If there is one thing every cyclist hates, it’s getting a flat tire. Not only can it ruin a ride but using a standard bike pump to inflate a tire can take a lot of patience and muscles. Electric pumps like the CYCPLUS A2 offer an interesting alternative to inflate tires. With a retail price of $48.99 and a compact size, the CYCPLUS A2 electric pump is portable and comes with multiple attachments that allow it to be used on bikes, exercise balls or cars. CYCPLUS also offers a few variations of the pump, the A3, A4 and A5 that offer slightly different features such as car lighter plug adapters. The main differentiating feature of the CYCPLUS A2 to the other versions is that it includes a bottle cage attachment to mount it on a bike. The electric pump also includes multi-functional features beyond inflation such as an integrated 80 lumen flashlight and can even be used as a power bank for other devices.
The CYCPLUS A2 is a compact and portable electric pump with multi-functional design features such as a flashlight and power bank.
| Rating | 8.0/10 |
| Retail Price | $48.99 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 362 (inflator), 26 (bike mount) |
| Likes | + Compact size + Power bank and flashlight functionality + Includes multiple nozzle attachments |
| Dislikes | – Very loud – Small battery requires frequent charging – Not as practical as manual pump |
| Where to Buy (US) | Amazon |
UNBOXING
The CYCPLUS A2 pump is shipped in a small cardboard box with simple white and black graphics printed on it. Inside the box you’ll find the following:
- A2 pump
- Detachable air tube
- USB charging cable
- Balloon / valve / ball attachments
- Plastic bike mount + screws + Allen key
- Velcro strap
- Fabric storage bag
The storage bag is a nice extra that makes it easy to travel or store the inflator.
FIT & FINISH
Visually the CYCPLUS A2 looks more like a portable speaker than an electric inflator. With a rounded pod style and smooth plastic finish, the inflator has a modern look particularly in the contrasting white/black finish we reviewed here.Note, it’s also available in an all black finish. The main giveaway that this is an inflator is the short removable hose at 6” with only half of it being flexible. The hose threads onto the top of the inflator but can also be stored in a recessed side slot when not in use. A standard toggle style inflator head is used to lock it in place and aside from having to avoid the hot first portion of the hose is easy to use.
Down the center of the inflator is the user interface which consists of a small LCD and four physical buttons. There is minimal branding on the inflator with the brand name printed in only one place – to the right of the display. The inflator is shorter in length than many micro hand pumps on the market but has a larger cross-sectional diameter to accommodate the integrated battery and electrical components. There are also two USB ports on the bottom of the inflator that can be used to charge the inflator or use the power bank functionality to charge other devices.
MOUNTING
The CYCPLUS A2 includes a plastic bicycle mount that allows the inflator to be mounted in place of a water bottle cage on a bike frame. This is a feature that isn’t included with the A3, A4, or A5 inflator models as the A2 is tailored toward cyclists. As a road cyclist who’s always looking to reduce weight on a bike, it seems a bit strange to carry an electric pump instead of a traditional compact CO2 inflator or manual pump. Even though the CYCPLUS A2 is smaller than most water bottles unless you’re a commuter who has a lot of flats, it doesn’t make that much sense to attach it to your bike. The mount works well as the velcro strap holds it firmly in place. Aside from weight, our other concern is the lack of water proofing on the USB ports which means water or dirt could easily damage the inflator. Instead, we found it useful to carry the pump in a backpack or in the car as a backup inflator.
USER INTERFACE
The primary interface of the CYCPLUS A2 is a small backlit LCD screen and four physical buttons next to it. It’s a simple display but well lit and easy to read despite the small size. Turning the pump on is as simple as holding the power button. Once the pump is on, the + / – buttons can be used to adjust the pressure. Holding the increment buttons down also quickly increases/decreases the value if you need to switch between bikes and cars. With the desired pressure set, a single press on the power button starts the pump. The pump automatically stops once the desired pressure is reached. This can be a bit confusing as the pump won’t turn on if the current pressure is higher than the desired pressure.
An additional ‘unit’ button also allows the pressure to be displayed in PSI, Bar, or KPA units. CYCPLUS has also incorporated two additional features into the inflator to make it more useful. Holding the ‘unit’ button turns on the 80 lumen flashlight. While it’s not as convenient as a flashlight, it’s bright enough to be useful. Additionally the CYCPLUS A2 can be used as a power bank to charge other devices. The function can be activated by holding the + button while the inflator is off which also shows ‘USB’ on the display to indicate the mode is active. However, with the 500 mAh battery of the CYCPLUS A2 it doesn’t have nearly as much capacity as traditional power banks.
INFLATING TIRES
The main appeal of the CYCPLUS A2 is that you don’t have to break a sweat to inflate tires. However with the compact design of the inflator reduces the amount of air pressure generated. That means it’s very loud and vibrates when active which can be especially startling the first time you use it. Once you get past the sound, it works fairly well whether you’re inflating your Presta valves or topping off car tires. It’s not as fast as a high quality floor pump such as a Topeak JoeBlow, so it does take some patience to use. CYCPLUS also is careful to point out the pump is not designed for trucks or larger tires, as it quickly heats up with use. The rigid portion of the nozzle hose in particular can be hot to the touch with prolonged use, so we recommend being careful.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the CYCPLUS A2 to be a compact and easy to use inflator. Despite the 150 psi limit, it’s smaller than even compact manual pumps and makes it easy to set and adjust pressure accurately. Even though the inflator is affordable, as cyclists we did not find it practical than a traditional bike pump. The relatively slow pumping speed and the fact that it’s too loud mean this is more of a fun gadget to own than a must-have for us. Beyond cycling, the CYCPLUS A2 is great to use around the house to inflate car tires or exercise balls with the various included adapters. The flashlight and power bank functions also mean it’s a bit easier to justify the inflator as it has a multi-functional design. With its small battery capacity, the CYCPLUS A2 isn’t a replacement for compressed air pump setup but works well for individual riders and around the house.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by CYCPLUS. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.
On 4/10/22 I purchased a Cycplus A2 portable compressor. Recently some of the segments of the digital readout are missing so that I can not read the pressure. I contacted Cycplus in China who first replied that items purchased on eBay are not good quality. When I said it was purchased new and all I wanted was information as to where I could get it repaired they said to contact the seller, however, the seller has not responded to my email. Does anyone have a suggestion as to where or how I could get it repaired.
Unfortunately you’ll probably be better off just replacing it. With most electronics these days, its cheaper to simply replace it than repair it (check with your local electronic repair shops). It sounds like you are already out of the 1-year warranty so you may want to consider buying a replacement.
I’d be more than happy to pay for the repair if they would send info on where I could do that. I’m disappointed that they do not support their products.