Lezyne is adding a new tier of top-end floor pumps to its range for 2014, all with digital electronic pressure gauges in place of the usual analog ones. According to Lezyne PR man Patrick Ribera-McKay, the new Digital Floor Drive pumps are not only accurate to /- 3 percent but they also read more consistently than traditional gauges thanks to automatic adjustments for temperature and altitude – plus the gauges can be retrofitted to other Lezyne floor pumps, too.
Battery life is an obvious concern but Lezyne claims at least a full year of run time with each replaceable CR2032 cell, thanks in part to an auto shut-off function. For now the new gauge just offers a more accurate reading, but an auto-pressure cutoff might be possible in the future.
The CNC Digital Drive
The flagship model will be the CNC Digital Drive with an aluminum barrel, cast aluminum base and extruded aluminum handle. Also included is Lezyne's clever reversible thread-on head with pressure relief valve and the add-on, Presta-only 'Speed Chuck' for a faster press-on interface.
All new for 2014 is the Shock Digital Drive, a full-height, suspension-specific, floor pump intended for shop mechanics, demo fleet managers and other heavy-duty users. While the turned wooden handle and sturdy base are shared with other Lezyne floor pumps, the smaller barrel puts out just one-third the volume, making it easy to achieve very high pressures.
Lezyne is also equipping the Shock Digital Drive with a new two-piece head that supposedly guarantees zero pressure loss when removing the pump. A two-stage bleed valve allows for precise tuning, too, and the head will also work with standard Presta and Schrader tire valves in a pinch.
The Shock Digital Drive is a suspension-specific floor pump
Expected in stores in August, the CNC Digital Drive will be US$129 while the Shock Digital Drive will be US$109.
Meanwhile, Lezyne has lowered the price point for its CFH combo mini-pump/CO2 inflator. The new Pressure Drive CFH features an alloy body, shaft and handle plus the same braided steel hose found on the company's higher-end models but composite end caps that bring the cost down to US$49.
Also included is a neoprene sleeve to hold up to two CO2 cartridges (or just the hose, cartridges and a tube depending on how it's configured) plus a water bottle mount for convenient storage. The Pressure Drive CFH should be in stores now.
The Pressure Drive CFH
Clever new lighting options
Lezyne also made improvements across the board to its expansive collection of LED lights with increased outputs and longer run times. A new battery supplier supposedly yields a more consistent discharge throughout the burn cycle while the power buttons now sport a three-step LED indicator to more precisely gauge remaining charge.
The top-end Mega Drive now jumps to 1,200 lumens, the Super Drive churns out 575 lumens, the Power Drive produces 475 lumens, and even the diminutive Mini Drive now yields a more useful 250 lumens (all claimed figures).
All new is the Deca Drive, which uses a cast aluminum body instead of the extruded and machined ones used elsewhere in the range. Three LED emitters produce a claimed 800 lumens on the highest setting and there are multiple modes available to suit the application. For example, one setting leaves the outermost LED emitters constantly on while the center one flashes for improved visibility.
The Zecto and Zecto Pro
Claimed run time is 1.5 hours on the highest setting and the USB-rechargeable Li-ion battery is easily swappable if you need to extend that further. Suggested retail price is US$159 with estimated availability in mid-July.
New on the visibility front are the compact – and versatile – Zecto and Zecto Pro models, both of which boast 180-degree viewing angles, USB recharging and a clever attachment method that combines clip-on and strap-on functionality in the same mount without having to add or remove any bits.
The US$49 Zecto Pro produces up to 40 lumens (front, high setting, claimed) from three LED emitters while the US$34 Zecto offers a more modest 20. Both should be available in stores around mid-July.
We're still waiting for official UK pricing and will update the article once it becomes available.