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Sep 01, 2023

B'Twin Floor Pump 900 review

Can Decathlon’s highest-spec track pump compete above its price tag? This competition is now closed By Will Poole Published: August 31, 2023 at 9:00 am The B’Twin Floor Pump 900 is top of Decathlon’s

Can Decathlon’s highest-spec track pump compete above its price tag?

This competition is now closed

By Will Poole

Published: August 31, 2023 at 9:00 am

The B’Twin Floor Pump 900 is top of Decathlon’s four-strong track pump line.

Available in three colours, it’s listed at the time of writing as the Foot Pump 900 in the US, and by Decathlon in the UK as the Riverside Floor Pump 900.

Performance is decent, considering the affordable price, although the dark-coloured dial isn’t the easiest to read.

The B’Twin Floor Pump 900 stands 65.5cm tall when stowed and reaches 110.5cm at full extension.

It features 2cm of ‘bottom out’, giving a total stroke of 47cm. The base measures 25.7×12.5cm.

The 82cm hose has a dual head, offering Presta and Schrader compatibility via a directional locking lever.

An aluminium barrel is matched with a plastic handle and rubber grips, and the 48mm-diameter analogue gauge has an indicator for the target pressure.

The pump weighs 1,204g.

Despite the pump’s low cost, the dual valve head feels solid and stable. A tapered lever enables you to select between Presta and Schrader valves.

The 23.5cm-wide handle has a rubber coating and works well in smaller hands. I found the slightly ovalised handle cross-section comfortable to grasp.

The Floor Pump 900 took 29 strokes to achieve 50psi in a 700x40mm gravel tyre, 30 strokes to hit 20psi in a 29×2.4in mountain bike tyre and 21 strokes to get to 80psi in a 700x26mm road bike tyre.

These are modal figures taken from a number of attempts at each tyre size, measured with the same pressure gauge.

The gauge on this pump is relatively difficult to see, because of its black background with blue text.

Although the dial needle and target pressure indicator are orange, the graduations are very close together and not easy to see, given the gauge is built into the base of the pump.

This means the consistency of inflation won’t be particularly high from one use to the next.

Pumping is smooth and consistent, and I didn’t experience any heat build-up in the chuck or barrel.

The 47cm stroke will work for most people, not requiring full extension to generate pressure. The anti bottom-out feature helps shorter users, who can push through that for some extra travel when needed.

A pressed steel base is slotted for grip underfoot, and helps keep it clear of mud build-up should you use it on mucky days outdoors. It’s also domed to improve stability on soft or rough ground.

The hose originates from the base, with a length of 82cm meaning it won’t reach a valve on a bike in a repair stand, limiting practicality for some.

Hose storage is convenient, with retaining clips either side of the top collar and a guide in the middle of the handle. This effectively stops unwanted extension when the hose is stowed.

Decathlon’s B’Twin Floor Pump 900 is a good option if you’re on a tighter budget. It boasts good stroke length and easy valve selection.

However, it’s held back from featuring among the best bike pumps by its gauge. The lack of clarity will be a stumbling block for some users, making it difficult to hit tyre pressures accurately.

This pump was reviewed as part of BikeRadar’s 2023 pump review. The other pumps tested were:

Workshop manager

Will Poole is BikeRadar’s workshop manager. As a Cytech Level 3-qualified mechanic charged with running one of the busiest workshops in the UK, Will knows almost everything there is to know about bike setup and component configuration. He has ridden and raced road and mountain bikes for more than 25 years, and can often be found ripping up the trails of south Wales. Will is also a regular contributor to BikeRadar and our sister titles, Cycling Plus and Mountain Biking UK magazines, putting his experience as a rider and mechanic to use by testing the latest bikes and product to their limits.