Viair has been making a variety of air compressors since the late 1990s. While the majority of the brand’s products are geared toward vehicle and workshop use, Viair has been catering to the cycling market for several years now. In fact, we wrote about one of their portable compressors back in 2022, well before the recent electric mini-inflator craze took off. Of course, Viair has a portable electric mini-inflator now as well, two actually.
The Recon Mini debuted in early 2025 and was followed up later that year by the lighter-weight Recon Mini SL with an aluminum Presta head that saves 30 grams. I’ve used quite a few different portable e-pumps, but I’ve never had the chance to use either of Viair’s. So, when I saw the Viair booth at Sea Otter, I wandered over to see what they had going on.
Viair Clik Heads
There are lots of alt-valves on the market these days, but the Clik valve has proven to be one of the most popular. In the past year, a few brands, including Lezyne and Wolf Tooth, have begun offering their pumps with Clik-compatible heads. Now, you can add Viair to that list, as they now sell the Viair Recon Mini and Recon Mini SL with Clik heads.
The Recon Mini Clik sells for $137 while the Recon Mini SL Clik goes for $148. If you already own a Viair Recon Mini pump with the standard Presta head, they also sell the Clik head separately for $20. The brass Clik head threads on in place of the existing Presta head, and it weighs a claimed 15 grams. Viair also sells the Clik head with a set of Clik valves for $30 and sets of Clik valves on their own for $13.
Viair On-Bike Inflator Carrying Case
While the number of electric mini-inflators has grown exponentially in the past year and a half, we haven’t really seen many solutions for carrying them on the bike. Sure, they fit easily enough in a jersey pocket, hydration vest, some saddle bags, frame bags, and various other places. But the rectangular shape may not fit into some bikes’ downtube storage compartments, saddle bags, or it can feel uncomfortable in a pocket against the body.
There are probably many people out there who have already sorted out their mini-inflator carrying system. It’s safe to assume people have been 3D-printing brackets or figuring out other ways to strap them to their bicycles. Still, these electric gadgets aren’t waterproof, so I was pumped (ha) to see that Viair was showing a weatherproof Recon Mini carrying case at Sea Otter.
This plastic carrying case is made specifically to fit Viair’s Recon Mini pumps — the Mini and Mini SL share the same dimensions. It attaches to a frame tube or your saddle rails with a wide, stretchy rubber strap. I was told that it is sealed when closed and has passed submersion tests, so it should be able to stand up easily to rain, road spray, puddle splashes, and mud, too.
The Viair team had several of these cases floating around the booth at Sea Otter, and they appear to be production-ready. They looked so finished that I actually assumed they were in production, so I neglected to ask the important questions like weight, price, and projected availability. I reached out to Viair to fill in the blanks, so hopefully I can update this article with details on the Recon Mini carrying case very soon.
In the meantime, you can check out the rest of Viair’s compressors, inflators, and accessories for bikes, vehicles, RVs, and more on the brand’s website.
viaircorp.com
