The Crankbrothers Klic HV Mini Floor pump serves as a reliable backpack friend for tyre-related emergencies. With its high-volume action, large tyres can be aired up quickly but with a working range of up to ~60psi this is aimed at mountain bike and gravel duties. The magnetic quick-connect hose and multi-valve head make it quick to deploy and the pumping action is smooth requiring minimal effort. Some of the finishing is a little sub-par but this doesn’t detract from what is a genuine contender in the best mountain bike pumps category.
With its high-volume action, this pump is designed to move a lot of air (comparatively) for fast airing up, however, it does mean the max pressure is around 60psi. You can go higher but you’ll need a lot of force to build the pressure. Perfect for MTB and gravel but not good for road tyres. Metal Core Hose
Weighing 186g, the pump is slim-line and compact enough to stow in a backpack but would say it’s a little large to fit in a hip-pack. There is an optional bracket available to fit it to your bike if you wish.
As a “mini floor pump” the base features a rubber pad and a fold-out foot for purchase while pumping.
The pump head inners can be reversed to work with Presta or Schrader valves and lock into place by lifting the lever.
The pump handle turns 90-degrees to create a t-handle while pumping. The hose and pump head are stored within the pump and easily pull out of the handle for use. The hose interface to the pump is magnetic meaning a quick connection and centres into place and has a satisfying mechanical “click’ once locked into place.
The air outlet at the bottom of the pump can be protected from dirt and debris by turning the cover.
Assembling the pump is a simple affair, particularly with the magnetic hose connection. Switching over the valve head is a little fiddly but simple enough to do.
With firm ground the pump is stable to use, the foothold keeps the pump in place for maximum pumping efficiency. Speaking of efficiency, 150 strokes resulted in a 29 x 2.4 tyre being pumped up from flat to 21psi which is impressive. As a baseline, the SKS Airboy XL which is a more conventional handheld pump, requires 300 strokes to achieve a similar result. For regular MTB pressures, the pumping action is smooth and easy but the effort required to reach higher pressures does ramp up quickly.
The magnetic hose attachment stayed strong throughout use which I was initially skeptical about but pleasantly surprised.
The downside to the “mini floor pump” is that it requires a firm base which is not always possible when mountain biking but, any fire road, rock or hard bit of ground will do that job. I also found that in wet conditions, the pump can get muddy during use which is annoying when you want to put it back in your pack after use.
I’m being a little picky but the T-handle design doesn’t quite go horizontal so I found my hand was at a slight angle while pumping. The handle itself is a comfortable shape and size though so no complaints there.
From a quality standpoint, the main pump feels like a quality item but, the parts that interact with your hands, such as the handle and the valve head, feel like cheap plastic with poor moulding finishes which is a shame.
Retailing at £70, the Crankbrothers Klic HV Mini Floor pump is not a small investment. If you’re intent on spending a fair whack of cash, £87 will get you the Lezyne CNC Tubeless Drive mini pump which is a pump, CO2 inflator and tyre repair kit all in one. It's a mighty tyre repair kit and the build quality is top notch but it is pricey and weighty. Another high-volume pump option is the Topeak Mountain TT mini pump, coming in at £36. Liam was impressed with the pumping efficiency and construction but it was a little on the chunky side.
The Crankbrothers Klic HV Mini Floor pump is an efficient and easy-to-use pump for mountain bike and gravel applications up to ~60psi. Some of the finishing is a little sub-par but the magnetic hose attachment and high volume action make this a pump you can rely on which can be easily stashed in a backpack.
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