Lezyne Grip Drive HV pump review – premium-feeling high-volume pump without the price tag

Lezyne’s Grip Drive HV has a smooth action and full metal construction for tough trail side inflation

Lezyne Grip Drive HV pump
(Image: © Graham Cottingham)

Bike Perfect Verdict

Premium feeling without the premium price tag, the Grip Drive HV has a smooth pump action although the hose brings pros and cons.

Pros

  • +

    Durable metal finish

  • +

    Smooth and light pumping action

  • +

    Hose gives a secure valve connection

  • +

    Fully serviceable

Cons

  • -

    The finish isn't as durable as you would expect

  • -

    Hose can unscrew valve cores

  • -

    Threaded section going into the pump can get surprisingly hot

  • -

    A touch long to fit in a pocket

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Lezyne is pretty hard to miss if you are shopping for the best mountain bike pumps and CO2 inflators. It has a huge range of pumps covering almost every use case and price point. The Grip Drive HV is a high-volume pump aimed at delivering large quantities of air into mountain bike tires. The full metal construction gives it a premium feel yet it's still keenly priced making it a very tempting choice for those in the market for a new pump. 

Our testing explained

For information on Bike Perfect's testing procedures and how our scoring system works, see our how we test page.

Lezyne Grip Drive HV pump

The small Grip Drive HV pump has an alloy construction and compact 183mm length (Image credit: Graham Cottingham)

Design and aesthetics

Lezyne prides itself in its engineering so it comes as no surprise that the Grip Drive HV has a full metal construction. It feels tough and durable too without the associated weight you would expect. In fact, my review sample weighed 109g which is 10g less than Lezyne claims. The pump is also completely serviceable with Lezyne selling seal kits, replacement hoses, and rubber end caps.

Lezyne rates the pump to 90psi although for all high volume applications you will never need to pump a tire anywhere near that pressure. The hose screws onto the valve and is compatible with both Presta or Schrader valves and is neatly stored within the pump when not in use.

Lezyne offers the Grip Drive HV in two different sizes, 186mm and 231mm. I have the shorter model to test as I wanted to prioritize packability rather than maximum air delivery. The 186mm length does make it a tad long if you are a backpack-free, cargo bib shorts rider, in which case you would be better suited to the smaller Pocket Drive HV which measures just 140mm. That said, Lezyne does include a composite frame mount if you want to store it on your bike.

The pump has an understated aesthetic and the flash of gold inside really boosts the overall premium feel of the pump. I have the all-black version although you can also get the pump in red/black or black/silver colorways. The finish isn't quite as durable as the construction so after a bit of use the black will begin to rub off where you grip the pump.

Lezyne Grip Drive HV pump

Having a hose attachment makes the process of pumping up a tire much more comfortable (Image credit: Graham Cottingham)

Performance 

Build quality feels great and the gnarling adds a good level of grip when in use. All the threads are nicely machined and everything screws together smoothly. Having the hose is a big positive as it allows a far more secure and comfortable pumping position. On the flip side, it suffers from the occasional post-inflation valve core removal so it's worth making sure your valve cores are tight, you don't thread the hose on too tight and exhaust the pressure within the hose for removal.

In use, 100 strokes got me up to 18 psi on a 2.2 inch XC tire and a further 100 strokes took it to 23.5 psi. The pump is still impressively light in action up to 300 strokes, at which my tire was hitting 30 psi. The build is pretty rigid too, so there is very little wobble in the handle even when you're giving it the beans.

I found the threaded section of the hose that goes into the pump could get surprisingly hot after some furious inflation, making it a little harder to remove. Also, the rubber cover on the handle is a little annoying as it flaps around under your hand, although it doesn't affect the pump's performance in any way. 

Lezyne Grip Drive HV pump

Lezyne sells a seal kit and spares so the Grip Drive HV pump can be serviced if needed (Image credit: Graham Cottingham)

Verdict

The Lezyne Grip Drive HV is a well-constructed, premium-feeling high volume pump at a decent price. The smooth pumping action and hose attachment makes inflating mountain bike tires easy up to 30 psi. The fact you can service and rebuild it is a massive bonus as well if you like to keep your products going.

The convenience of the hose is offset a little by the inconvenient occasional valve core removal and pocket packers will be better serviced by the shorter 140mm Lezyne Pocket Drive HV.

Tech Specs: Lezyne Grip Drive HV pump

  • Price: $35 / £35
  • Colors: Black, Red/Black, and Black/Silver
  • Weight: 109g
  • Length: 186mm
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