Bike mini pumps offer compact form factors that make it easy to carry on rides as a backup for roadside repairs. While there are plenty of mini pumps on the market, there aren’t that many pumps with built-in gauges like the Topeak Roadie DA G we have in this review. Topeak markets the DA G as one of their most compact and lightest dual action pumps with an integrated gauge. With a retail price of only $44.95 the DA G is an affordable and portable bike pump that is designed to only work with Presta valves. The pump is rated at 36cc volume per stroke with a 120 psi maximum capacity. Topeak has integrated a large and legible analog gauge onto the pump which lets you inflate your tires without having to guess the pressure.
The Topeak Roadie DA G combines a compact dual action mini pump with a large integrated gauge.
| Retail Price | $44.95 |
| Rating | 8.5 / 10 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 119 (pump), 19 (bottle cage mount) |
| Likes | + Compact size fits in jersey pockets + Dual action makes the most of each stroke + Integrated gauge eliminates guessing air pressure |
| Dislikes | – Low volume per stroke – Upper portion could be more ergonomic to hold |
| Where to Buy (US) | Topeak |
UNBOXING
The Topeak DA G mini pump comes directly attached to a cardboard backing with bright yellow and white branding printed on it. You simply have to unscrew plastic nuts on the back to remove the pump and mount from the cardboard and transfer it to your bike or jersey pocket. Topeak includes a simple plastic water bottle cage mount which has an elastic strap to hold the pump in place.
FIT & FINISH
In terms of dimensions, the Topeak DA G is only 8.6” long and about 1.3” in diameter. While this isn’t the smallest mini pump on the market, it’s still compact enough to easily fit in a jersey pocket or attach your frame. Topeak has constructed the pump using an aluminum barrel and thumbscrew while the other components are plastic. The large 1 1/8″ analog gauge protrudes out the top of the pump and is slightly wider than the pump barrel itself. Branding is limited to the Roadie DA_G printed on the barrel and the Topeak logo on the thumb lock.
As a part of the Roadie lineup, the DA G is designed to only work with Presta valves. You simply push the pump onto the valve and then flip up the thumb lock to seal the pump in place. As with other thumb lock designs, you’ll need to be careful not to catch your fingers when you release the lock as it snaps flat. What’s great about the DA G is that it’s a dual action pump which means you are inflating your tires as you extend and retract the pump body for more efficiency. Topeak lists the volume per stroke as 36cc which is on the lower side compared to Topeak’s larger pumps.
Topeak has also integrated a nice analog gauge into the body of the pump. It’s actually mounted on the same side as the valve insertion which seems counter intuitive initially but actually makes sense when you are using it on a tire. The gauge has a PSI and BAR display with a 120 psi maximum printed with large and legible font size. It’s a nice setup that mimics Topeak’s JoeBlow floor pumps and is easy to read. While you’ll probably run out of energy or patience to actually achieve the full 120 psi, with the gauge you’ll be able to verify you have enough pressure to make it home comfortably.
ON THE ROAD
With its compact size, it’s easy to slide the DA G into a jersey pocket or a saddlebag as a backup for roadside repairs. Testing the pump out on our 700×28 tires, we found it easy to attach to valves and lock into place without leaking air. Despite the dual action design that pumps air in either direction it still can take quite a while and force to inflate a tire to higher pressures. We found that once we exceeded ~70 psi it required quite a bit of force to inflate. Thanks to the large analog gauge, it’s easy to see your current pressure and get to a comfortable pressure for riding. As with any mini-pump it simply isn’t practical to get all the way to high pressures required by narrow road tires, we’d recommend a frame pump like the SILCA Impero for that. Instead, the Roadie DA G is great for inflating to moderate pressures or to use the gauge to check your current pressure.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Topeak Roadie DA G to be compact and well designed mini pump. The small dimensions of the DA G and presta-only design make it a useful backup pump for roadside repairs. We appreciated the clear and legible integrated analog gauge which lets you see exactly how much air pressure you have instead of simply guessing. The dual action design of the pump also makes the most of each stroke by inflating the tire in both directions. However, as with any pump it takes quite a while to achieve higher pressures and the upper portion of the pump isn’t ergonomic to hold while inflating tires. That said, if you are in the market for a compact bike pump with a gauge then the Topeak Roadie DA G is a good option.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Topeak. 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.