Fabric Premium track pump review

Fabric has expanded its range from its core saddles in the last couple of years and last year added pumps and lights to its inventory. It makes two track pumps, with the Fabric Premium version differing from the standard one in substituting a wooden handle and a plywood base with anti-slip surface for the standard pump's plastic and using a hose with a braided steel covering. It’s also £20 more expensive.

The pump’s barrel is smart and made of brushed aluminium, while the plunger is extra wide and doesn’t wobble around when extended. Some pumps have quite small gauges, but Fabric’s is one of the largest and easiest to read we’ve seen. The black lettering on white makes for good legibility too.

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The Fabric Premium pump’s braided hose is sturdy and should be durable. It’s long too, stretching over the top of the handle, where it’s secured in a grove, with the head sitting in a dock in the base when not in use.

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The adapter head is designed to work with both presta and schrader valves and is secured with a lever. It gives an airtight fit. The head is attached to the hose with a rotating joint, so it’s easy to avoid getting the hose twisted and to attach to the valve at whatever angle. Again, this aids use.

Pump action is efficient, with high pressures being reached without undue effort. Fabric quotes a maximum pressure of 140psi.

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I did find the base a bit small though. On flat surfaces, it was adequate, although you need to make sure the pump is balanced after use. But on uneven and loose surfaces, there’s a tendency to slip around or topple over. I’d have preferred to see a wider or three-point base.