Planet Bike Shockmate
By James Sharp

There are two schools of thought about mountain bike suspension. The first says that coil springs are the way to go. They have a linear spring rate, they are robust and they are fairly simple to make and maintain. The other school says that air is the ideal spring medium. It offers greater range of tune-ability and lighter weight. A new coil-sprung fork might need additional springs purchased to tune the ride to the rider. A new air-sprung fork will just need some more, or less, air. In order to add or remove air in a controlled manner, you need a good pump. This isn’t a pump that you would use in tires. No, this is made for the higher pressures – upwards of 200 psi – that air forks and shocks require. This is a low-volume, high-pressure pump. Planet Bike recently introduced just such a pump.

The Shockmate is Planet Bikes first shock pump. It features a swivel head, industrial gauge rated at 400 psi, alloy barrel, and bleeder valve. A couple of things set this pump apart from its competitors. First, it is among the few pumps that have the gauge molded into the body of the pump. This is great when trying to get the shock pressure up to 200+ psi as it give you a firm place to hold the pump. Other designs have the gauge attached by a smallish stem that can flex and leak when pumping (don’t ask how I know, just trust me on this). Second, the two-part anti-leak valve allows you to remove the pump without letting any air out of the shock. It’s a nice bit of peace of mind. The swivel head makes it easy to attach the pump to a rear shock, and still angle the pump body for easy inflation. The swivel hose made the Shockmate easy to pack, great for long rides when you might discover that your shock or fork isn’t set up right.

Summary: I found the Shockmate to be as easy, if not easier to use than any other shock pump I have tried. The gauge is as accurate as any and the molded in dial was easy to hold. The two-part valve is easy to use after... ahem, reading the instructions. Once done, however, it’s a no-brainer and does a nice job of keeping the air that you worked so hard for in the shock or fork. At $29.99 the price is in line with other decent shock pumps, and Planet Bike donates 25% of its profits to bicycle advocacy. I heartily recommend this pump to anyone with an air-sprung fork, or air-sprung shock.

James Sharp is a contributing editor for GearReview.com specializing in road biking, mountain biking and keeping the air pressure right in his fork and shock.

For more information, contact:
Planet Bike
P.O. Box 259267
Madison, WI 53725
E-mail: info@planetbike.com
www.planetbike.com