QICYCLE, THE PRESSURE GAUGE WITH BUILT-IN COMPRESSOR: IS IT REALLY GOOD FOR KART TIRES OR IS IT A RIP-OFF? THE REVIEW

Jacopo Colombo

14 March 2024 • 7 min. read

Compressors with built-in pressure gauges can be a real "game changer" for your track days. This type of product, in fact, allows you to pump air into your tires, increasing their pressure, even in those situations where a real compressor is not available. Will using these devices, however, guarantee you the same standards in terms of accuracy of the data measured as compared to the pressure gauges most commonly used in karting? To test this, we scoured the portal that offers the largest selection of these pressure gauges with integrated compressor (Amazon) and selected a high-end model (around 90 euros in price) that offers the best standards in terms of pressure adjustment range and accuracy class compared to other available products (as well as many other features, which could come in handy anytime). Finally, we tested it directly during a track day. How does it work? What were our impressions about its use? And how did it compare with one of the most widely used pressure gauges in international level competitions (such as WSK, FIA Karting...)? Find out in our review!

Editors' note
Managing tire pressure is a key aspect in order to achieve the best performance on the track. For more on this topic, read "Advice from the Experts | How to adjust kart tire pressure" and "Advice from the Experts | The right kart tire pressure? Pascal Cardinale reveals how to get it.")

What does it look like

The structure

The device we selected is from the QiCYCLE brand, a Chinese company specializing in E-bike production. Its dimensions (200.5 x 63.5 x 63.5 mm, Al x Lu x La) and weight (850 g) make it less manageable than classic digital pressure gauges (for example, the Longacre Semi Pro Digital Tire Pressure Gauge 0-60 psi, described in depth in the "Dossier | Guide to Buying Kart Pressure Gauges," weighs 400 g and has a circular body with a 63 mm diameter). It should not be forgotten, however, that in addition to the function of a pressure gauge, it also offers the function of a compressor. To accomplish the latter, the device needs a motor (in this case, 120 W), a cooling system and, most importantly, a power source, consisting of three batteries (each of 2600 mAh), which - according to the manufacturer's statement - allow continuous use of the device for about 35 minutes. Externally, at the top, we find a flashlight and the connection where the 350 mm long high-pressure air hose with Schrader threaded valve (the one we used for kart tires) is installed. The "control center," on the other hand, consists of a 4.4-inch backlit HD LCD display (which provides information about the detected pressure value, the value set for inflation, the battery charge level, and the inflation mode used) and five buttons. These allow you to turn the compressor on and off, set the desired inflation pressure, select one of the five available modes, and turn the flashlight on or off. Finally, on the base of the product, we find a USB-C port for charging the product and a USB-A port as an output for using the product as a power bank. In this sense, the QiCYCLE compressor can be compared, in terms of the amount of charge available, to a 5,000 mAh powerbank (to give a reference, one and a half charges of a smartphone), only that when used in this way it will neither be able to be put on charge nor used to inflate tires.