Lezyne Digital Shock Drive review – digital readings for clear suspension setup

Lezyne’s Digital Shock Drive shock pump has a digital gauge for better accuracy and portability for trailside suspension fettlers

Lezyne Digital Shock Drive review
(Image: © Graham Cottingham)

Bike Perfect Verdict

Easy to use and compact shock pump with a premium finish for the keen trailside tuner.

Pros

  • +

    Metal construction

  • +

    Premium feel

  • +

    Easy to read digital gauge

  • +

    Long hose to get into tight spaces

  • +

    Slim design

Cons

  • -

    Long and lumpy if you aren't running a backpack

  • -

    Premium price

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Lezyne has two shock pumps in its range, there is an analog version and the more premium Digital Shock drive which we have here. While the basic Shock Drive will work for set and forget riders, the extra cost and portability of the digital gauge are going to be worth the extra spend. 

Our testing explained

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It's amazing the difference a few PSI can make to the ride feel of air-sprung suspension which means that if you are serious about getting the best performance having the best shock pump is vital to assure settings are accurate and reliable.

Lezyne Digital Shock Drive on a Tarmac surface

Having a digital drive means the pump is considerably more slimline than most analog shock pumps (Image credit: Graham Cottingham)

Design and aesthetics

Shock pumps aren’t usually the most glamourous or lust-worthy tool but Lezyne has done a great job on the Digital Shock Drive. The black and gold design looks very premium and is in keeping with the brand's other pumps like the Lezyne Grip Drive HV pump – a nice detail if you are brand loyal or like matchy-matchy trail kit.

As to be expected from Lezyne, the Digital Shock Drive has a full metal build using machined-aluminum construction for the body, handle, and fixings. The hose is braided so should resist damage from being repeatably bent into awkwardly mounted shocks. Mounted onto the body is the digital gauge which has a single button and the CR1220 battery cover which is opened with a coin. Pressure readings are rounded to the nearest whole PSI number and bar to the nearest tenth. There is a little bleed button too should you need to drizzle air out.

Lezyne Digital Shock Drive screen

The digital gauge is simple but easy to read (Image credit: Graham Cottingham)

Lezyne rates the Digital Shock Drive accuracy to +/- 1.5 percent and the pump will go up to 350 psi (24 bar) – which is enough to cover all forks and shocks we are aware of. The pump isn't waterproof rated so if you do take it out on an adventure you will want to keep it away from the rain.

Performance 

Most importantly, the pump screws smoothly and securely to forks and shocks assuring a leak-free connection. The 19cm long hose gives lots of length and rotates 360 degrees from the pump body so you don't need to be uncomfortably hunched over the bike when setting up your shock. The screen is simple and easy to read, clearly showing the pressure as you use the pump. The chuck has a ‘zero-loss’ design that assures the pin is disengaged before it's unsealed to avoid any loss of air meaning the pressure you set it to is the pressure that is still in your suspension once the pump is disconnected.

Lezyne Digital Shock Drive showing the hose pivoted from the pump body

(Image credit: Graham Cottingham)

A single-button makes pump operation easy, press and hold for three seconds to turn it on and off. A single press switches between PSI and bar and a 10-second hold zeros the reading – although I was never required to do this. The pump will auto turn off as well to conserve battery should you put it down and get distracted mid setup.

The slim design is easy to pack but it's quite long so won't fit well in a hip pack or pocket. I like that the hose screws into the handle, rather than using a clip, to keep it all together and stop dirt from getting inside the pump and then, in turn, your shock. The handle has a nice smooth 'bean' shape which means that although it's small, it’s comfortable and easy to grip in use. The pump action is smooth and it took little effort to get up to our desired pressures even on higher pressure shocks.

Lezyne Digital Shock Drive handle detal

The hose screws into the small handle to keep it together and dirt out of the inside of the chuck (Image credit: Graham Cottingham)

Verdict

Premium feel and simple operation means the Digital Shock Drive is an excellent shock pump to use. It's slim enough to pop into a backpack for detailed trailside tuning, however, it's a tad long to make it ideal for a pocket or smaller pack.

While there are definitely shock pumps that are considerably cheaper, it's about on par with most other digital shock pumps on the market. If you're a keen suspension fiddler the extra cost will be worth the clear pressure readings though and the pump feels more than durable enough to last many years.

Tech Specs: Lezyne Digital Shock Drive shock pump

  • Price: $79.99 / £77
  • Colors: Black/gold
  • Weight: 111g
  • Length: 225mm
Graham Cottingham
Senior reviews writer, Bike Perfect

Graham Cottingham joined the BikePerfect team as our senior tech writer in 2020. With over 20 years of riding experience, he has dabbled in downhill, enduro, and gravel racing. Not afraid of a challenge, Graham has embraced bikepacking over the last few years and likes nothing more than strapping some bags to his bike and covering big miles to explore Scotland's wildernesses. When he isn’t shredding the gnar in the Tweed Valley, sleeping in bushes, or tinkering with bikes, he is writing tech reviews for BikePerfect.

Rides: Cotic SolarisMax, Stooge MK4, 24 Bicycles Le Toy 3, Surly Steamroller

Height: 177cm

Weight: 71kg