Track pumps

[Brucey]

... In any case, $450 is a fantastic price for a pump.

No kidding. I am more interested in the prospect of being able to still buy spares for my older Silca pumps, and also fitting silca chucks onto other pumps; that should be a more economic exercise.

cheers

[OnYourRight]

I am more interested in the prospect of being able to still buy spares for my older Silca pumps, and also fitting silca chucks onto other pumps; that should be a more economic exercise.

Agreed. And this puts me in a mind to acquire a new Silca Pista or Super Pista while I still have the chance. But I’ve used a Rennkompressor and liked it, whereas I haven’t used a Silca. Another imponderable choice …

[Brucey]

SKS have made versions of the Rennkompressor for several other makers including Zefal (Husky). I have a different one which is clearly an SKS pump but it has a Dutch brand on it.

It is a nice pump but IMHO it is let down by two main things. First the washer isn't leather on recent versions; I think this means more wear and more drag when it needs a drop of lube. Second they keep messing about with the air chuck. Mine has the small brass push-fit chuck and once the seal wears it is pretty useless; not a patch on the Silca. The only saving grace is that a whole chuck of that type costs peanuts to replace. The SKS pumps are now sold with an 'EVA' lever connector but whether it will pass the test of time is anyone's guess.

cheers

[Valbrona]

Witberg!? I thought to myself when I took delivery of my SKS floor pump a quarter of a century ago now.

[Sooper8]

Aldi still had a few left last week at £4.99.

[Edwards]

I bought a cheap Aldi foot pump and it came with a screw on Presta to Schrader adaptor, it even has a rubber O ring seal inside.
Fantastic bit of kit as it does not ley any air out of the tyre when you connect up. Plus less strain on the valve/inner tube when removing the pump connection.

A small simple brass connector that has the down side of being easily lost, such a shame.

[Mick F]

I've got one of the lezyne mini track pumps on my Audax bike. Staggering good bit of kit except the screw on head had a habit of removing the screw in inner valve core ( no end of trouble, no loner buy tubes with a screw in core).

I use screw-on valve cores - Schwalbe - and found the same thing, until I tightened up the core. I used a small BA spanner - 7BA I think.

Since tightening them, they NEVER unscrew when I use my Lezyne.

[Brucey]

I bought a cheap Aldi foot pump and it came with a screw on Presta to Schrader adaptor, it even has a rubber O ring seal inside.
Fantastic bit of kit as it does not ley any air out of the tyre when you connect up. Plus less strain on the valve/inner tube when removing the pump connection.

A small simple brass connector that has the down side of being easily lost, such a shame.

you can buy such things for a couple of quid and they do work OK. Zefal make a good one. However the seals do wear out and can't always be replaced.

Some pumps (including some older versions of the SKS Renkompressor) come with a lever action Schrader chuck and a screw on presta adaptor. For a bike pump I'd sooner it was the other way round, but hey. The SKS adaptor is available separately and it allows any Schrader pump to be used on presta valves. To prevent the adaptor from being lost, the SKS one comes on a wee chain;



so if that is a scheme that works for you apart from the business of losing the adaptor, that could be £2.50 well spent.

cheers

[Edwards]

you can buy such things for a couple of quid and they do work OK. Zefal make a good one. However the seals do wear out and can't always be replaced.

The nice thing about the one I got was the O ring is replaceable and it can free with the foot pump.

I like the fact that it does not strain the inner tube in the way my Park Tool Presta track pump double head change over thing does. With some tyres I even use it with that track pump as there is no loss of pressure that my effort put in there. I think this is especially useful with high pressure low volume small hand pumps.

Ps I have acquired a few of these things now.

[mrjemm]

We have 2x Lezyne- one full size, one mini. Love them both, but... the pressure gauge on the biggie died, and the little one (no pressure release button, being older) suffers sometimes with a gritty/sticky slip ring, so at least until pressure is off, the hose needs to rotate as well as the head to remove. A pain in da bum.

[Mick F]

My tube thingy came from Wiggle today.

The Lezyne connector and hose is about a metre long, but the hose is very narrow internally so I had a bit of difficulty squeezing it onto the pump connector. By using a bit of silicon grease, I was able to get it over the brass spigot, and it works a treat. Jubilee clip not required.

Excellent modification, and I'm very pleased indeed.

[robc02]

I'm glad you're pleased with it. How is it to use?

E.g. Does it screw on and off the valve easily? Does it do so without tending to turn the valve nut? Does it seal OK without overtightening it?

[Mick F]

I'm glad you're pleased with it. How is it to use?

E.g. Does it screw on and off the valve easily? Does it do so without tending to turn the valve nut? Does it seal OK without overtightening it?

Yes.
No.
Yes.

The connector "spins" on the connection on the hose, so there is no twisting.
The Presta valve has to be unscrewed of course, and the valve releases as you pump.
You screw the unit on so it covers the top of the Presta and goes down the parallel threading, but not too far, so it's easy to do.
When you unscrew, you automatically press the button, and the pressure inside the hose and inside the pump is released, and it unscrews off easily - providing the valve core is tight (if you have removable ones).

[Stewart H]

In the past three weeks I have purchased both some of the presta/schrader adaptors (ebay) and my first track pump, ALDI £3.99 The quality and construction of the pump is nice, and theres a three year warranty too the pump works well in both presta and schrader modes. nice to know that other chucks are available as it feels like the rubber in the presta chuck will be the first thing to wear. I have given it a precautionary squirt with silicone lube.
When I tried the brass adapter with my proper automotive air chuck it did not work, but it was an ancient valve.