Bike Perfect Verdict
Great for more accurate tire and suspension setting but not as easy to use as it could be considering the high price
Pros
- +
Tire and (most) suspension compatible
- +
Presta or Schrader
- +
Swivelling head
- +
PSI, Bar or KG/CM2 readings
- +
Auto update mode
Cons
- -
Expensive
- -
Can spill air easily
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Topeak has a massive range of excellent bike tools and the Smart Gauge Digital DX2 has some great features. Arming yourself with an accurate pressure gauge is vital to get the most out of your best mountain bike tires, considering that tubeless mountain bike tires can be set up sub-20psi, a couple of psi can make a massive difference in grip and rolling speed performance.
The Smart Gauge Digital DX2 also has some niggles though, so is this the pressure gauge you should invest in?
Design and performance
The construction is all plastic, but it seems plenty tough for a long workshop life. You get rubber gripper strips down the sides to stop slipping and the angled valve head also rotates 360-degree to get into tighter spots. The press connect head is also switchable between Schrader and Presta via a slide lever. With a pressure reading up to 260 psi you can even use it for a quick check on air forks and most rear shocks unless you’re a big rider and/or on a high leverage ratio bike.
The LCD screen is big enough to be clear to read and you can change the readout from psi, to Bar or KG/CM2. There’s an air bleed button on the side and while the default display requires a manual option the roundel icon button puts it into a flashing display mode that updates as soon as pressure has equalized so you can drop pressure very subtly.
If you’re not accurate in lining up the valve head and quick to jab it on you can often lose an irritatingly large amount of pressure before it seals and a slight wobble once on can burp air easily too. While it’s a Princess and Pea thing the function buttons would sit more naturally under your thumb if they were at the top of the body not halfway down above the screen. It’s also $17.94 / £12 more than Topeak’s own Smarthead Gauge D2 has a very similar feature list and more than double the price of Schwalbe’s benchmark digital pressure gauge, although that doesn’t have a swivelling head, real-time pressure reset or Schrader valve functionality.
Verdict
Topeak’s new Smart Gauge Digital DX2 has some really neat functions, not least the ability to be used to pressure check suspension. Considering the high price we’d like a less leaky head though.
Tech Specs: Topeak Smart Gauge Digital DX2 pressure gauge
- Price: $57.95 / £41.99
- Weight: 59g
- Size: 11.8x4.2x1.9cm
- Color: Black
