Wolf Tooth Component’s 40cc EnCase pump is perfect for me. It holds my chain breaker and tire bacons (plugs) in the handle and, while I can’t count high enough* to tell you how many strokes it takes to inflate a 29×3″ tire to 12-14psi {front-rear}, the action is so smooth it really isn’t a painful process the odd time I need more-than-a-top-up or even a full re-inflation.
*{It’s a comparatively pleasant process, I just never miss a chance for some self-deprecating humour.}
Now, I find I loan out my pump at least ten times for every occurrence of my actually needing it. If I were any of my friends out there collecting frequent flatter miles, I would run WTC’s 85cc EnCase pump for much faster inflation. It’s 244mm long rather than my 40cc pump’s 141mm length, but the extra length is worth it if you’re choosing pressures low enough to test your carbon rim warranty while running lightweight tires and no inserts.
Today, WTC is launching a 25% smaller volume extra-mini {super cute?} EnCase option that’s a massive 21mm shorter than my first choice. At 120mm long, it’s one of the smallest mini-pumps on the market but with that beyond-smooth Wolf Tooth inflation action, it’s still not a chore to use.
It most certainly takes a bit more time to pump up my Plus rubber, but the biggest sacrifice in running the 30cc EnCase is that there’s no longer internal space for my chain tool. The handle is still hollow, and Wolf Tooth’s bacon spear and plugs fit perfectly, but I don’t ride my bike in the forest without a breaker.
That said, as riders continue to pare down their kit, this 30cc pump is the smallest good option to stick into frame storage (or bags) or tuck into a hip-pack. Even mounting the pump on {or in} a frame, using WTC’s inline mount, for example, the pump being 2cm shorter isn’t nothing.
Aside from the reduction in storage space, the 30cc EnCase pump includes all the features of the bigger versions, including right-to-repair small parts availability, easy at-home servicing, and their waterproof Enviro-Lock system for keeping crap out.
I’m not giving up my 40cc pump (and EnCase chain/plug tool), so performing a long and extra-long review series on this ultra-mini 30cc pump is going to fall to The Clairebarian. Between the quality of the manufacturing and the availability of small parts, I suspect she’ll still be using it to pump up tires trail-side, at least, a couple of decades from now.
In the much nearer future, I can’t wait for the first time some under-prepared adult asks us to borrow a pump and it’s my grom reaching into her hip pack to pass one over.
In the meantime, it’s an amortize-your-life product with pricing that matches the 40cc model. That’s US$65 for the pump and US$80 for the pump and bacon setup. I’ve listed the USD prices for consistency relative to our fluctuating Canuck Buck.
Bonus EnCase Musing
Maybe the 30cc EnCase is for you. I know a few friends who’ll likely be running them inside their frames by attaching them to the doors of their down-tube storage, mounted to the new Wolf Tooth inline mount. I mean, just think of the aerodynamic advantages!
For me, the pump that’s missing from Wolf Tooth’s lineup is the EnCase FATcc. No doubt the longer 85cc pump moves more air than the 40cc or 30cc versions, but rather than a longer pump, I want a fatter one. The folks at WTC are focused on their 70psi max pressure rating, making their pumps usable for a whole range of mountain, ATB, gravel, and groadie applications, but, between three riders, we don’t currently have a mountain bike chez MEATengines that’s running more than 16psi.
I’d love to see a Fat-tired EnCase inflator that moves a higher volume of air and maxes out at 30psi, or even 25psi. Give me a shot at remounting my Plus tires tubeless, and make easier work for someone mini-pumping their -2° GeoShifted Arctodus (or a TonTon) because they’re on 4.5″ Vanhelga tires year-round and running rigid {or hardtail} on some rough trails is the name of the game.
Maybe it’s just me?!
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