My point was that people buy things even though they don't really need them and won't use them for
their intended purposes. We could argue whether or not there is a genuine need for electric bike
pumps, but that wasn't the point I tried to make with these examples. They were simply meant to
demonstrate that there is often a market for certain kinds of products that goes well beyond that
segment of the market where they're really needed. It may be vanity that mainly drives this, but
that doesn't seem to bother the companies that make them or their shareholders. As for whether there
is a legitimate market for such a pump, if it were well-made, quiet, fast, reliable, accurate, safe,
relatively affordable, etc., I'd say yes. I pump my tires before each ride, and this is just one
more pre-ride ritual I wouldn't mind making easier. No, I don't "need" such a pump, nor do most
people "need" electric can openers, but if it makes life easier, I don't see a problem. (Just make
sure to have manual versions handy, especially if you live off of canned tuna!)
Other examples of bike technology most people don't really "need", but have come to appreciate,
because they allow you to focus on riding, not maintenance, or simply make riding more enjoyable:
STI shifting Glueless patches and Slime Quick-release levers Computers Wireless computers Easier to
adjust helmet straps Greater gear selection CO2 cartridges Lightweight multitools
--
Kovie
[email protected]
"Benjamin Lewis" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
[email protected] wrote:
>
> > I'm aware of 12V pumps designed for car tires and inflatable rafts and mattresses and such, but
> > they're not designed for home bike use and tend to be slow and noisy. I guess I was asking why
> > there aren't any bike-specific pumps designed for home use, and marketed as such. Some might
> > view it as a useless vanity product,
>
> Yes.
>
> > but the same can be said about expensive full-suspension mountain bikes bought by people who end
> > up using them exclusively on paved roads,
>
> Yes.
>
> > or 4WDs that never go off-road or see any snow or ice.
>
> Yes. These last two examples are also stupid ideas. How does that make electric bike pumps a
> good idea?
>
> > For people who live alone and ride their bikes a couple of times a
month,
> > I suppose an electric pump is silly.
>
> Yes.
>
> > But in multiple-bike households that ride nearly every day, it seems
like
> > a useful convenience product.
>
> What kind of hand pumps are you folks using, anyway? Pumping up a tire is easier than climbing a
> staircase. Do you have an elevator installed in your home? I'm reminded of the woman who went
> hungry during that big power outage since her electric can opener didn't work.
>
> "Convenience" isn't always something to strive for -- and in the case of electric bike pumps you
> would probably barely even get that.
>
> --
> Benjamin Lewis
>
> Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent. -- Walt Kelly