The Sapphire floor pump is Crankbrothers' no-frills entry to the track pump world. Nevertheless it’s stable, hefty and well built, featuring a universal head and a mostly steel construction. Whether you ride gravel or downhill, the Sapphire is a capable and versatile volume-shifter – so long as your eyes are up to reading that gauge.
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Both the base and barrel of the Sapphire are made of steel, which means the vital bits of the pump are built to last.
The plastic used for the handle doesn’t feel quite as sturdy, however, though it does have a decent grippy texture molded into the top and storage inside for the needle and bladder attachments. I found it incredibly difficult to get the covers off, however, so I’ve had to leave them rattling about inside...
The base is really stable thanks to its width, and the diamond plate not only looks cool but also offers good grip for your foot next to that big pressure gauge.
While the gauge is large, the units aren’t as visible as some competitors thanks to small text, colours that just don’t pop out significantly and a needle that's hard to see in shady conditions. An adjustable indicator on the bezel would help here, but unfortunately there isn’t one.
It’s a fairly efficient pump which can seat tubeless setups OK, but prepare yourself for a workout. The action is predictably smooth and the auto-adjust head locks onto valves reliably and confidently. The locking lever has a very solid clunk and the head itself offers plenty of contact area, giving you enough leverage to counter any potentially valve damaging forces.
For the money, the Crankbrothers Sapphire is much pretty bang on. It’s slightly more efficient than entry-level pumps from other brands – and it’s noticeably more stable – but the trade off is that difficult-to-read gauge. If that doesn't bother you, the Sapphire is a durable pump that should give you years of solid, unfussy service.
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