You needed to guess that it was solely a matter of time earlier than Wolf Tooth Elements launched their very own pump design. The model already provides a number of instruments and equipment, together with their EnCase multi-tools which will be stashed in your handlebars or your pocket. Now, those self same instruments will be stashed in a pump, offering a streamlined restore system you possibly can mount to your bike.
There are numerous pumps already available on the market, however Wolf Tooth had a particular set of necessities in thoughts for the EnCase pumps that they felt weren’t at present out there.
To start out, the EnCase pumps are designed round high-volume tires, with the pump itself maxing out at 70psi. The trade-off for a decrease high-pressure is much less effort to push greater volumes of air. That’s particularly necessary once you begin speaking about fats bike tires and fashionable MTB tires.
WTC needed the pump to be able to go at a second’s discover which meant designing a body mount that was simply accessible but additionally a pump that would face up to the weather. If it’s going to be mounted to the downtube of a mountain, fats, or gravel bike, there’s an excellent probability it’s going to get very soiled.
To stop that filth from gunking up the internals, WTC created what they name the EnviroLock. Basically a threaded seal, the EnviroLock locks the physique of the pump in place and protects the entire internals so it’s at all times able to go. To make use of the pump, merely give the deal with a fast twist whereas holding onto the EnviroLock collar, and the deal with telescopes outwards. If you’re executed, thread the deal with again into the Envirolock. When locked, the deal with can rotate when you attempt to flip it, however the deal with can’t prolong.
There’s additionally a rubber cap that matches tightly to the pump head protecting crud out of the urethane gasket. Suitable with Presta valves solely, the pump merely presses onto the valves with out the necessity for a locking lever. Up to now I’ve tried it on various valves together with Fillmore, and it appears to work on every thing to this point no matter valve size.
On the different finish of the pump, you’ll discover a stash gap that can be utilized for a number of gadgets. In case you’d prefer to have a pump and multi-tool in a single, the pumps will match one or two of the WTC EnCase multi-tools in a rubber sleeve that snaps in place with a rubber plug on the finish. There’s additionally an choice for a brand new EnCase Tire Plug instrument. The smaller 40cc pump has room for one among these instruments, whereas the bigger 85cc pump can run each EnCase instruments, or the Tire Plug Device. When working each EnCase instruments, the bigger 85cc pump does have a slight rattle, however the rubber casing does an honest job of deadening the sound. The Tire Plug Device additionally has a slight rattle when the plugger fork is empty. Preloading the fork with a plug all however eliminates any sound.
Don’t wish to run something aside from the pump? WTC additionally has a rubber plug that may hold the cavity clear, and you need to use it to stash emergency money, and so forth.
Pump Efficiency
Most significantly, how do the Encase pumps work as precise pumps? Not surprisingly, Wolf Tooth constructed the EnCase pumps to work with higher-volume tires. At decrease pressures, the pump is tremendous straightforward to make use of and pushes a formidable quantity of air. I’ve not had an opportunity to make use of these pumps trailside but, however I sat down within the store with a number of tire sizes to see what pressures you would possibly see with 100 strokes of the pump.
85 CC Pump (giant)
- 700c x 23mm Highway – 50 strokes = 57psi
- 700c x 45mm Gravel – 100 strokes = 26psi
- 29 x 2.4″ MTB – 100 strokes = 20psi
- 26 x 4.6″ Fats – 100 strokes = 5.5psi
40 CC Pump (small)
- 29 x 2.4″ MTB – 100 strokes = 8 psi
Each pump sizes telescope out for an extended stroke, however it’s clear that the 85cc pump has a considerable edge. When pumping up the identical 29 x 2.4″ MTB tire from 0psi, the 85cc pump obtained the tire to 20psi with 100 strokes, whereas the 40cc pump solely managed to get it to 8psi. The 40cc pump was nonetheless very straightforward to pump at that time, so it’s not that you just’ll should push a lot tougher, however you’ll need to make use of much more strokes to get it as much as stress.
I used to be most impressed by the 85cc pump when inflating a fats bike tire. With 100 strokes, it took the 26 x 4.6″ tire from 0-5.5psi with minimal effort. That doesn’t sound like a lot, however anybody who’s ever inflated a fats bike tire with a hand pump is aware of it could actually take ages.
Out of curiosity, I attempted the 85cc pump on a 700c x 23mm street tire. It was shortly obvious the pump wasn’t designed for the duty, however it nonetheless managed to get the tire as much as 57psi with 50 strokes. At that time, it was getting very laborious to pump although, so when you might be able to use this pump in a pinch, I wouldn’t suggest it for a street bike (until you’re working high-volume tires on that street bike).
Some customers might miss the shortage of a hose connecting the pump to the valve, however due to the comparatively low stroke power wanted, the EnCase pump is straightforward to make use of. The push-on pump head does an excellent job of staying hooked up to the valve throughout vigorous pumping, however when you angle it an excessive amount of it could actually leak some air. The excellent news is that with no hose, there’s no probability of unthreading the valve core.
Utterly Rebuildable
Wolf Tooth believes in the suitable to restore their merchandise, and it’s no totally different right here. The EnCase pumps are fully rebuildable with each element out there on the market individually. There may even be a video information to servicing and rebuilding the pump.
Total, the EnCase pumps appear nicely thought out, straightforward to make use of, exactly constructed, and supply a number of choices on how you can run them. Whereas the 40cc pump undoubtedly takes longer to inflate a tire, it’s laborious to disregard the pint-sized pump’s means to stash in a jersey, bib, or brief pocket (and even inside your body). In case you can’t bear in mind the final time you used a pump on the path however at all times carry one in case of emergency, the 40cc could possibly be the pump to get. In any other case, the 85cc pushes a variety of air with extra room for instruments. And when you’re planning to mount it to your bike, the added size shouldn’t be a difficulty.
The EnCase pumps can be found now for $64.95 for the 40cc model and $69.95 for the 85cc model. Inner instruments are elective and enhance the value from there. Every part is on the market now.
