In article <
[email protected]>,
joel roth <
[email protected]> wrote:
>I need a new floor pump, both presa/schraeder. Any suggestions for what
>to buy or which products to avoid?
>
>It looks like the prices range from about $20 - $50. I don't want to
>save a few bucks, but end up with a pump that is difficult to use, so my
>price point is flexible.
I'm a fan of the Silca Super Pista, though the slightly shorter
Pista is just as nice and less expensive. It's a very simple design
that hasn't materially changed in 30 years; easily rebuildable with
parts easily found. Good for a lifetime.
Nashbar currently has the Pista for $35, while Lickton's has the
Super Pista for $50. The Super Pista has a 60cm long tube, and has a
wooden handle, while the Pista is 50cm with a plastic handle. The two
are otherwise identical.
But, I don't regularly pump schrader valves, so you may have
different feelings for Silca's chuck. I have the old reversible chuck,
so I can't really speak for their current chuck offering. With
both of these you have to screw the chuck on and off of schrader
valves, losing a little bit of air in the process. I don't use the
valve depressor pin in my chuck, and have cut the springs off the cores
of what schrader valves I do use my pump on, so the lost air doesn't
happen for me, but I don't know if you can do this with the current
chuck. For Presta valves though, I have absolutely no complaints.
More complicated chucks have never worked well for me - I
have, but don't use, a Topeak Smarthead - but this is a matter of
preference. Some people having opposite feelings about these chucks.
Though, I think my next floor pump won't be a Silca, but
rather my own variation of the Jobst Brandt's coaxial double-acting
pump (whenever I find myself with the opportunity to build one).
http://home.comcast.net/~carlfogel/download/ASSYINST_BW_.pdf
http://home.comcast.net/~carlfogel/download/PMP_004.jpg
I'm thinking of using a downstroke inner diameter is about what the
Pista uses (as opposed to the Silca Impero size that Jobst uses), so
the maximum down force would be the same as the Pista. But, with
precharge there's a higher initial downforce that might be difficult
for light/short users to put their weight into. But then again,
light/short users wouldn't necessarily have to use a full upstroke. I'm
still chewing on thoughts though, and not expecting to actually build
any time soon.
-Luns