Size Does Matter

I used the same mini-pump for at least the past 15 years. That pump still works, even if it needs to be tightened at times. But it is getting old, and it sometimes slips off the valve, especially if the valve does not protrude far enough from a deep rim.

Road Drive vs Pocket Drive

So I wanted to get a mini pump that I could screw on securely to the tube/tire valve, a design that others (including Jerome) use. So last year I ordered a Lezyne "Pocket Drive" pump that had good reviews. It is tiny and fits easily in a back pocket of a jersey. But it is too small. With a 700x28 or 700x30 tire, the tire is still lower than I would like after several hundred pump strokes. Each stroke just does not push through much air.  It might work for a 700x23 tire ... but no one rides those anymore. Also, I noticed that when I tighten the flexible hose to the Pocket Drive before affixing to the valve ... the threads are at an angle. It still works, but it shows careless workmanship, something I did not expect from a premium brand like Lezyne.

Off-of-true threads on the Pocket Drive

When I happened by a bike store last week, I saw some other Lezyne mini pumps. One, the Road Drive, comes in several different sizes. There was one that is just enough bigger than the Pocket Drive to ... actually pump up a tire in 150-200 pumpstrokes. And the workmanship is what I would expect from Lezyne.  And it is still plenty small for carrying on rides. Problem solved. I hope this one lasts another 15 years!

The Road Drive is far more functional for my purposes.