BV Bicycle Ergonomic Review
Our Verdict
Our Analysis and Test Results
The BV Bicycle Ergonomic is a decent and reliable bike floor pump for a good price. The gauge is not our favorite, and the attachment head has a minor flaw that detracts from this pump's overall score, but it is otherwise well made and easy to use.
Performance Comparison
Ease of Attachment/Detachment
The Ergonomic has a dual-sided head, Schrader on one side, Presta on the other. It forms a remarkably secure seal and produces minimal air leakages, both excellent attributes. However, the locking mechanism is very stiff and difficult to secure, which detracts a little from its score in this metric. Additionally, we found that it was possible to push too hard to secure the head, and this caused the tire to expel air rapidly. The up-side is that, unlike other pumps, you really don't need to push the head on too hard to get an excellent seal. We doubt this would be a repeat issue.
In short, for the most important attributes within this metric — the security of the seal and minimal air loss — we loved this pump head, and we would give it a top score if not for the darn stiff lever that clamps it in place.
Stability
The Ergonomic has a relatively small and disappointing base. It has just two feet for side-to-side stability and a little triangle that juts forward, adding minimal fore/aft stability. On uneven ground, this was a very poor performer. If you typically pump your bikes inside or on a flat, level surface, this may not be an issue. The rest of the pump is relatively well made, so this isn't necessarily a deal-breaker for everyone.
Inflation
This pump inflated our tires from 20-80psi in 33 strokes, a fairly average performance for this review. This is a few more strokes than some of the award winners but provides a reasonable blend between pumping efficiency and ease of pumping at higher pressures. Overall, we were pleased.
Accuracy
The Ergonomic is a spectacularly accurate bike pump. What really makes this pump shine is that there is little-to-no air loss when dismounting the pump head, meaning that the pressure registered on the gauge when you stop pumping is what is actually left in the tire after unhooking the pump. We verified this with a separate pressure gauge. Impressive results!
Gauge
This pump does not have a highly competitive gauge. On the smaller side, the numbers are on a white background and recessed inside the gauge in a way that makes them rather hard to read. However, there is a helpful red arrow to mark your goal pressure, which makes it much easier to reach your pumping goal without too much squinting.
Value
This pump is a pretty good value. It has a few design flaws and limitations, but it is also on the more affordable end of the spectrum, making it a reasonable choice for less-avid cyclists, those on an accessory budget, or for a backup pump for cycling enthusiasts.
Conclusion
The BV Bicycle Ergonomic is a good pump for the price. It has a couple design flaws that make it out of reach of an award, but it is otherwise reliable and well made. The attachment head's clamp is very stiff and difficult to operate, which is a bummer because we really like this aspect otherwise — it easily achieves an impressive seal and does not lose much air on the dismount. However, the gauge is harder to read, and the base is less stable. Still, this is still a decent overall pump for the price.