Spotlight: Arundel Shop Inflator
Spotlight is a new series on CyclingTips that we’ll be using to briefly showcase new products we’ve just received, and/or products that require just a short review. This regular and short-form tech coverage replaces our previous Tech Round-Up series.
The large bleed valve is a nice addition. 
The gauge goes up to 160 psi, and while that may seem redundant for most bicycle applications, it’s important to note that many air compressors will have line pressure around the 100-120 psi mark. 
Servicing the Shop Inflator is simple with a single rubber gasket inside the valve head. The tightness of the seal on the valve is determined by how tight the collar is. 
The Arundel Shop Inflator feels like a far lower-cost version of the EVT inflator. 
The Arundel Shop Inflator is similar in size to the EVT. However, note that the EVT head height is greatly redueced. 
Arundel may be best known for its bottle cages but the American company recently expanded into inflation accessories. The range includes a handful of different Presta pump heads and the Shop Inflator, the latter being a well-priced Presta-only inflator for use with any air compressor.
With a mostly metal construction and few moving parts, things are kept pretty simple with the Shop Inflator. The valve head is Arundel’s Woodsman push-on style valve head with a basic rubber gasket – not too different to the classic Silca head in function. There’s a convenient bleed valve made of brass, while the large analogue pressure gauge has a protective bumper.
It works well, too. Push on, inflate, pull off. Simple. That convenience makes it just as handy for generally inflating tyres as it does for seating stubborn tubeless setups. And while much of the build is similar to the CycloSpirit inflator found on Amazon, I prefer Arundel’s simpler push-on-pull-off head.
This inflator is one of the cheaper options on the market (especially compared to something like the EVT 3in1), however, there are some limitations that come with the low price. The Presta-only design may be quite limiting to some, while the tall valve head means it won’t fit in full disc wheels or similar tight spots. I also found that the 90º air shaft between the inflator and the valve head needs to be tightened firmly to stop it from undoing itself.
Similarly, the gauge is decent but not 100% accurate. At 80 psi on the gauge, it inflated the tyre to an actual 77 psi. And the tyre sat at an actual 37.7 psi when the gauge read 40 psi. This accuracy is easily comparable to the gauges on most floor pumps and is close enough for quick tyre setting, but if you’re precious about pressures then you’ll want to double-check riding pressure before heading out the door.
Price: US$60
More information: Arundelbike.com
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