21 Gram Pump

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ipump
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2014 9:07 am

by ipump

The publisher promised to send me a copy, so as soon as i get it, i will send a copy.
where is the bicycle eater????
love you guys. keep it coming!!!!
I cannot imagine life without a bicycle!!! Its the most wonderful machine ever invented!!!
safe riding!!!
morris

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
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sm4100
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2014 4:33 am

by sm4100

Hi guys, I know everyone is long waiting for this (including myself), see the real numbers and facts concerning the Ipump micro. Recently talking to some of the cyclists in my area I heard one of the guys just got an Ipump so I was immediately after this guy to see if he could do some quick tests or even better, lend me his Ipump even for few hours so I could do a short review for all of us.

Finally I met the guy and he was very kind to lend me his Ipump today and for a week! so I can do all tests I want without damaging of course otherwise I have to pay him a new one.

Apart from the jokes and trash talks around here I really wanted to do some real life tests and write my transparent opinion, a simple but unbiased review.
For the test and comparison purposes I have used 3 other pumps:

1. Taiwan pump Max DNA Cyclone RBS (Quoted in some of my previous posts)
2. Barbieri Nana
3. Lezyne Road Drive
4. Ipump Micro

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For the tests I had: one tire 700x23c Schwalbe Lugano, 4 pumps, one Zefal pressure gauge and one digital scale. (room temperature 27 Celcius, at sea level and 53% humidity)

The tire tested was a clincher type and was dead flat for the pumping test same as if you replace a new tube and fill it from zero…
I will not comment on filling time because this may vary according to your pumping speed and effort needed, but rather strokes = PSI reached and even more importantly I found after doing the tests was not only the number of strokes but the effort taken to reach the given PSI so I will classify the PSI reached followed by the effort in bracket such as (EASY= little or no effort to pump; MEDIUM= Some effort but still a kid can do it; HARD= A kid would give up and an adult would sweat trying it; VERY HARD= almost reaching the physical limit of the pump, extreme effort for each stroke) here we go...:

Price:

1. Taiwan pump Max DNA Cyclone RBS = 25USD
2. Barbieri Nana = 35USD
3. Lezyne Road Drive = 40USD
4. Ipump Micro = 96USD (according to the owner)

Size:

1. Taiwan pump Max DNA Cyclone RBS = 127mm
2. Barbieri Nana = 140mm
3. Lezyne Road Drive = 239mm
4. Ipump Micro = 138mm

Actual weight:

1. Taiwan pump Max DNA Cyclone RBS = 52.5g
2. Barbieri Nana = 29.9g
3. Lezyne Road Drive = 113.6g
4. Ipump Micro = 23.5g

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200 Strokes:

1. Taiwan pump Max DNA Cyclone RBS = 34 PSI (EASY)
2. Barbieri Nana = 42 PSI (EASY)
3. Lezyne Road Drive = 103 PSI (EASY 0 to 100; MEDIUM 100 to 150 and HARD 150 to 200 strokes)
4. Ipump Micro = 62 (MEDIUM 0 to 60; HARD 60 to 100; VERY HARD from 150 to 200 strokes)

300 Strokes:

1. Taiwan pump Max DNA Cyclone RBS = 46 PSI (EASY)
2. Barbieri Nana = 60 PSI (MEDIUM)
3. Lezyne Road Drive = N/A
4. Ipump Micro = 86 PSI (VERY HARD 250 to 300) Extremely difficult to hold and nearly impossible to exceed 86 PSI by hand

400 Strokes:

1. Taiwan pump Max DNA Cyclone RBS = 59 PSI (EASY)
2. Barbieri Nana = 75 PSI (HARD)
3. Lezyne Road Drive = N/A
4. Ipump Micro = Impossible

500 Strokes:

1. Taiwan pump Max DNA Cyclone RBS = 72 PSI (MEDIUM)
2. Barbieri Nana = 89 (VERY HARD) Very difficult to hold the pump and probably few strokes more
3. Lezyne Road Drive = N/A
4. Ipump Micro = Impossible

In terms of construction the Lezyne Road drive is far the best but it is not really a micro pump so I decided to use it for reference but not really as a contender here, followed by the Taiwan made which is double of the weight of an Ipump but looks very solid alloy made. The Barbieri Nana looks well finished and is more solid than the Ipump with almost same weight but was the only one tested without the hose.

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Firstly as I expected the Ipump is heavier than advertised, 23.4g on this unit. It looks nice but feels like a disposable pump not being picky here seriously (not saying it is disposable but looks very fragile), as the Ipump was not mine I was really afraid of pumping fast, feels like it will break. The Ipump white print on the carbon body is very cheap made, you can remove with you finger, just rubbing not even need a nail. I know because I managed to get some ink peeling off just when I was pumping.

The hose on the Ipump is convenient and makes life easier compared to the Barbieri NANA (Nana is hard to hold properly when you are reaching high pressures, although it does not leak air due to the good design of the valve connection) but you must be very careful with the yellow polyurethane pipe on the Ipump because it is easy to fold when pumping and then… not sure if you can replace that, it is a very fragile pipe and I assume you can break it if folding more than once in the same spot (like a thin tecalon pipe) but it does make the micro Ipump easier to use (only in the first strokes..... continue to read). Can’t compare with the Taiwan pump though which uses a very strong and high quality rubber hose which you don’t need to worry about twisting or folding it.

In fact I must say the Ipump pumps a nice amount of air given its small size but one thing I could not bear was the extreme amount of effort you do to reach anything above 60 PSI, really unbelievable, the 2-o-ring conical tip design is not enough to hold the pump when you need to pump hard, so you have to grasp the tip really hard (not for kids or women) if you have your hands sweat believe me you will barely push 70 PSI into your tire and trying to pump this hard and not folding the hose at the same time is a real challenge. The ipump was the only pump I found really impossible to go over 300 strokes, from 270 to 300 strokes I had to concentrate, put a lot of energy and do it very slowly to be able to finish, totally impractical for a street/emergency situation (I got a strong headache afterward not kidding...)

Looking from a different perspective I have also noted the following data below taking all my notes into consideration so for reaching a pressure of 80PSI (minimum enough to move safely), the pumps would be as follows (PUMP - PSI - STROKES - EFFORT):

1. Taiwan pump Max DNA Cyclone RBS = 80 PSI = 570 strokes (MEDIUM)
2. Barbieri Nana = 80 PSI = 428 Strokes (HARD)
3. Lezyne Road Drive = 80 PSI = 162 Strokes (MEDIUM)
4. Ipump Micro = 80 PSI = 275 Strokes (VERY HARD)

Finally I was initially impressed with the low number of strokes on the Ipump but very disappointed that it is extremely hard to fill a tire with that minimum acceptable pressure so I rather pump 428 easier strokes on the NANA than 275 on the Ipump (Very very hard)... in terms of time they can easily end up taking same time due to the effort and difficulty to hold the Ipump. Maybe you are thinking ok ok 153 more strokes are way too much but you must seriously consider the final 100 strokes to reach 80 PSI on the Ipump which are incredibly hard (I asked my wife to help me with the effort test and the only pumps she was not able to move one stroke further were the Barbieri NANA after 450 Strokes (82 PSI) and the Ipump after 220 Strokes (69 PSI) so she could do with a NANA for emergency but not with the Ipump just for reference. Funny enough the only pumps I could reach 100+ PSI were the Lezyne and the Taiwan made as the other ones are practically impossible using bear hands (I mean bare hands) unless you are a real monster.

If the design of the holding tip was different on the Ipump it would be much better but not only that would be enough because the effort needed is still huge to push the air into the tire. Having this is mind the flexible hose is not an advantage as advertised but a must since you can barely hold the pump itself when pumping hard, even with the hose already attached to the valve.

And IMHO the Barbieri NANA is still the best choice due to price/size/weight/functionality combination although some may disagree.

I still have the pump with me for few days so feel free to ask and request some specific test so I can try my best to compare those pumps but I hope to have clarified some doubts
Last edited by sm4100 on Wed May 14, 2014 4:45 pm, edited 3 times in total.

pitbull

by pitbull

Thank you very much for that ! I didnt think it would take so few strokes to reach 80 psi. But but its a pity that it takes so much effort to pump :(

User avatar
Zak
Posts: 781
Joined: Sun Sep 10, 2006 6:43 pm
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark, Earth, Universe
Contact:

by Zak

Thankyou sm4100 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

What an excellent review and thanks for the effort!!!

It has been such a buildup for this review that now when it is done and read, my life feels a little empty :D

Butcher
Shop Owner
Posts: 1931
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 4:58 am

by Butcher

Great write up and seems to be fair/unbiased. I wonder if Morris will still love you?

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kbbpll
Posts: 494
Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2010 5:56 am

by kbbpll

Yes, thank you very much sm4100. That was a lot of effort. Looks like DMF does not have to eat a bicycle. From these results it doesn't appear that a normal human can get anywhere near 100 psi with an iPump.

If you want to repeat any tests, I'd be curious about time to 80 psi instead of strokes. You're in the "very hard" range for the last 125 strokes with the iPump and most riders I think want a combination of fewer strokes and shorter time sitting in the grass. I was also interested to see that my results for the Lezyne Pressure Drive Mini were almost identical to the 103-105 psi range and actually I got 80 psi in only 125 strokes versus your 162, yet mine is 3 cm shorter. I might have to repeat my test, and going off a floor pump for psi might be suspect I guess.

Edit: For reference my previous test on the Lezyne was done at 5500' = 1676m altitude and room temperature, low humidity.
Last edited by kbbpll on Wed May 14, 2014 4:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

sm4100
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2014 4:33 am

by sm4100

These values can change due to a number of factors but there is a lot of air in one tire so pumping in different altitudes, temperature conditions might change all these scenarios but as a reference it helps. I will try the time trial tomorrow and let you know because I need to recover my arms from this gym today :)

User avatar
DMF
Posts: 1062
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 10:14 am
Location: Sweden

by DMF

Great write up! Not that I was too worried about chewing a top tube for breakfast any time soon, but I'm sort of glad too to see just how bad the product really is. Up to you now Morris, video of you pumping a 150 psi, you could even be allowed to pre-pump to a 100psi with a track pump and finish it off to a 150psi with the iPump, take all the time you need :)

MNX1024
Posts: 299
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2011 1:21 am

by MNX1024

@sm4100 Guess you didn't need arm day the week you did the test? Also, how many inches of muscles did your arm grew after the test? :mrgreen: :lol:

mattr
Posts: 4671
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 6:43 pm
Location: The Grim North.

by mattr

I imagine the average hipster, with their iron grip (from riding far too short handlebars), immense arm power (from far too much self pleasure) and phenomenal arm speed (that pesky self pleasure again, combined with industrial quantities of strong coffee) would have no issues getting a tyre to 150 psi in no time at all.

I suspect that is where the majority of use/sales will be. Might sell a few to people willing to sacrifice (any) function for weight, but I'd be guessing they'll be borrowing pumps in the event of an actual puncture........

ipump
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2014 9:07 am

by ipump

love you guys!!! This is morris
Thanks for the great review!!!
first i have a question for you guys.
what is the most over designed and under used product in the world?
hint!!! you use one every time you have a cold drink in Mcdonals or Starbucks.
yes, it the plastic straw!!!!!
Try breaking one. Bend it a million times!!! chew on it and try to break it!!! Good luck!!! your teeth will fall out before you succeed breading the straw!!!
The iPUMPMICRO yellow hose is made of the same material!!!! GOOD LUCK BREAKING IT!!! The yellow hose is literally indistructable!!! Bend it as much as you like!!!!
The reason i chose yellow for the colour is because i love;
1. i love sunshine
2. i love sunflowers
3. the leader in tour the france wears a yellow tee shirt
Next , if you remove the Shrader/Presta adaptor, which i am sure almost none of you need. because you all use presta valves, that would bring the weight down 1 gram!!!
Since this is the first time i marketed this product on Kickstarter.com, I decided to OVER DESIGN THE IPUMPMICRO AND USED THICKER WALLS FOR THE CARBON FIBER PIPES. I will reduce the weight to ever below 21 grams for YOU weight weenies!!! Even below 21 grams!!!
Now last but not least!!!!
ARE YOU GUYS WEIGHT WEENIES AND ALSO WEIGHT PUSSIES????
You mentioned that up to 80 psi was relatively easy. I CAN GET IT UP TO 80PSI AND I AM OLDER THAN YOUR GRANDFATHERS!!!
I CAN REDUCE THE DIAMETER OF THE OUTER CARBON FIBER PIPE BY HALF. THAT WOULD MAKE THE PUMPING 4 TIMES EASIER!!!
THAT WOULD MAKE IT EASY TO PUMP UP TO 80PSI X4 =320PSI BUT YOU WOULD BE PUMPING 4 TIMES MORE!!!
IS THAT WHAT YOU GUYS WANT???? I WILL MAKE A SECOND IPUMPMICROMICRO JUST FOR YOU GUYS!!! AND IT WILL WEIGH ALOT LESS!!!
Now on the serious side. I have invented a snap on handle for facilitating pumping with the iPUMPMICRO which also doubles up as a tool for removing your tire and has allan ranches for removing/fixing your bicycle. I can send you a picture if you like.
would any of you be interested in such a handle?
next, i have made a pouch for storing the iPUMPMICRO and the spare tube and your tools which looks supper cool and which is supper light.
would that be an interesting product for you weight weenies?
Love you guys!!!
just try to imagine what life would be like without a bicycle?????
Morris the guy that is trying to make your bicycling experience a little better and a lot lighter!!!

sm4100
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2014 4:33 am

by sm4100

Hi Morris as you have just said your pump needs a lot of improvements and you just admitted. Thanks for taking the review and I really expect a version 2. Now regarding pumping hard as an old man that you are I can just conclude you might be single because you have enough time to improve your one-arm muscle. Maybe this is you

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Anyways... if you make the walls thinner it will fall apart when pumping or will be even less efficient for sure. Every material has its physical limits as we all engineers know, but lets wait and see you cheating miracles. Regarding weight even without the adapter it is above 21g as stated so please dont cheat youtself. 21g is 21g, 22.4g is 22.4g and you can weight yout pump in any digital scale that the number will be the same.

Finally is good to know that the material of the yellow pipe is cheap as I expected just confirm what I thought. If the pump was mine I would destroy the yellow pipe in seconds to prove you are wrong and you would give me another one but I can't do that. If you just bend the pipe it will not crack the very 1st time of course but will be marked and prone to bend in the same spot until start cracking and leaking just like a straw does but let's see what you can do with a version 2 or 3 as this v1 is far to be 100% effective and far to be practically good for anything above 70 psi. I really want to see a video with you pumping 90 PSI with a regular Ipump but please consult you doctor first as if something happen to you I have nothing to do with that.

And remember I have done the tests under exactly same conditions for all pumps and I have no reason for cheating the readers but you certainly do.

User avatar
BRM
Posts: 817
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 3:43 pm

by BRM

ipump

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:smartass:

MNX1024
Posts: 299
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2011 1:21 am

by MNX1024

This might be a conspiracy theory, but is ipump(the user) even Morris? Any chance that could be a person impersonating him trolling around to ruin his and his business' reputation? For the life of me, I just can't think of any reason a person would use such language and tone to defend their business/product if they want to succeed. Though, it could just be me over thinking this?

Butcher
Shop Owner
Posts: 1931
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 4:58 am

by Butcher

I'm waiting for the reverse engineering alien technology. I have tried many of times to 'will' the air into my tube when I forgot my pump. I'm still working on that. Maybe I should try Kickstarter.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



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