Tested: Crankbrothers Klic Digital Pump with Burst Tank

The Crankbrothers Klic Digital floor pump with burst tank is the big dog offering from our brahs by the beach, designed to be the end-all to your tire inflating needs. The Klic digital features, you guessed it, a large, backlit digital gauge that moves in half-pound increments. The burst tank attaches to the pump base via magnets. The tank can be pressurized and used to pop the bead on troublesome tubeless setups. If you don’t feel like lugging the tank along, the pump operates all on its own whilst the deflated tank looks on from the corner of your garage.

Strength(s)

Solid build quality

Stable base

Magnets, bro!

Easy-to-read gauge in all light conditions

Slick design and storage with MORE magnets

Integrated system

Weakness(es)

Not priced for the meek

Lack of air bleed button

Handle could be a tad wider

Still not an air compressor

Highlights

Max pressure: 160 PSI (11 bar)

Warranty: 5 years

Magnetic hose attachment

Hidden hose in the body of the floor pump

Quick connect for gauge to be mounted to pump

Hose is magnetically held inside the pump

Tripod base for stability

Universal head for presta / schrader

Large digital gauge

Burst tank can be charged to install and inflate tubeless tires with ease

Tank is removable for easy transport

MSRP: $225 (USD) or $125 w/o Burst Tank

Initial Impressions

Unbox the pump and hold it steady in your hand, there’s quality here. The physical design and shape are unique, assurance that Crankbrothers did all of this on purpose. The tire gauge and hose hidden inside the pump assembly connect to a magnet inside, which also helps keep the pump in the compressed position for ease of storage at home or when tossing in the back of your rig.

Remove the gauge and it audibly clicks into place on the pump through the magic of more magnets. The burst tank can be used in the same magnetic fashion — just plop it onto the same mount that the gauge uses, then drop the gauge on top of the tank for a seamless, stacked, magnetized, Voltron-esque experience.

In Use

We had the Klic in the Vital testing labs for a solid three months. Much like the tag-along robot that it somewhat resembles, (http://pre01.deviantart.net/cd84/th/pre/i/2013/098/a/e/robby_the_robot_by_pyranose-d60tqev.jpg) it came everywhere with us. This was the go-to for every tire and wheel swap — we’re testing several currently — as well as a leaky wheelbarrow, and a not-manufacturer-recommended rear shock inflation. The CliffsNotes version is this: the Klic worked perfectly right up to the end of our test, which was when we ran into some hiccups. Keep reading if you want the deets.

The vast majority of the pump’s usage was as a regular floor pump, sans tank. Pulling and storing the gauge/hose in the pump’s body proved quick and was less effort that the typical draping and locking the hose over the top of the handle as so many floor pumps often do these days. To this point, the hose and the valve stayed in fantastic shape for the duration of the test. If one were averse to the full storage game, the hose is plenty long enough to just be draped into the pump body whilst the gauge is still attached to the body. Tripping hazard eliminated.

Because the Klic is designed to deliver large volumes of highly pressurized air via the burst tank, the valve interface is threaded to create a secure lock between the valve stem and pump. The flipside of this is that you must attentively thread the pump to your valve stem for even the mundane tire inflations or checks. It’s a bit like having to untie your shoes whenever pulling them off or putting them on.

When installing a fresh set of tubeless tires, the Klic blows enough air to inflate and set the bead without implementing the burst tank. We had a go of this with multiple different-sized tires, differing brands and several different rims. Each time, the Klic manually moved the air necessary to make it happen.

Use of the burst tank is pretty painless and can be accomplished in one of two ways. Option one is to install the tank to the pump via the magnets, thread the Schrader valve to the tank and start pumping away. Option B is to have the tank sit separate from the pump, thread on to the Schrader valve and start pumping away. In either case, make sure the activation lever on the tank is turned sideways for “off,” before unthreading from the valve. Crankbrothers recommends keeping the tank attached to the pump for filling on hard, flat surfaces, and detach it for filling on soft or uneven surfaces.

If the tank is attached to the pump, riders will just need to thread/unthread the valve at the end of the pump into the Presta configuration, thread that on to the wheel valve and flip the switch. BAM! Your tire is now inflated. Having the tank separate from the pump means adding the step of pulling the magnetized gauge from the pump and clicking it onto the top of the tank.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/MAxtAe3C4nQ

Here is a sexy little vid from Crankbrothers, outlining the pump in action.

Pressurizing the tank is not super speedy or for those lacking in triceps. It takes 40 pumps to get the tank close to fully full, about ten more pumps for the maximum 160 PSI. At around 35 pumps, things start to firm up, from there it’s a matter of digging in and earning those gains. At full pressure, the tank is good for one wheel. Riders will need to refill the tank for a second go or a second wheel.

Let us address the elephant in the garage, the price. We say this as a matter of observation that whenever someone found out the package price of the Klic Digital with the burst tank, reactions ranged from appalled to indignant. If the burst tank isn’t a selling point, then riders can get just the Klic Digital for a tidy $125. This is on par with any top shelf pump, which the Klic certainly is. The burst tank is therefore a $100 add-on. So, what options are out there should you want a top shelf pump and a burst tank? There are notably less costly options, but the burst tank is always present, meaning one must do some ancillary pumping before air pressure builds in the tank and starts moving to the tire. And there are even burst tank offerings from other brands in the $55 to $60 range, which saves some burrito and beer money. What riders won’t have should they mix and match, is an integrated system, You’ll also have one less magnet. The value add of all that is in the hands of the purchaser, but it is worth evaluating.

Things That Could Be Improved

Standard protocol in tire installation is taking the rubber to pressures beyond what is reasonable for riding. After some bead seating and bouncing, the tire is aired down before on-trail action. Assuming you don’t have a separate gauge for checking tire pressure, many riders will use their floor pump. This is where a bleed valve on said pump comes in super handy. The Klic does not feature such a bleed valve. Riders will need to let out air, then attach the pump (a.k.a. tie shoes) to check pressure, add air, or worse, need to remove more air. End of the world? No. Tedious? Yes.

Those that wear a size 9 or larger glove may find themselves at the outer fringe of the pump’s handles. Now, the handles do have a nice, almost pistol feel to them, but are a fair bit narrow. Another half- to three-quarter-inch of length would play well here and offer something more substantial feeling when taking that tank to 160 PSI.

Long Term Durability

After months of use bordering on heavy, the Klic showed no signs of weakness. No sealant buildup, no play in the pump interfaces, all the threads are holding strong and all engagement points are crisp. As an added bonus, the Klic has not become self-aware or tried to overthrow our shop. Cool beans.

However, as we were shooting the final video for the review, that super magnet on the pump body started to give out as we were filling the burst tank. Once we reached 140 PSI, the magnet would give out and the gauge interface would fly off. No air was lost from the tank, we simply picked up the gauge interface, clicked it back on, and proceeded to keep pumping. In both of our trials, after the gauge popped free at 140 PSI, it would hang on for about another pump stroke or two, then come off. We were able to reach 160 PSI, but only after repeatedly putting the pump back together.

What's The Bottom Line?

Many refuters to the Klic and its accompanying price tag are that one could purchase a pump and an air compressor for that sum, and those folks would be correct. That isn’t what the Klic is trying to accomplish, though. The privateer heading to the races for the weekend needs something portable and reliable. The Instagram wanderer that spends months on that van life needs the same versatile, compact solution. Perhaps you just live in an apartment and your shop is also your living room or balcony. This is where the Klic finds its niche. This is a solid piece of equipment that is highly reliable, carries a five-year warranty and is cleverly executed.

Visit www.crankbrothers.com for more details.

About The Reviewer

Brad Howell - Age: 38 // Years Riding: 25 // Height: 5’9” (1.75m) // Weight: 160-pounds (72.5kg)

Brad started mountain biking when a 2.25-inch tire was "large," and despite having threads, bottom brackets sucked. Riding in the woods with friends eventually lead way to racing, trying to send it at the local gravel pits, and working in bike shops as a wrench to help fix those bikes. Fortunate enough to have dug at the past six Rampages and become friends with some of the sport’s biggest talents, Brad has a broad perspective of what bikes can do and what it means to be a good rider. The past few years Brad worked in the bike industry and got to see the man behind the curtain. These days, though, he likes just riding his bike in the woods with friends.