Tioga pump head - a cautionary tale

[DRS]

I got all dressed up this morning and found myself unable to go, thanks to a
monumentally flat front tyre. It wasn't hard to find the rather substantive
tear in the tube at the base of the valve stem. It wasn't hard either to
figure out why it tore and tore where it did. It's because of my floor
pump's head.

A few weeks back I bought a Tioga Deluxe Alloy Floor Pump
(http://www.bikes.com.au/html/s13_shopping/view_product.asp?id=422). The
pump is fine but the head has a major problem. Even after you release the
thumb lock it just won't let go. I have to wrestle it off and in the
meantime if I'm too slow the tyre loses a lot of pressure and if I'm too
quick I stress the tube and end up tearing it. Not good.

So, first up, anyone looking at pumps be aware of the Tioga's pump head
problem. Secondly, I'll replace the head ASAP. The drum seems to be either
Silca or Topeak Smarthead, with some people less than convinced of the Silca
for use with Schraeder valves. So, does anyone know of a Melbourne inner
south bike shop that carries the Topeak?

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[flyingdutch]

I got all dressed up this morning and found myself unable to go, thanks to a
monumentally flat front tyre. It wasn't hard to find the rather substantive
tear in the tube at the base of the valve stem. It wasn't hard either to
figure out why it tore and tore where it did. It's because of my floor
pump's head.

A few weeks back I bought a Tioga Deluxe Alloy Floor Pump
(http://www.bikes.com.au/html/s13_shopping/view_product.asp?id=422). The
pump is fine but the head has a major problem. Even after you release the
thumb lock it just won't let go. I have to wrestle it off and in the
meantime if I'm too slow the tyre loses a lot of pressure and if I'm too
quick I stress the tube and end up tearing it. Not good.

So, first up, anyone looking at pumps be aware of the Tioga's pump head
problem. Secondly, I'll replace the head ASAP. The drum seems to be either
Silca or Topeak Smarthead, with some people less than convinced of the Silca
for use with Schraeder valves. So, does anyone know of a Melbourne inner
south bike shop that carries the Topeak?

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dont CW?

PS i tend to use the thumb-side of a clenched fist to jolt my pump off (place fist under pump - assuming valve is on whel near where meets ground - and bring up quickly ). lost too many valve heads/assemblies with recalcitrant pump assemblies refusing to let go

 

[hippy]

"DRS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> So, first up, anyone looking at pumps be aware of the Tioga's pump head
> problem. Secondly, I'll replace the head ASAP. The drum seems to be
either
> Silca or Topeak Smarthead, with some people less than convinced of the
Silca
> for use with Schraeder valves. So, does anyone know of a Melbourne inner
> south bike shop that carries the Topeak?

Really? I'm still using my Silca for Presta and
Schraeder and it works fine. The presta valve
head just pushes on and the schraeder screws
on. I guess if you're unco it might be tricky to
unscrew quickly, but it's not been an issue for
me. Just overinflate by 10psi to allow for any
venting if you can't remove it quick enough..

hippy

 

[DRS]

"flyingdutch" <[email protected]> wrote
in message news:[email protected]
> DRS Wrote:

[...]

>> So, first up, anyone looking at pumps be aware of the Tioga's pump
>> head problem. Secondly, I'll replace the head ASAP. The drum seems
>> to be either
>> Silca or Topeak Smarthead, with some people less than convinced of
>> the Silca
>> for use with Schraeder valves. So, does anyone know of a Melbourne
>> inner
>> south bike shop that carries the Topeak?
>>
> dont CW?

Yep. I got it from them tonight. I've fitted it to the pump but I haven't
tried it yet. It'd better work, this is turning out to be one expensive
pump.

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[DRS]

"hippy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> "DRS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> So, first up, anyone looking at pumps be aware of the Tioga's pump
>> head problem. Secondly, I'll replace the head ASAP. The drum seems
>> to be either Silca or Topeak Smarthead, with some people less than
>> convinced of the Silca for use with Schraeder valves. So, does
>> anyone know of a Melbourne inner south bike shop that carries the
>> Topeak?
>
> Really? I'm still using my Silca for Presta and
> Schraeder and it works fine. The presta valve
> head just pushes on and the schraeder screws
> on. I guess if you're unco it might be tricky to
> unscrew quickly, but it's not been an issue for
> me. Just overinflate by 10psi to allow for any
> venting if you can't remove it quick enough..

Unscrew???

Heh. Maybe that explains why, when I told the bloke at CW I wanted the
Topeak Smarthead upgrade kit he said, "Got a Silca, eh?"

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[Bruce Dickson]

"DRS" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>
> Unscrew???
>
> Heh. Maybe that explains why, when I told the bloke at CW I wanted the
> Topeak Smarthead upgrade kit he said, "Got a Silca, eh?"


I've got an old Silca and found the Schraeder end a bit annoying with
the unscrewing and sometimes not getting a very good seal. I leave the
pump set up for Presta and bought a Schraeder pump head with a locking
lever from Super Cheap for about $3. This fits into the Presta head
and works really well for Schraeder tyres and I pull it out for presta
tyres.

Bruce.


Everywhere is within riding distance, if you have the time