CYCPLUS AS2 Pro reviewed: electric, precise and compact—is this the bike pump for the 21st century?

The first bicycle pump was invented around 1887. It featured a simple hand-operated design consisting of a cylindrical tube with a plunger that forced air into tyres. For decades, bike pumps—the good ol’ floor pump in particular— changed very little. Sure, they’ve become more efficient, more ergonomic, and certainly more compact but at their core, they changed little in design and remain manual tools.

It wasn’t until the advent of compact, rechargeable lithium-ion battery technology that the humble bicycle pump took a significant leap into the future with the so-called e-pump. An electric mini pump—or e-pump—is a sleek, battery-powered device that delivers portable, precise, quick and hands-free tyre inflation. Less than half the size of your smartphone, e-pumps are finally bringing the bike pump into the 21st century.

Some will scoff at yet another battery-powered replacement for a straightforward and generally reliable analogue tool —Great, yet another thing I have to charge! Do we really have to overcomplicate everything? Are we really so lazy that we need a motor to pump up our tyres? But e-pumps are quickly gaining traction, and I was happy to put one to the test.

While CO2 cartridges also offer speedy, powerful and portable inflation, I’ve never been a fan. Their one-shot nature is wasteful and lacks precision, you cannot fly with them, they can be unreliable and, if I’m being completely honest, can be a little scary to handle. The e-pump on the other hand, promises similar advantages with alleged fewer downsides.

CYCPLUS AS2 Pro

Chinese electronics brand CYCPLUS has been active in the e-pump market segment for several years and is recognised for its contributions in popularising portable e-pumps. It currently offers three models of mini e-pumps: the 97-gram AS2, which forgoes a display and pressure gauge in favour of size and weight; a long battery life and beefier version called the AS2 Pro Max; and the AS2 Pro, which is the focus of this review. All three models sport a compact design – small enough to fit in a handlebar bag or jersey pocket, automated inflation, USB-C rechargeable batteries and support multi-purpose use.

As the mid-tier option, the AS2 Pro balances size and portability with inflation speed, a digital display, accurate pressure settings and an auto shut-off function once the desired pressure has been reached.

The AS2 Pro - Specs

• Size: 73mm x 34mm x 34mm x 52mm
• Claimed weight: 129g
  • Actual weight on my Park Tool scale: 138g pump + silicone case
• Inflation speed: From 0 to 80 PST in 50 seconds
• Max pressure: 120 PSI
• +/- 1 PSI pressure precision
• Autostop when desired pressure is reached
• 30-minute fast charging
• LED display
• Battery life: 4 x 80 PSI for 700 x 25cc tyres
• Battery: 420mAh 7.4V 3.11Wh
• Charging port: USB-C
• Price: $109 /£89

Inflating times and battery life

CYCPLUS AS2 Pro in use

Initially, I saw the mini e-pump as a travel companion —perfect for those moments when you find yourself at a hotel, crouched on the floor, tediously inflating tyres with a small hand pump. However, the AS2 Pro proved its worth beyond travel and graduated from my travel kit to my handlebar bag for more regular use. Here's why:

The AS2 Pro is pleasantly compact. It's about the size of two large CO2 cartridges and weighs in at 138 grams, with the silicone protection sleeve installed.

In addition to the silicone sleeve, the inflator comes with various accessories, including a USB charging cable, valve adopters, a ball needle and a hose extender. I don't generally need to carry these accessories around, but they make the AS2 Pro a versatile tool. I have, incidentally, used it to pump up my car tyres—which it managed to do a whole lot faster than I would have with a floor pump.

The e-pump is powerful and speedy, and the operation is pretty straightforward.

The body has three buttons: the top one is an on/off button, and the + and - buttons allow you to control the desired tyre pressure in PSI.

You simply hold the top button for a few seconds to turn on the device. Once the LED display turns on, use the lower two buttons to set your desired PSI — up to 120 PSI.

You start the pump by hitting the top button again. You'll know the pump is going by the loud noise and vibration of the unit. The pump will automatically shut off when the desired pressure is reached. Note that if your tyre is not completely flat, CYCPLUS recommends starting the pump before attaching the pump to the valve.

In using the pump, gravel tyres have taken only around 30-40 seconds to inflate to my desired PSI. 28mm road tyres, when fully flat, take closer to 40-50 seconds. A top-off or post-flight inflation takes mere seconds.

A good CO2 pump may still be the lightest and fastest way to inflate your tyres, but the e-pump is far more accurate, reusable and precise. The auto-off function is especially nice. Plus, you can fly with the device.

There aren't many instances where I'm inflating a completely flat tyre, beyond the initial tubeless installation. As such, I've been able to get 4-6 uses out of the device before throwing it on the charger. For estimated battery life based on various tyre sizes and pressures, please consult the table above.

Once the e-pump has been charged fully once, every subsequent charge takes only 30 minutes.

The biggest downside to the device is how loud it is. It's startling enough that I would feel comfortable pumping up my tyres late at night in a hotel room, shared house or campsite.

The battery has been perfectly fine in my two months of use, but any battery-operated device has the potential to fail. Thus, for remote excursions or multi-day bikepacking trips, I still wouldn't feel comfortable leaving my hand pump at home.

Finally, I struggled a bit with using the e-pump on alternate valves like the coreless Muc Off’s Big Bore. You have to keep a firm grip on the pump to avoid the air from rushing out before you can close the valve.

Value & Verdict

The CYCPLUS AS2 Pro mini e-pump delivered with its combination of portability, precision and convenience, making it an attractive alternative to traditional hand pumps and CO2 inflators. Its compact size, straightforward operation and speedy inflation make it a practical addition to any cyclist’s toolkit, whether it's for roadside fixes or bike travel.

Its noise level and reliance on a rechargeable battery might not suit every situation and so I don't see the AS2 Pro fully replacing my handpump use, but it has proven to be a reliable and practical tool for regular riding.

At $109 /£89, the AS2 Pro is rather expensive—not just compared to hand pumps and CO2 inflators but also when measured against the average price of other electric bike pumps on the market.

That said, this market remains relatively niche and consists largely of lesser-known Chinese brands. CYCPLUS is by no means a highly recognised brand either, but its products are consistently well-reviewed, and the AS2 Pro is no exception. With its reliable performance, valuable pressure gauge and compact size, the AS2 Pro is certainly worth considering despite the premium price.