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.
