CYCPLUS CUBE – Tiny Bike Pump
The electric air compressors are a popular choice for inflating bicycle tires. There are many electric pumps available on the market. However, most are not portable enough to take on a ride. CYCPLUS’ latest Cube portable bicycle pump is designed to change this. It is ultra-portable and can be carried in a jersey pocket. This review features an early look at CYCPLUS Cube. The Cube was recently released as part of an INDIEGOGO crowdfunding campaign. It has an early bird price at $69 and a retail price estimated at $79. The Cube, an electric pump compact enough to inflate both Presta and Schrader vales up to 100 PSI, is extremely small. The Cube’s integrated 300 mAh battery can be charged using USB-C in just 20 minutes.
Unboxing
The CYCPLUS Cube is packaged in a small cardboard box. In our preproduction version, it was missing branding and specifications. You can expect to find the following inside the box:
Cube inflator
Silicone cover
USB-C charging cable
For Schrader valves, metal insert + spare rubber insert
Instruction manual
To switch between Presta and Schrader nozzles, you will need to remove the nozzle cover, flip the rubber insert, and then add the metal insert. You will need to store the parts of the conversion somewhere safe, as they cannot be stored on the pump.
The CYCPLUS Cube not only is smaller than other mini-pumps on the market but it’s also smaller than most CO2 canisters. The Cube measures approximately 2.5 inches tall, 2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick. It can be easily carried in your hand or pocket. The Cube’s aluminum housing feels premium, with only a few exposed screws gluing it together. The Cube’s aluminum body has a silver metallic finish, and CYCPLUS logos. The Cube’s nozzle can be found on its side. It has a twist-on cap which can be easily removed to change between Presta or Schrader valve styles. The USB-C port at the top of Cube has dual functions: it charges the pump and also serves as an air inlet.
Cube’s interface is a single button with a rubber button that is slightly receded. The button’s status is indicated by a single press. The button is similar to the Magicshine Allty lights. It illuminates in three colors: red (under 50%), yellow (50-80%), and green (80-100%). This is a handy way to check the battery status and allows you check it before riding. The pump is turned on by a second press, and shut off by a third. The pump is quite loud and almost sounds like it’s humming as it inflates tires. The Cube does not have a pressure gauge so you will need to either touch the Cube or use a secondary pressure tester (i.e. You might consider something like the Topeak SmartguageD2x. The Cube can only hold 100 psi so you don’t need to overfill the tire. CYCPLUS claims that the Cube can inflate from 0-60 in a 700x25c in 60 seconds, while 0-80 takes approximately 80 seconds. Although it isn’t as fast as larger floor pumps like the Topeak Joe Blow, it’s much smaller and requires no physical exertion.
