You do have to hold the dial at the front but rubber coating makes that comfortable, though it is possible to get your fingers trapped under the handle – hold the handle to the side, and it’s fine.

Without a body, the pump wouldn’t exist. With this, look for a pump that offers a comfortable hold and a durable material. Aluminium is a popular choice here for weight, strength and corrosion resistance. Handle PSI is a unit of pressureexpressed in pounds of force per square inch of area. It stands for Pounds per Square Inch.This update to this fork suits those who are looking to push hard and ride fast everywhere. It seems more like a bike park fork than its predecessor. Support has increased, but comfort is compromised, although it’s tough to improve both at the same time. Go full-tilt and it’s a strong-performing fork for the price. Easily the most efficient pump that we’ve tested, and one that outperforms its price. The mechanical isn’t quite as accurate as a digital pump, but it has a bigger range being rated to 400 psi. The taller ride height and extra travel are useful on steeper trails, where the front end doesn’t dive through the mid-stoke. However, losing the ground-hugging sensitivity of the mid-stroke that made the DebonAir spring so comfortable limits confidence over small root spreads and unsupported corners where traction is necessary. On the downside the pump isn’t very comfortable to use since you have to grip around the gauge and the handle has quite a blunt shape. The pump itself is solid, with a bleed valve, extra-long hose and comfy handle, though it has quite a small volume so 100 strokes equates to about 81psi.

That added support helps keep the front end high so you can push and load the handlebars in turns, which helps maintain momentum in some circumstances, such as high-speed berms and pumping jump faces or rollers. Still, it gives a bit of harshness through the hands.However, weight and price make the Manitou a more attractive option. Both forks enable the same type of external adjustments, so you’ll need to dig a little deeper to work out which is best for you.

One common argument is whether air is released from the suspension when the pump is disconnected, or if it’s just air escaping from the pump. Because it’s still quite compact, we found that it does take a while to inflate a tyre but is great for suspension setup since you can use the high-volume setting to initially boost a load of air into your fork, then the high-pressure setting to fine-tune it. We managed to get about 70psi in 20 strokes. Finance is subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history. Performance Cycling Limited FRN: 720557 trading as Tredz are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We are a credit broker not a lender – credit is subject to status and affordability and is provided by Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC. Terms & Conditions Apply. Two years later Turner and his wife Christi were producing suspension forks in their garage using parts they bought from Simons. Riders looking to upgrade to a mid-spec enduro fork will appreciate the performance the ZEB Select offers.

RockShox ZEB Select suspension fork performance

At 284g and 250mm long, it’s an impressive combination of two pumps, especially given so many mini tyre pumps do without a gauge. If you want both pumps in one, this is simply your one and only good choice. It’s also the only pump on test to include an under bottle-cage mount – in case you’re keen to get it covered in mud. There is also minimal friction in the fork, which helps give it a plush feel. The progression with the new spring is impressive, and it was tough to reach full travel, even when running lower pressures than suggested. The ramp-up is gentle, however, because the mid-stroke support is also firmer. There is a very non-linear relationship between accuracy, precision and cost,” he explains. “Accuracy and precision are different.

With such high pressures, you’ll want a comfortable handle. Some pumps feature a fold-out handle, others offer little to grasp onto. Hose Herbold became the first world champion in downhill mountain biking on one of the first suspension forks made for mountain bikes. In 1987, Turner had presented a full bike with front and rear suspension at the bicycle industry trade show in Long Beach, with the help of Keith Bontrager. It moved to California a few years later. Turner, who rode motorcycles in his teens, founded a company that sold motorcycle parts at the age of 18. If you’ve ever used a low-quality pump, you know how unpleasant the experience can be. You may feel like the pump could break at any moment.Each pump was assessed on its general usability, comfort and build quality. Additionally, we recruited Brady Kappius to custom-build a high-accuracy inline gauge to ensure repeatable results in our testing. With this, our benchmark digital gauge offers 1 per cent verified accuracy. To learn more about the issues with gauge accuracy and precision, we consulted Josh Poertner, the CEO of pump manufacturer Silca.