Track pumps

[Mick F]

we all make different choices, fair enough. ...............
BTW it sounds like you may have had the smaller bodied Silca chuck in times past. .........

Yes, the Silca unit is quite old ..... circa 1987(?)


Here's my gallery of connectors.
As you can see, I'm not a track pump virgin.

From the left:
Clamp-on auto selector
Topeak Twin Head
Silca
Lezyne ABS - in use.

[OnYourRight]

So are all these connectors more or less interchangeable? I could buy an SKS Rennkompressor (for example) and just attach one of those if the SKS connector turns out to be rubbish?

[Mick F]

Yes, that's what I've done.
My Silca pump bit the dust, so I bought a new track pump.
I didn't like the auto-secector, so I used my Silca connector on it, but bought the Topeak Twin Head and used that for some years until I realised it wasn't so good.

The Topeak came with its own hose, so I removed the original hose and fitted the Topeak one with a jubilee clip. When my new Lezyne arrives, it comes with its own hose, so I'll fit it with the jubilee clip again.

PS:
...... and this is quite important.
I use a trailer with small wheels and neither the auto selector nor the Topeak Twin Head would reach between the spokes. The valve is Shrader and as sits quite tall out of the rim of course, the spokes are very close together where the connector has to go in and it can't be done easily. Until I bought the Lezyne mini track pump, I used a press-on manual pump.

Oh, and the Topeak won't fit the car either. We have chunky alloy wheels and the valve doesn't poke out far enough. OTOH, the Lezyne will fit easily. No doubt the Silca would do too, but the auto selector wouldn't stand a chance!

[Valbrona]

You can make a Lezyne pump good (for Presta) if you screw one of these things in the end of the hose:-

[Brucey]

we all make different choices, fair enough. ...............
BTW it sounds like you may have had the smaller bodied Silca chuck in times past. .........

Yes, the Silca unit is quite old ..... circa 1987(?)

well the larger pattern Silca connector I posted earlier is an older design (a lot older) than that. The smaller one like you have was a (failed IMHO) attempt to make a different/cheaper/better product. I don't think they make that one any more, but you can still buy seals for it I think.

cheers

[Mick F]

So there are connectors and there are connectors.

How many more should I try?
No more, thank you.

Lezyne ABS for me.

[Brucey]

how many? I dunno.... like I said before I don't think the perfect connector has been built yet.

But it isn't a bad idea to be sure about which Silca connectors are which, in any event; they are certainly not all to be tarred with the same brush.

cheers

[Mick F]

Let's sort this conundrum out.

1. We want an airtight connection up to 150psi.
2. We want it quick and easily connected and disconnected without loss of air on any valve in any equipment.
3. We have to live with the Shrader/Presta/Woods situation.

How do we do this?

Complete mystery to me ............ but I only have to deal with 120psi Presta or 30psi Shrader. I don't need the same pump and the same connection to do both, and I don't need my bicycle equipment to inflate my car tyres as well.

I appreciate that some folk want all things from the same equipment, but I don't. I am happy to have three completely different pieces of equipment, so please Mr Manufacturer, stop making compromises.

[OnYourRight]

But do you want your pump to double as a bike stand, Mick?

[Mick F]

Grief!
Bike stand - yes
Track pump - yes
Both at the same time?

[robc02]

Are there any UK based Silca suppliers other than SJS?

[Brucey]

It appears not. However this is interesting;

http://www.bicycleretailer.com/product-tech/2013/12/12/silca-reborn-usa#.VAS9YDpwY1g

and it is unclear to me if the parts SJS have are 'new silca' or 'old' or a mixture.

I'd really like to try a new style Mod 24.1 silca seal; I've had them in red natural rubber, black vulcanised rubber etc in the past and I'm sure that the new style seal in the new material could be even better.

cheers

[robc02]

it is unclear to me if the parts SJS have are 'new silca' or 'old' or a mixture

Well, they offer leather washers for both old and new - but the old ones are out of stock. I managed to fit a new type to my old pump. It works but the action is a bit tight..... I hope they manage to get the old type in stock again.

[OnYourRight]

However this is interesting;

http://www.bicycleretailer.com/product-tech/2013/12/12/silca-reborn-usa#.VAS9YDpwY1g

The new super-pump mentioned in that article is presumably this one. I can appreciate fine things as well as the next guy, but ultimately I enjoy economic engineering more. In any case, $450 is a fantastic price for a pump.

[iandriver]

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). The niftiest idea is the pump built into the seat post on my Dahon folder. Works a treat as a proper track pump.