At this year's Sea Otter Classic, Topeak debuted a new range of higher-end gear intended for more discerning users such as their own Topeak-Ergon pro mountain bike team. More than 30 items are included in the collection, from pumps to tools to bags.
Pumps and inflators are perhaps the most interesting segment, with items such as the new Mega Morph, which takes the company's unique Morph mini-pump design and scales it up for travel use.
The single foot and top-mounted gauge both fold up tightly against the alloy barrel for a more compact profile and even the rubber-coated handle is truncated to better fit inside the included carrying case.
There's still a long flexible hose, though, complete with Topeak's locking and self-adjusting SmartHead. Total weight is just 1.1kg (2.42lb), making it a good fit for travel cases.
For portable use, there's the new RaceRocket MasterBlaster, whose fetching single-action design looks to be a close cousin of pumps from Lezyne – hardly a bad thing, at least in terms of functionality.
Inside the compact 18cm-long (7.1in) polished alloy body is an extendable hose and a thread-on head that works with both Presta and Schrader valves. Topeak will offer the RaceRocket MasterBlaster in five anodised colours, too, and total weight is just 85g (2.99oz).
More time-sensitive flat fixes will instead call on the cheekily styled CO2-Bra (say, 'cobra') – and yes, it does look like a venomous snake about to strike. The well-designed head works with threaded 16g cartridges and visually indicates when the cartridge is pierced and ready to use – or if it's empty – while a locking feature prevents unwanted discharge.
The cleverly designed head indicates the status of the cartridge and also protects against accidental discharge
In addition, the mounting bracket secures the inflator, an extra cartridge plus two tyre levers (all included), and it all gets wrapped up in a neoprene cover to protect from mud and water.
Tool highlights include the new Mini 9 Pro and Mini 20 Pro, both of which use Topeak's highly compact folding form factor but now with highly polished alloy side plates – in multiple colour options – and chromed chromoly bits for durability as well as a more premium appearance.
If what you need on the trail isn't included in either Topeak's Mini 9 Pro or Mini 20 Pro, you're probably in trouble
The lightweight Mini 9 Pro includes 2/2.5/3/4/5/6mm Allen wrenches plus a Phillips-head screwdriver and two tyre levers (one of which is steel). The Mini 20 Pro adds a T25 Torx bit, a cast chromoly chain tool, a flat head screwdriver, plus a few other handy items.
When it comes to bike washing or repair, Topeak's latest PrepStand Race adopts the popular Euro-style format where the bike is supported by the bottom bracket shell and front or rear dropouts. The sliding axle cradle easily accommodates front or rear quick-release sizes as well as 15mm or 20mm through-axles and it all folds up into a compact 95.5 x 22cm (38 x 9in) size for easy transport.
Unusual or fragile frame materials or shapes are easily accommodated on Topeak's PrepStand Race