SKS Air-X-Press 8.0 track pump review

The SKS Air-X-Press 8.0 is one of the cheapest track pumps on the market at £30, and after years of use in my garage it’s proved its worth.

Compared to pricier track pumps, the Air-X-Press is flexier and far less refined in use, but it represents great value for money and has proved fairly robust.

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The plastic construction is reasonably flexy when pushing higher pressures, though the two wide foot plates add stability when in use.

The shaft, as it enters the barrel, does wobble side to side a bit, but there’s no noticeable air loss and I feel this is forgivable.

With a fairly low volume, seating tubeless tyres can be tricky because you’ll need to pump fast to get enough air into your tyres, and the flexy construction doesn’t make this any easier.

The handle is also plastic, but well shaped and fairly comfortable, though I'd prefer it if the pump was longer because I find myself stooping a lot while pumping.

The head of the pump has separate holes for Schraeder and Presta valves, and a flip-lock to hold the head securely in place.

The flip-lock lever opens perpendicular to the head, which is different to most, but be aware that it pops open very fast – catch it on your nail and you’ll know about it.

The gauge is located at the base of the pump, with an orange needle over a black face that makes it easy to read from a distance. It goes up to 140psi, which should be enough for most users.

The hose isn’t the longest around, which can prove frustrating in use. Also, it doesn’t loop over the handle and is too long to clip in to the handle without the hose looping out a little, making it a less neat package than some competitors.

It's a great budget option though, and reliable to boot.