Topeak Shuttle Gauge Digital - Review
How do you usually check your tire pressure? Do you go by feel, relying on those finely calibrated meat paws, or do you pull out a trusty gauge in order to make sure you've got exactly the right amount of air in there? Topeak's Shuttle Gauge Digital is aimed at the latter crowd, with a digital readout capable of measuring tire (or shock) pressure down to .5 psi. A swiveling head makes it easy to read the LCD screen, and there's a bleed valve on the back side to let off any excess air pressure without needing to remove the gauge.
The Shuttle Gauge can also be attached to a pump, whether that's to provide more accuracy than the dial-type gauges typically found on floor pumps, or to impress your friends with your trailside tire inflation precision.
The Shuttle Gauge can also be attached to a pump, whether that's to provide more accuracy than the dial-type gauges typically found on floor pumps, or to impress your friends with your trailside tire inflation precision.
Shuttle Gauge Digital Details
• Measure pressures up to 300 psi / 20.7 bar
• Rotatable head
• Can be attached to floor or hand pump
• Auto-off function
• Weight: 102 grams
• MSRP: $64.95 USD
• www.topeak.com
• Measure pressures up to 300 psi / 20.7 bar
• Rotatable head
• Can be attached to floor or hand pump
• Auto-off function
• Weight: 102 grams
• MSRP: $64.95 USD
• www.topeak.com
Capable of measuring up to 300 psi / 20.7 bar, and powered by one CR2032 battery, the Shuttle Gauge Digital retails for $64.95 USD.
The display can be switched between psi, bar, and kilograms-per-square-centimeter.
An aluminum lever is used to lock the device into place, and there's a bleed valve on the backside above the battery compartment.
Performance
Operating the Shuttle Gauge is about as straightforward as it gets – push it over the valve, rotate the aluminum lever to lock it into place, and bingo, you now know how much pressure is in your tire. Too much air? There's a small button on the backside of the device to bleed off any excess.
Using the gauge with a pump is a little more involved, but it's still not exactly complicated – one side fits into the pump, and the other receives the tire valve. The male end of the gauge, the portion that goes into a pump, can either be set up to simulate a Presta or Shrader valve via the included adapter. It'll depend on the pump you're using, but I found the fit was more secure in the Shrader configuration – the wider valve helped reduce the amount of wobbliness.
In all honesty, I found attaching the gauge to a pump more hassle than it was worth. I preferred to inflate the tire, remove the pump, and then check the pressure with the gauge. Having the double-stack of gauge and pump head seemed unnecessarily complicated to me.
The Shuttle Gauge can be attached to a mini-pump for the most accurate flat fixes ever.
The Smart Gauge is on the left, and the Shuttle Gauge is on the right.
Topeak Shuttle Gauge vs Smart Gauge D2
For the last month or so I've been switching back and forth between Topeak's Smart Gauge D2, which I already had in my toolbox, and the Shuttle Gauge, in order to see which one I preferred. Here's the quick rundown:
Ergonomics / Operation: Ask any mechanic – the way a tool fits and feels in your hand is a crucial detail, especially if it's something you'll be using nearly every day. The rectangular shape of the Shuttle Gauge is a little odd, especially the depression where the battery sits – at first I thought that there was a part missing, but that's just how it's designed. It doesn't feel as natural in my hand as the Smart Gauge, and the addition of the locking mechanism means that it takes two hands to operate.
The Smart Gauge emits an audible “beep” once the tire pressure has been read, something the Shuttle Gauge doesn't do. In addition, the Smart Gauge's bleed valve is in a better location, and it can be quickly switched between Shrader and Presta valves with the flick of a lever. Point: Smart Gauge
Accuracy: The key with any gauge is to use the same one – switching back and forth between different models can result in different readings. The Shuttle Gauge gets the point here due to the fact that it displays results in half-pound increments, which could be useful for extra-obsessive riders, or fat bikers who run extremely low pressures.
Price: The Shuttle Gauge can be attached to a pump, something that's not possible with the Smart Gauge, but that also raises the price by nearly $20. If that's not a feature you're interested in, the Smart Gauge is the way to go.
Pinkbike's Take
 | The Shuttle Gauge Digital looks good on paper, but its ergonomics and ease of use weren't exactly what I'd been hoping for. The good news is that Topeak's Smart Gauge D2 is still in the lineup, and is well worth a look for riders looking for a simple, easy to operate digital gauge. |
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
Bought the Shimano Pro gauge, it worked great for 2 years, then the battery died. Its soldered in, can't replace it... :/
Will this work on testing said pumped jam?
Asking for a mate.
Dammit, it was Technotronic.....
Oh well, now it's stuck in both our heads.
- Over-inflate the tire or shock
- Detach the pump
- Attach the gauge
- Bleed down the pressure to whatever is desired
- Detach the gauge
- pedalpedalpedal
If you're not really interested in tire and shock pressures being bang on and +/1 10% is acceptable then I can't see this gauge being of any benefit. If you do like to test and adjust and test and adjust it could be a useful tool.
So yeah, I'm now left with two digital gauges. It is fine though. Because I always lose a little bit of air from my tires I usually over inflate them a little after my ride. When I enter the garage for my next ride I can keep my backpack on and use the Smart Gauge in the garage to drop the pressure where I want it to be.
TL;DR: The short version of this long winded answer: yes it attaches to a shock pump which makes it worthwhile to go with a more compact pump that doesn't come with a gauge.
Or do you have to remove the gauge from the valve, and re-install onto the valve to get the new psi reading?
"The key with any gauge is to use the same one – switching back and forth between different models can result in different readings."
should read be labelled 'consistency' rather than accuracy, as it's clear that one or both of the gauges reviewed are actually in-accurate.
..I do understand, (and agree) with the point to try to achieve repeatability , but it's sad that we seem to accept that most of the gauges available for bikes are quite crappy. For my money I'll go with a brass bourdon tube dial gauge for ~$30. (accu-gage or other) You'll get accuracy and repeatability and it'll last years longer that the disposable stuff that topeak and blackburn market.
Here is a picture how it works:
www.sicklines.com/review/pocket_shock_dxg/topeak_pocket_shock_dxg5.jpg
I never had batterie problems with the digital floor drive nor the smart gauge and love both of them. A lot of pumps may cheaper, but maybe most of them are not able to keep the pressure accurately with the display when you remove the pump. With a simple shock pump you are not able to restore a good preferred value that you have tested weeks before.
Where I live the trails have more roots than rocks, and tend to be wet and squishy rather than rock hard. For that reason, and because I'm 160 lb, I can get away with running relatively low pressures on 30mm rims with 2.5" tires.
Blackburns truth gauge is $25 and works great. No way in hell I'm paying $60 for that.
for example you have floor pump and you want to quickly check pressure before going for a ride without setting up pump (because its in your garage and bike in bedroom)