SKS Rennkompressor Review...

Cost: ~£50 (as of Oct 2011)

Rating: 5 / 5

Good Points: Solid, 5 year warranty, rated up to 230psi, will be around for years to come

Bad Points: Feet could be bigger, classic connector head not good with presta valves

Worth Buying? YES!!!

If you've never heard of the Rennkompressor, SKS are a german company who have been making the Rennkompressor track pump for over 75 years. Anything that's lasted this long in the cycling world has gotta be good right?

For starters, it's very typically german. Solid, efficient and it's probably going to outlast me (seriously). Whether you like the bright Orange colour or not, you're not going misplace this amongst the sea of blacks and greys that dominate other track pumps in the market.

One criticism I would level the the Rennkompressor, would have to be the connector head.
I got one with the old style connector head (click here for pictures and a little article), and to be honest it's pretty rubbish on presta valves. However, a quick email to SKS and they shipped out one of the new style heads free of charge. It took about 4-5 days to get to the UK, and fitting took all of 30 seconds. SKS have a well earned reputation for customer service, and I can see why. I've no doubt that they will look after you if you have any problems with this pump.

Once the new valve head was attached, it transformed the pump from merely good, to excellent. My old track pump was a cheap one from Lidl. It cost £5, and it worked which is about the nicest thing I can about it. It lasted a year before it developed a leak and it was time I invested in something decent. The difference between a cheap pump and a good pump is worth the cost.

It's rated up to 230psi (16bar). I run my road tyres at ~110psi, and this pump laughs at those pressures. Not a problem at all, and you won't t believe the difference between this pump and a cheap one.It could perhaps be a little more stable when pumping, but that's being very picky. The feet also fold up, should you feel the need.

The gauge gave accurate readings compared to my dedicated digital gauge.

It's not the cheapest pump around, but for a product of this quality, it's actually very cheap. There are a lot of very good track pumps around in this price bracket these days, and I'd say it's a testament to the Rennkompressor that it still holds its own after all these years.

Spares are easy to come by (though I suspect a nice email to SKS might pay dividends) and it comes with a 5 year warranty. Many manufacturers only offer 2 years, so I'd say the small amount extra (over less pumps) is worth the cost.

An absolutely superb track pump that's been around for over 75 years. Once you've found perfection, don't mess with it! I'm very confident this is the last track pump I'll need to buy. How about you?

Reviewed by Bike DIY on October 2011

FAQ

Q. What valves does it support?
A. Presta & Schrader (assuming you have a multi-head version).

Q. Where can I find SKS on the web?
A. They hide it away at: http://www.sks-germany.com/

Q. What alternatives are there?
A. Topeak Joe Blow, Lezyne, Silca Plus. All good pumps, but not as good as the Rennkompressor in my books.

If you found this review helpful, feel free to purchase the Rennkompressor from any of these stores. It helps keeps this site running.

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