Review: Wolf Tooth EnCase Hand Pumps &#8211; Hidden Pleasures

We got our hands on the latest from Wolf Tooth: its all-new EnCase Hand Pumps (40 cc $64.95, 85 cc $69.95), announced today. A few of our team members have had these in our packs and strapped to our frames for a month or so and pulled together a review. Read on for John’s take on these nifty pumps…

We love dual-purpose products. Like the OneUp EDC pumps Morgan reviewed in 2018, these EnCase pumps allow you to store EnCase tools inside the pump, rounding out Wolf Tooth’s EnCase catalog. Typically designed to fit inside your handlebar ends, EnCase offers storage solutions for things like Allen key bits, chain breakers (plus tire plugs), spoke wrenches, and more.

If the goal is to store all your ride necessities inside your bike frame and components, EnCase is your ally.

The EnCase Pumps build upon this methodology with two clever use cases. First, they’re solid, functioning, and capable pumps. Second, you can store a Wolf Tooth EnCase system inside the pump. The smaller pump (40 cc) holds one EnCase bar kit (i.e., Hex Bit Wrench or chain breaker and a tire plug tool), while the bigger pump (85 cc) can fit both EnCase multi-tools or the EnCase Tire Plug Tool.

Encase Pump Quick Hits

Designed for gravel, mountain, and fat bike tires
Two pump sizes: 40 and 85 cc
Retail: $64.95 / $69.95
Designed and assembled at Wolf Tooth in Minnesota, USA, from Taiwan-made components. Learn more about Taiwanese manufacturing.
The pump head is placed directly on the valve stem; no screw-on hose is required
Compatible with Presta valves only
Bottle cage mount included with pumps (pairs exceptionally well with Wolf Tooth B-RAD Bottle Shift)
Pumps available with and without EnCase System multi-tools
Max pressure is 70 psi
EnviroLock sealing protects pump internal components from water, sand, mud, and debris
All individual components are sold individually via Wolf Tooth Right to Repair

The 40 and 85 cc sizes offer plenty of power for mountain, gravel (tested) tires, and reportedly fat bikes (untested). Each pump operates with an EnviroLock sealing that you must lock and unlock when you use them. A waterproof seal protects the internal components from water, sand, and trail debris. That means you needn’t worry about mud or grit affecting pump performance when you store the pump on the side of your frame exposed to the elements.

Making use of the “dead space” inside the 75 cc pump is super smart, and being able to carry almost all of the tools you need for a ride inside the pump makes this a no-brainer.

Josh and I have both been using these pumps throughout our spring rides. My experience is best summed up on a wet and soggy ride where I put three holes in a tire and had to pump it back from practically flat. What was nice about the 40 cc pump is I was able to pump a 2.4″ mountain bike tire from flat back to operating pressures around 20 psi within a quicker-than-anticipated time for a small handheld pump.

I noticed that getting higher-volume tires pumped to higher pressures, like 25+ psi, takes considerable time with the 40 cc pump. Josh reported that the 85 cc pump hit higher pressures on larger tires better. Neither Josh nor I attempted to pump a tire up to 75 psi because neither of us has bikes that accommodate that ridiculousness.

My favorite part about these pumps is there’s no hose to screw onto the pump, nor do you have to screw on a hose fitment to the valve stem. The EnCase pump head slides over the Presta valve and forms a solid seal. I’ve had countless valve cores loosen from using the screw-on hose-style pumps.

Pumps are one of those things that you don’t think about until you need to use it and in my opinion, the smaller the better. I toss the EnCase pump (size 40 cc) into my frame or hip bag before each and every ride.

Pros