Test mini pump Zéfal Air Profil FC03

Test Zéfal Air Profil FC03: The mini pump from the French supplier Zefal is very compact - but does it do its job? So let the air out, screw on the hose and pump, pump, pump...

It doesn't really need to be mentioned: Frame pumps are out, and have been for decades. On many modern frames, it is already difficult to clamp somewhere in the rear triangle or under the top tube; the step to the mini-pump is thus mapped out. The early specimens of this type were so little that one was always happy to have an old racer with a long pump in the group who didn't care about the optics in training. However, that has changed, as the Zéfal Air Profile FC03 teaches as an example.

Actually, small pumps have big disadvantages. Filling the tire with them is just as strenuous as it is time-consuming, because unlike with a floor pump, you cannot use the ground as a support with a mini pump - and the required arm strength increases with the tire pressure. Also, the volume of air moved per pump stroke is quite small, so you have to squeeze and pull the aerator very, very often. Because you end up wiggling the valve at some point, there is the problem of air loss with conventional mini pumps due to insufficient clamping of the pump - but with designs like the compact Zéfal that is a thing of the past. Like many other pumps, it has a flexible hose that is screwed onto the valve base - this decouples the pump from the impeller, making handling easier and ensures that no air hisses past the valve or out of it.

So much for the theory; The practical part follows: how does the Zéfal Air Profil FC03 perform in an emergency? According to the packaging, it should be able to reach a total of 8 bar - that sounds like a lot given the fact that the aluminum pump is just 18 cm long (and weighs exactly 105 g, so it neither sticks out of the jersey pocket nor pulls it down).

400 strokes in three minutes - that's possible with the Zefal Air Profil

With the deflated 23 mm tire, the pump has an easy time at first: the first 100 strokes are almost effortless, but then slowly but surely more pressure is needed. The seconds tick by, the sweat flows and the Zéfal blows. Three minutes, 400 strokes - that's no small thing, especially since we carried out a test run and a comparison measurement with our reference pump beforehand. Nevertheless, even the last pump strokes are not excessive; if you are traveling in a group, you can ask your fellow passengers for help anyway.

The result is impressive: The manometer on the floor pump, which we use to check, shows a tire pressure of 7,2 bar. Quite plump for the small aerator and enough for easy running without the risk of punctures. The Air Profil FC03 has thus proven its suitability; the 29,95 euros are a good investment. The attachment at the end of the tube can be turned, which means that the Zéfal can also be used to operate car valves - so it's also useful on (cheap) MTB tours.

However, you should be careful when unscrewing the hose: If a valve extension is not mounted securely, it can come loose and all the work was in vain. The only way we escaped this fate was with the help of needle-nosed pliers, but who has them with them? In any case, there would be enough space in the jersey next to the Zéfal. Oh, and of course the manufacturer supplies a holder that can be screwed under the bottle holder. You might want to show off such a good pump...