Cycplus AS2 PRO Mini Bike Pump Review - PezCycling News

I’ve been using the Cycplus AS2 PRO mini tire inflator on my bike tires for a few weeks now, and found it’s compact size, portability, and ease of use make it worth having along on my rides, and a nice improvement over the old manually operated mini-pump I used to carry. Here’s a closer look.

Click Play to see my video review of the Cycplus AS2 Pro Mini Tire Pump

It was summer of 2023 when I saw my first electric mini-pump on a ride in Italy – as part of a British chap’s on-bike repair kit. I knew right away I needed one for myself. I tried contacting the brand he was carrying, but after a few weeks of no response, I received an email from Cycplus with a request to check out their version.

From front to back: the AS2, AS2 Pro, and AS2 Pro Max mini pumps.

Each of the Cycplus AS2 mini inflators comes with everything you see here: usb charging cable, flexible nozzle hose for small rims, valve tip converter for Schrader & sports gear, and the actual charger itself.

I like it when real people are behind a product, and a short time later my test unit arrived in the mail from China.

Spot the frame pump – on bike inflation has come a long way, kinda like a lot of other areas of cycling tech. Pic c. 1983

I’ve been carrying a tire pump of some sort on my bike since I started riding back in the 1980’s. My first was a Zéfal frame pump that tucked in nicely behind the seatpost on my Ritchey Montare mtb. It weighed a lot, but I was never in doubt of getting full inflation when I’d catch a flat tire.

Technology evolved and pumps got smaller, eventually clipping alongside the bottle cage on the down or seat tube (something I avoided due to the unsightly aesthetic.)

The problem with the smaller hand-pumps was the limitation of PSI ceilings due to operator power. I was never one to be mistaken for a body-builder, and not surprisingly, I could never really get a tire inflated over 60psi with one of the small mini-pumps (which was well below my 95psi target on the 23 – 25mm tires I used to run).

Then came the CO2 cartridges, which replaced my old mini-pump and have saved my butt a few times over the years. I like that they fit nicely into my saddle bag, tucked out of the way. The only problem is that I only carry one – which limits how many times I can inflate on a single ride (luckily I’ve never had multiple flats on a ride). And travelling with CO2 cartridges is an airline no-no – so that’s a problem when you arrive in a foreign land for what’ll be the hilight rides of your season.

Cycplus is a relatively new brand based in China, founded in 2014 (near as I can tell from their website), who design, manufacture and distribute cycling products like smart trainers, tire inflator, computers, and other accessories like computer mounts. They reached out to me initially, I assume as part of a plan to garner exposure for the brand from the world’s cycling media.

The idea of carrying a small, easy to stash inflation device that can be used multiple times is pretty appealing – so its easy to see why this device has potential for a permanent spot in my saddle bag.

First off – this electric mini-pump is easy to use.

It charges up quickly off a usb port, and it holds a charge long enough that I got six useable inflations (up to 50psi) from one charge – although I’m conscious to juice it up regularly after a few rides.

The usb charging port doubles as the air intake port as well.

Operation is simple.

Start by charging it with the usb port for a couple of hours outta the box – (less time once it’s been fully charged).

Next – on the AS2 PRO and AS2 PRO MAX, you set your desired tire pressure using the buttons on the side. Both models will let you program up to 120PSI.

Then to turn it on – push down twice on the button on the top (think ‘double-tap’) – then you’ll hear the pump start up – sounds like a very small gas generator – chuggachuggachuggachugga…

Push and hold the power button for a couple of seconds until it turns blue, then get ready to inflate as it whirs into life.

Do this before you attach the AS2 to the valve stem – and wait a couple seconds for it to wind up to what sounds like full speed. THEN you attach it to the valve stem – and hold it in place while the pump delivers a stream of air to the tube.

The AS2 comes setup with a built in Presta valve – just press this over the valve stem on your tire and hold it in place while inflating.

From here it’s a matter of waiting for the tire to inflate.

My own use has shown that the AS2 takes about 30-40 seconds to inflate a completely flat tire to about 40psi. That time is faster and the pressures higher with the AS2 PRO and AS2 PRO Max.

Obviously battery life here is gonna be an important factor – which is not something I ever thought about with a old style “analog” pump.

In fact, I did have an issue with the first test model they sent me… the battery conked out after a few uses. That first model was called the “Cube” and has been discontinued. I’m told the AS2 is an upgraded version with better battery life.

I’m happy to report they sent me a new pump immediately – and I’ve had no issues with this replacement. It’s important to mention this because I’ve had experiences with other battery companies I’ve found as “social media brands”m who’ve sent me crap product – so I was keen to see how Cycplus would handle this. They did it right.

So far I’ve found that I can at least 6 full tire inflations from a single battery charge – and I’m still going, although my instincts tell me it’s time to recharge it before my next ride. Given the small size of this pump, and our general concern about size and weight when choosing what gear to bring with us on a ride, and given current battery technology – cramming a lot of juice into a small rechargeable battery will be a challenge for the designers.

As long as I can count on the pump giving me at least a couple of inflations per ride, I’m good with the idea of recharging it fairly often, which I’m used in this age of cell phones and so many other rechargeable devices.

I can see that this can’t totally replace the good ‘ol frame pump, but it’s compact size, portability, and ease of use make it worth having along on my rides. Of note is that I still ride with one CO2 cartridge – just in case.

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