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One of the activities that can raise my heart rate even before I start riding my bike is tire inflation. Luckily, I don’t ride high tire pressures exceeding 8 bar anymore, so I don’t have to spend as much energy.
But, gadgets like electric pumps make this process a whole lot easier.
So, in this Cycplus A8 review, I will answer the question if an electric pump is worth it.
Spoiler alert: It is. You can buy it here (also available at cycplus.com).
I tested its speed, accuracy, and noisiness, and will tell you more about its advantages and disadvantages.
Let’s dive in.
Who Is Cycplus A8 Pump for?
Cycplus A8 is ideal for people who love convenience. This electric pump takes care of inflating your bike or car tires, sports equipment, etc., to selected pressure. You don’t have to do anything else except set the pressure.
It comes with adapters for Shredder and Presta valves, and a sports ball needle, so it’s suitable not only for cyclists but simply for anyone who needs to inflate something from time to time.
Cycplus A8 Features & Specs
Below I summarize the main features and technical specifications of the A8 electric pump.
Main Features
- Multiple adaptors (Presta, Schreder, sports ball needle)
- Easy to read LED display
- Multiple intelligent modes
- Long battery life
Technical Specifications
- Dimensions: 36 x 65 x 173 mm
- Claimed Weight: 461g
- Actual Weight: 456g (without the tube and adaptors)
- Maximum Inflatable Pressure: 150 PSI (10.3 bar)
- Battery Capacity: 2600mAh
- Charging: USB Type-C
- Charging Time: About 2 hours
Also available at cycplus.com
Cycplus A8 Unboxing
The packing includes:
- The A8 inflator
- Adaptors (Presta, Schrader, sports ball needle)
- Charging cable (USB-C)
- Carry bag
- Manual
Cycplus A8 Inflation Tests
I was curious to see how quickly the A8 will inflate different tires. So, I tried to inflate hybrid and road bike tires from zero to 3.05 bar and 6.5 bar.
Cycplus A8 inflated the hybrid tire in about 67 seconds from 0 to 3.05 bar.
Inflating a road bike tire from 0 to 6.5 bar took about 1 minute and 48s. Pretty cool!
Yes, the inflation is not as quick as when you have a quality floor pump and quick hands. But hey, I just had to click one button!
Cycplus A8 Accuracy Tests
I had no idea what accuracy to expect from A8. It was the first time I had used a gadget like this. So, I decided to test its accuracy too.
I cross-checked it with my floor bike pump. Yes, a tire pressure gauge would be more accurate, but I don’t care about differences in a single digits PSI.
My pump’s gauge showed little lower pressure (about 5 PSI) than the electric pump. I assume this was because of the small air leak while removing the pump head.
So, everything was alright here too.
Cycplus A8 Pros & Cons
After using A8 for some time now, I summarize its pros and cons as follows:
Cycplus A8 Pros
- Accuracy
- Convenience
- Multiple adaptors included
- Long battery life (compared to previous generations of Cycplus e-pumps)
- USB-C charging port
- LED light
- Long flexible hose
- Bar or PSI units
Cycplus A8 Pros Cons
- Inflating takes longer than with a quality floor pump
- Pricier than low-end floor pumps
- Noisy
- The LED light is not very powerful
I can’t comment on the accuracy of the A8 compared to the previous generations of Cycplus electric inflators. However, the biggest difference is the use of the bigger battery, providing longer battery life, different materials, and a USB-C port (compared to Micro USB).
The USB-C connector is something I am really glad to see. It would be great if other gadgets manufacturers (I hope you hear me, Garmin!*) would follow this trend.
*The handy Garmin Varia RTL515 radar comes with a Micro USB charging port.
One detail I want to highlight is the LED light that makes it easier to find things (or the valves) in the dark. Although it isn’t very bright, it can help.
The inflating process is not too fast. So if you have a quality floor pump and quick hands, you will probably inflate tires much faster with a floor pump.
Floor pumps are also much more reliable and don’t require recharging. Electronics tend to fail. So, it is hard to say how long will the Cycplus A8 last.
Cycplus FAQ
My Verdict
Although the A8 electric inflator is more expensive than low-end floor pumps, I believe its price is justifiable. It makes inflating anything much more convenient.
The small downside is that gadgets like this make our lives more movement-free. Sometimes, inflating high pressures with a floor pump is a nice workout.
Jokes aside, A8 is accurate, lasts for about 2 months depending on how much you use it, and you can recharge it via USB-C. I can fully recommend it.
Also available at cycplus.com
The product for this review was kindly provided by the manufacturer. This did not influence my overall verdict or my opinion about the product.
I bought the A8 pump. I’m old and thought this was a great gadget for me.
Received it and loved it. 2 tires on my Trek Madone 120 psi about 2 minutes per tire.
A week later tried it again. First tire worked fine. Second tire started off well then odd popping noise and a small puff of white smoke or condensation and it stopped pumping air. I suspect a gasket or some seal blew out. Everything else worked LED, motor and display.
So, it’s useless now.
I’ve informed the company through [email protected] which is their after sales service connection.
It will be interesting to see their response.
Hey, Robert,
Thank you for sharing your experience and I’m sorry to hear that your pump failed. Yes, please keep us posted on their response.
I bought an air compressor so I am using that instead of this pump. 😅
– Petr