Discover the Best Mountain Bike Shock Pump [Review and buying Guide]

Mountain Bike Shock Pump
Table of Contents

For every commuter, mountain biker, and everything in-between, a mountain bike shock pump is an essential tool for keeping your tires full and safe to use in all environments.

If you’ve already begun your search for the best mountain bike shock pump, you may have discovered that the market is booming with an array of choices. From analog to digital, there are various options and designs for a product that you think wouldn’t offer so much diversity. No matter what your preferences are and your budget is, the key fundamentals include accuracy, ease of use, efficiency, and effectiveness. Let’s take a look at some of the winning pumps that made this list.

IMAGE PRODUCT DETAILS  rating price
Best OverallRockShox High-Pressure Bicycle Shock Pump RockShox High-Pressure Bicycle Shock Pump
  • Type: Analog
  • PSI: 300
10
Premium ChoiceSyncros SP2.0 Bicycle Shock Pump Syncros SP2.0 Bicycle Shock Pump
  • Type: Analog
  • PSI: 300
10
Best for a BudgetFox High-Pressure Shock Pump Fox High-Pressure Shock Pump
  • Type: Analog
  • PSI: 300
9
GIYO High-Pressure Shock Pump GIYO High-Pressure Shock Pump
  • Type: Analog
  • PSI: 300
9
Fox Racing Shox Digital Pump Fox Racing Shox Digital Pump
  • Type: Digital
  • PSI: 300
9
Topeak Pocket Shock DXG Pump Topeak Pocket Shock DXG Pump
  • Type: Analog
  • PSI: 360
9

Discover the Best Mountain Bike Shock Pump in 2021

RockShox High-Pressure Bicycle Shock Pump—Best Overall

RockShox High-Pressure Bicycle Shock Pump

We declare this RockShox product as the best mountain bike shock pump for many reasons. First, it focuses on accuracy, allowing you to reach the perfect amount of air: a quality that might be important for beginner riders. In fact, you can receive accurate pressure read-outs with every use.

Furthermore, the pump has a 300 PSI maximum, making it highly versatile for an array of bikes and different users. And it’s durably constructed with low volume but high pressure so that your bike’s suspension system is improved and you don’t experience flat tires on your rides.

RockShox designed this bike pump with a bleeder valve that helps with pressure adjustments. This works by bleeding out excess air from over-pumping—a feature that newbies might find useful. Not to mention that this item is easy to read and use. In fact, the handle provides comfort and allows for accurate use, which might be essential if you’re a beginner or fixing your tires in the cold.

Pros

  • The bleeder valve allows excess air to escape
  • A reputable bike company designs it
  • It delivers high pressure at low volumes, helping to prevent excess air

Cons

  • It only has a maximum PSI of 300

Syncros SP2.0 Bicycle Shock Pump—Premium Choice

Syncros SP2.0 Bicycle Shock Pump

This Syncros product is another top mountain bike shock pump you may want to consider. Crafted with precision, this bike pump prides itself on high-quality and making your life a little easier. In particular, it’s equipped with a 360-degree rotating hose that allows you to move the unit to the perfect angle for your comfort levels and precision.

It’s also easy to facilitate, making it suitable for beginners, while experienced cyclists will receive the effectiveness and results they’re looking for. Furthermore, it can inflate to 300 PSI, allowing it to be used on various bikes. And the pump comes with a release button when you’ve pumped up your tires, which helps to reduce excess air from escaping.

In fact, when you unscrew the shock pump from your bike tires, the rotating knob allows for precision air bleeding, which allows you to obtain the exact air pressure in your tires you’re looking for. In addition, the ergonomic gauge housing offers a firm and secure palm support to provide efficient inflation.

Pros

  • The integrated handle allows for protection and a locking system
  • Its rotating knob offers precise air bleeding
  • The ergonomic gauge provides a comfortable and secure hold

Cons

  • It’s heavier than some other products on this list

Fox High-Pressure Shock Pump—Best for a Budget

Fox High-Pressure Shock Pump

For a budget-friendly bike shock pump, we’re certainly impressed by its features. It’s designed to combat all problems you may experience with air pressure and offers a reliable 300 PSI gauge. And this shock pump is easy to use, thanks to the plunger-style pump handle that fits ergonomically in the palm of your hand.

This pump is also convenient to take with you on the go. Its small and lightweight design allows you to store it in a backpack or attach it to your bike while you’re cycling, so you always have it to hand in emergencies.

During use, this Fox High-Pressure Shock Pump allows for accurate measurements and readings, and it also offers minimal leaking of excess air. In fact, the Schrader slow-bleed valve prevents this from happening, so your bike’s tires remain pumped and ready to go.

Finally, making adjustments during use is an easy task, as this bike shock pump comes equipped with an easy-to-adjust PSI system. This is ideal should you accidentally install the incorrect number or wish to switch the pump to a new bike.

Pros

  • The pump offers minimal air leaks
  • It has a small and lightweight design that’s convenient for portability
  • The slow-bleed valve reduces any inaccuracies

Cons

  • Some users found it hard to pump air into their tires

GIYO High-Pressure Shock Pump

GIYO High-Pressure Shock Pump

The GIYO shock pump is compatible for use on mountain bike’s air fork or rear suspension. And it features a unique no-air nozzle that prevents the pump from leaking too much water. In fact, this pump comes with a lever lock on the head to avoid this from happening.

Furthermore, the bike shock pump has an 11 high-pressure shock and tire pump with high pressure or high volume options. And its clear analogue panel shows a maximum pressure up to 300 PSI, and with a micro-adjust button, it’s easy to connect and disconnect the bike shock pump before and after use.

It’s slightly bigger than other pumps on this list, making it ideal when you’re taking with you on short mountain brides. And its length of 9.8 inches makes it great for holding with both arms. In fact, it reduces the amount of force you have to use for internal pressure.

Finally, the pump’s main material is rubber that makes up the majority of the handle. This material helps to keep in the insulation and cushion vibration as you’re going through the pushing and pulling motions.

Pros

  • The rubber material is great for preventing slips
  • Its length is ideal for holding with both arms
  • Its no-air nozzle prevents air from leaking

Cons

  • Weighing 8.5 ounces, it’s heavier than some other pumps

Fox Racing Shox Digital Pump—Best for a Digital Display

Fox Racing Shox Digital Pump

This foldable bike shock pump is ideal for storing in your backpack while you’re on the go. In fact, its petite design also makes it suitable for those with small hands. Again, this digital pump showcases the PSI clearly and accurately on display, so you can obtain the detail you need. And with this device, you can dial the PSI to 0.5 PSI.

Besides, this shock pump reads in various measurements, including PSI, BAR, and KG/CM2. Therefore, you can choose a detail that’s right for you.

Overall, it’s developed for easy use, and its digital panel gives you an exact pressure setting to make rear shock set up simple. And it also comes with a replaceable battery that makes it suitable for long term use.

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Pros

  • It features increments in 0.5 PSI measurements
  • The display reads in various measurements
  • Its replaceable battery makes it great for everyday use

Cons

  • Some reported that the display wasn’t always that accurate

Topeak Pocket Shock DXG Pump—Best for a High PSI

Topeak Pocket Shock DXG Pump

Finally, this Topeak bike pump features an easy-to-read dial gauge for accurate pressure readings with a maximum of 360 PSI: the highest on this list. And the air release button and pressure-rite connector eliminates air loss when disconnecting. Therefore, your bike’s tires remain fuller than ever. Furthermore, the flexible hose takes stress off the valve stem when you’re pumping.

Moreover, the bike shock pump has a dual-density polymer handle that makes it suitable for vigorous pumping and comfort.

Pros

  • It offers a maximum of 360 PSI
  • Its aluminum body is durable and lightweight
  • The pressure-rite connector eliminates air loss

Cons

  • Some said that it requires

Buying Guide

To help you discover the best mountain bike shock pump, we’ve focused on three important factors below. Take a read below to help you find the right product for you from the options above.

Digital vs Analog

When looking for the best bike shock pump, you’ll be faced with choosing between a digital and analog version. The first thing to understand is that there’s no difference between how these two styles operate; it just affects how you read and follow the data.

Digital displays enable you to read the gauge more accurately, and at a glance, so you can achieve the exact pressure levels you’re looking for. But with this benefit comes a flaw: the shock pump will require batteries, making the unit heavier and more expensive. Plus, it’ll require some maintenance and back-up batteries for emergencies.

On the other hand, an analog bike shock pump doesn’t require batteries, and thus, is cheaper to maintain. However, it might be difficult for some bikers to read and understand the information without the screen. But for experienced riders, this shouldn’t be a problem, and it reduces the overall upfront cost of the bike shock pump.

When choosing an analog bike pump, consider the maximum number of psi that can be displayed. Ideally, it should go up to 300 psi, making the unit robust enough to handle an array of pressure settings, making it highly versatile.

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How Important is Accuracy Anyway?

Gauge accuracy can increase the bike pump’s overall cost, but the good news is that repeatability is the most important factor. This means that each time you use the same bike shock pump, it doesn’t matter if 90 on your gauge is 90 by lab standards. Instead, what matters the most is what this air does to your bike’s suspension.

Over time, a bike shock pump will naturally lose its accuracy and repeatability, which can lead to many challenges for bike owners. But, so long as the pump releases air into your bike’s tires, it’s worky efficiently, and the gauge is primarily a tool to help. So either way, you’ll end up getting the desired outcome—even without a gauge at all.

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Pressure Loss When Unscrewing

Ideally, your bike’s tires won’t lose any air when you unscrew the shock pump. The best mountain bike shock pump on the market won’t allow this to happen, but it could occur not just due to the product’s quality, but how you operate it.

Several factors can contribute to air loss when unscrewing the pump, such as purchasing a low-quality pump that isn’t equipped with a firm seal. Hair, dirt, or damage can also cause air to seep through the valve, resulting in pressure loss.

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The Winning Bike Shock Pump

We hope you enjoyed this mountain bike shock pump review and now have some more knowledge and insight about the various designs available. If we could only recommend one product to you, it’d be the RockShox High-Pressure Bicycle Shock Pump. This item primarily focuses on accuracy that allows it to deliver a sustainable amount of air in low volumes. Plus, it uses a high-pressure system that quickly and efficiently pumps air into your bike’s tires.

It’s also a budget-friendly option that’s suitable for beginners, thanks to its easy-to-reach analog system and user-friendly handle that’s comfortable to operate.

Alternatively, the Syncros SP2.0 Bicycle Shock Pump makes an excellent runner-up. It features a 360-degree rotating hose so you can move the unit to the perfect angle for optimum comfort and efficiency. Furthermore, this bike shock pump is also equipped with a release button as you pump the tires, helping to prevent excess air from escaping.

About The Author

daniel in queenstown with mountain bike

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