lineup that will have you covered.
Would I recommend this pump to someone else? You bet. I use it myself. It's a constant companion in my back pocket when I'm out on the bike and I need peace of mind that I'll be able to inflate a tire no matter what.
$44.99
Lezyne.com or
Lezyne Road Drive Pump
$44.99
Pros
- ABS hose with bleed valve
- All aluminum construction
- Compact design
Cons
- Small pressure barrel
- Heats up as you pump
