Thorn Cycles Forum
Community => Non-Thorn Related => Topic started by: Danneaux on August 01, 2012, 08:56:57 am
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Hi All!
I find myself in need of a smallish -- probably mini -- pump, preferably in black (aesthetics do count on an all-black Batman Bicycle), though that is not an overiding requirement. I've always used frame or frame-fit pumps as my primary source of on-tour air, so this is an adjustment for me to go smaller due to space requirements. I'd still be happy with a longer frame-fit version if I can figure how to mount it...probably between the seat tube and rear fender, using a Zefal Doohicky on the chainstay bridge and a non-marring nylon worm-clamp pump peg.
I will be using the pump with 26x2.0 Duremes for touring, so the pump will need to manage 55psi/3.8bar or so, max.
It needn't have a hose and footrest, but I suppose it would be convenient to have it convert to a floor pump in the manner of the Topeak Morph series. Do the hoses hold up over time? Some appear to have a lot of possibly leak-prone connections/joints. I can also do the hand-pump thing with no problem as I do on all my other bikes. I used to ram 130psi into my skinny tires with an old styrene plastic Silca Impero and Campy steel head. That was like a trip to the gym; anything else is cake.
I'd like it to be long-lived and rebuildable (at least new valve gaskets), and not require a bazillion strokes to get the tire full' a half-bazillion would be fine. Similarly, it would be nice if it had a high-volume/high-pressure switch, but not a requirement. I have a Crank Bros original PowerPump switchable dual-action mini in my underseat bag as my emergency backup; what I am seeking is a new primary pump, not only for flat repair, but for topping off tires while on-tour. Presta-capable with conversion to Schraeder would be nice, but Presta is a requirement. I would prefer to avoid a screw-on valve connection. Oh! and some means to attach it securely to the bike so it won't have to be stored in bags or a jersey pocket. No CO2, please. I would prefer aluminum over plastic, but plastic can work, sometimes surprisingly well. I carry a separate Zefal Pressograph manometer so I don't have to have a pump-mounted gauge, but including one wouldn't be a stopper.
I have looked around a bit, and several candidates jump out at me:
= Zefal HPX 1 (the shortest made) or possibly HPX 2, repainted if necessary
= Blackburn Mammoth 2
= Cannondale Airspeed Max mini (hose)
= Topeak Turbo Morph Mountain Mini Track Pump with Pressure Guage (and black spray paint or tape)
= Axiom EnforceAir Pro Gauge Mini Pump (doesn't appear rebuildable?)
= The Cycleaire Mini and Rapid pumps fill me with a vague dread...has anyone tried them? How to attach to the bike? Durability?
= Park Tools PMP Mini
= Specialized AirTool MTB mini pump
Am I missing any good examples that didn't make the list? Do you have a proven favorite? What would you suggest? I realize this is a rapidly-changing market segment, hence my call for the best at the moment.
Many thanks in advance for your suggestions!
All the best,
Dan.
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Dan,
SJSC recommended and I got a Topeak Turbo Morph Mountain (http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/topeak-topeak-turbo-morph-mountain-mini-track-pump-with-pressure-guage-prod11680/) 6 years ago and it performs well on my 26x2 tyres.
I have used it more on other peoples tyres than my own!
No signs of it ageing yet.
I carry it in a pannier, although that is about to change.
I have treated myself to a Relevate Tangle frame bag and that will be the repository for my heavy tool roll and pump in future. One of my sons is just back from a cycle camp round the top of Scotland and the Orkneys, he wear tested the new Tangle bag for me, what a kind son. He says that it drew some interested people on the tour.
There is room behind the seat tube for a pump of this size on your new bike.
Julian.
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Hi Dan,
I have been using Lezyne Pump's for the last few year's.
I had one with Me in Africa this year :)
Pete..
;)
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Yep, I used to swear by the Zefal HPX. Still do, however a couple of things now work against it:
1. The one I had (right length) would not sit securely along the Nomad's top tube. Down tube and seat tube are out due to water bottles.
2. Zefal no longer manufacture the HPX.
So I have switched to the Lezyne. I bought the Road Drive first, a really well made 'long' HP minipump. However it's volume may be an issue for larger tyres - I have 2.15" Mondials for my outback tour. To get air into these I have also bought a Lezyne Floor Micro Drive HV (high volume). It's a mini floor pump with pressure gauge in the hose and able to mount on a bidon cage mount. I'm yet to use it in anger, but it should work well by all reports.
(Not my bike)
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3592/4611602236_0076d2524f_z.jpg)
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I have a whole bunch of mini-pumps that just don't cut it, almost all from reputable makers. I've even been disappointed in the mini-pumps of SKS, whose Rennkompressor is such a star among the garage pumps.
The only one I have that has given good service on all sizes of tyres is the Topeak Peak DX. It takes Presta and automobile valves, is rebuildable, and comes with a clip intended to fit under a water bottle, which is useful. The clip is available as a spareand I recommend buying a spare clip as I break one every three years or so. (The clip is so useful, several of the pedalpals now use them on their bikes for other brands of pumps.) Good fold-out handle. No gauge but I carry a BBB electronic manometer with me anyway because I like running my Big Apples on the lowest permitted pressure. Can't say this pump has seen extensive use on my tires (I don't have any that are not puncture-proof, and am good about topping up at home with the Rennkompressor) but it has served the pedalpals well, hardly a week going by without someone, including those with pumps on their bikes, asking to borrow it.
What I don't like about this pump is what I hate about the vast majority of mini pumps, that you have to bend over the wheel to hold the head steady. I think an extension tube on a mini pump would be a very good idea!
A mini-pump is by its nature a compromise. I have a hard time believing you can beat the HPX, which is a proper pump if short, if you can fit it (I can't). It doesn't bother me that it is out of production: buy enough service parts to see you out.
Andre Jute
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Another vote for the Lezyne HV Micro - and I have had to use it in anger (inner tube that came with the Nomad finally split at the valve stem!).
And I use the HP version with my Brompton.
It is the first "small" pump that I have been happy with - but I still have an HPX as a permanent fixture on another bike.
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I have also bought a Lezyne Floor Micro Drive HV (high volume). It's a mini floor pump with pressure gauge in the hose and able to mount on a bidon cage mount.
I also got one of these Lezyne Floor Micro Drive HVG pumps in January for topping up fat tyres on tour, but I carry it in a bag. Worked well on a test to inflate a 50 mm Supreme, but I haven't yet had to use it for real.
I have not (yet) had a puncture with the Supremes, but need to top them up regularly as I use latex inner tubes. This isn't an issue at home as I have one of the old RennKompressor track pumps.
I also have a very small (22 cms), light and simple Lezyne pump that has seen a fair amount of use. It has an aluminium barrel for durability and an old-style hose connector that screws onto the valve but seals well. I carry this as part of my everyday tool kit. For a micro-pump it is quite fast for inflating 28x700C and Brompton tyres after punctures, and would also do fat tyres if absolutely necessary, but the 26" and 650B tyres I use very rarely puncture. I like the flexible hose at it avoids valve damage, which might be a problem if I was ham-fistedly inflating a tyre in the cold and wet with the more usual type of micro-pump. As a bonus, it will also do Schrader valves by reversing the hose.
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Wonderful job, All! Thanks so much for your suggestions and personal reviews...this is just what I was hoping for!
I had an errand to run at REI yesterday, so I stopped by their bicycle-accessory department (always a requirement for any trip there and looked to see what they had. Sadly, at this time of year, stock was pretty well depleted, but they did have on-hand the road version of the Topeak Turbo Morph Julian mentioned. It looked very nicely made, and my concerns about the longevity of the hose appear unfounded (I was thinking the rubber might deteriorate quickly in the desert sun and heat...but it appears to be plastic, which woud likely last longer). It could always be "de-silvered" with some suitably large black-colored heat-shrink tubing. So, a possibility, for sure. The only thing that really gave me pause was the foot-rest. It is plastic with a teeny-tiny little retainer hook that looked as if it might become embrittle in cold weather. My concerns are probably unfounded, but that did catch my eye as a potential trouble spot.
There just one Lezyne there, a tiny thing about the size of a highlight marker pen made of carbon fiber. Beautifully constructed, so I can say I was impressed with the fit-and-finish and should investigate their other offerings (like the Floor Micro Drive HV Pete, Martin, and Lemming referenced).
As an old-school roadie, I am particularly fond of the Zefal HPX series of pumps. I'm saddened to think they're no longer made, as Andre said. I knew the black ones had been discontinued in favor of silver, and they still appear in the Zefal catalog...but have been dropped by SJS Cycles. I might be able to source one in the right size from eBay. I have the HPX2 from Sherpa and two or three spares I laid-in for future (one sourced from a shop in Ireland!). Once the 590M Nomad arrives, I will have a much better idea of it is possible to fit one to it behind the seat tube. I doubt I will have clearance for one in the same location, because the Nomad will have a shorter seat tube. So, it may be I need to either sell what I have or keep them for spare parts and seek a shorter HPX1 if I go that route. I realize the Zefal HPS is a "long and skinny" pump and therefore not particularly suited to relatively high(er)-volume, low(er) -pressure use on my 26x2.0 Schwalbe Duremes...but I do like it, it is familiar, and really long-lived. Rebuildable, too, provided one has some spare parts laid-in. Andre summed up my feelings about it nicely when he wrote...A mini-pump is by its nature a compromise. I have a hard time believing you can beat the HPX, which is a proper pump if short, if you can fit it (I can't). It doesn't bother me that it is out of production: buy enough service parts to see you out.
Still, if one cannot be found, or is too long even in the smaller (HPX1) size (I have available means to mount them), then I will need to consider the best of the mini-pumps to substitute. I'll be looking closely at the ones mentioned above and the Topeak Peak DX.
The reason I was looking at the "convertible floor pump" versions is the shorter length and smaller barrel diameter couple with high-volume tires means an awful lot of pumping compared to a skinny road tire and pump. Though I've never had a problem sawing through my valve stems, I can see it being more likely when a lot more strokes are required.
Any other candidates come to mind, or further thoughts and suggestions?
Thanks so much for the help; very much appreciated!
All the best,
Dan.
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Of course just today somebody reminded me of this surprising take on a mini-pump (http://www.cyclaire.co.uk/). Not sure exactly how effective it is, but there are two models, one good for 80psi and one to do 120psi.
(http://www.cyclaire.co.uk/images/stories/pumppic.jpg)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8TVl3Ui-WHg
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Another vote here from me for the Lezyne. It is well made performs well and is easy to use. Before I bought the pump I was not convinced about the old style hose attachment but now i have used it I am
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Hi All!
Please, can someone with a Nomad Mk2 measure the outside diameter of their seat tube for me?
It occurs to me...unlike the Sherpa's fastback seatstay attachment, the stays on the Nomad attach to the sides of the seat tube, leaving a clear passage that *might* allow an otherwise too-long Zefal HPX to pass between the stays and end in a Zefal worm-drive nylon clamp attached to the seat post (the seat clamp faces forward, so would be out of the way), the pump bottom resting in a Zefal Doohicki attached to the seatstay bridge. <-- My nominee for longest run-on sentence in a Thorn Forum post to date.
Thanks very much in advance to the kind person who is able to provide the OD of a Nomad Mark2 seat tube! I...presume the seat tube would be the same size for all frames (mine will be a 590M).
Best,
Dan. (always thinking...occasionally with good result)
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The handle of my HPX very easily fits up between the seat stays. Drat, why didn't I think of that. But I don't have one of these Doohickies that can hold the bottom end of the pump. Are they still available?
Ah, ummm, a spanner in the works:
Using the Doohicki requires that there be a hole drilled, front to back through the chainstay bridge on your frame. The chainstay bridge is the horizontal tube joining the chainstays just behind your bottom bracket shell. The Doohicki bolts to the bridge through the hole using contoured adapters, cantilevering toward the B/B shell.
http://www.bikepro.com/products/pumps/zeffram.html
The Thorn Nomad only has a threaded hole, for the mudguard mount, in the rear of the chainstay bridge :-[. You could start drilling through your nice new Nomad, but...... :'(
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You could start drilling through your nice new Nomad, but...
Hi Pete!
No drilling of new Nomads here! (or old ones, for that matter!)
On Sherpa, I just substituted the Zefal Doohicki for one of the nuts Thorn used as a spacer to set the fender distance, then reused the same bolt into the threaded boss. See: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3896.0;attach=1399 BikePro were thinking of the Doohicki's included pass-through bolt and unthreaded chainstay bridges. Won't be a problem in this case.
If you can't find a Doohicki, I may be able to; let me know if you have no luck. They really do the job for keeping the Zefal HPX securely in place. The little locator "wings" on the pump head slot completely into the Doohicki, and I cannot imagine any situation in which it could possibly hop out. The worm-drive nylon clip holds the top securely in place, also. The only caution I would make is to avoid excess tension on the pump when stored on the bike -- it isn't necessary, and could unduly stress on the Doohicki "shelf". The Zefal mounts are very well-designed/braced and made of really high-quality nylon (like the soles of my now "vintage" Detto Pietro Article 74 cycling shoes), so breakage should not be a problem for ages, if ever.
I think it will work fine to mount the pump here (thanks for confirming the measurements, NZPeterG, and for you, Il Padrone, for checking also) and will allow me to use my existing pump and spares.
I surely thank everyone for their best mini-pump recommendations at present. Very helpful and useful information, and if the Zefal doesn't do the job for me...one of those suggested surely will!
All the best,
Dan.
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Lezyne. End of discussion.
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Of course just today somebody reminded me of this surprising take on a mini-pump (http://www.cyclaire.co.uk/). Not sure exactly how effective it is, but there are two models, one good for 80psi and one to do 120psi.
(http://www.cyclaire.co.uk/images/stories/pumppic.jpg)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8TVl3Ui-WHg
These are just no good. The only people that don't hate them have never owned one
[Minor edit for language by Mod Dan.]
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The only people that don't hate them have never owned one
Thanks for the report, Fred; they sound pretty bad. I've seen them around the last couple years or so and wondered if they worked; you've saved me the trouble of trying one!
There was (may still be around, I dunno) a cell-phone charger that worked similarly. Reminded me of pulling the starter cord on a lawnmower. It didn't work very well, either. Fortunately, the seller kept replacing them; unfortunately, it didn't help. The cords snapped or pulled free on the first two I got, and the gears stripped in the third, and that was with me pulling pretty gently and with the idea in mind that it couldn't be very robust for the price. Seeing this pump with a similar design brings it all back....
Best,
Dan.
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These are just no good. The only people that don't hate them have never owned one
[Minor edit for language by Mod Dan.]
I had one of these for a while a few years ago, it does work reasonably well, but it wasn't any easier than a regular pump, and was quite tiring on the arm pulling the strap. I wouldn't say I hated it but I stopped using it and got a Topeak Mini Morph instead which is a great little pump.
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Thank for elaborating, Rual...
I am coming to the conclusion that for pumping ease, the little faux floor pumps have a lot going for them.
About 30 years ago, I rigged something in a similar vein for my father, who shattered a shoulder years ago in a fall from some scaffolding and lacks some mobility/strength in that arm as a result. He used a Zefal HP pump at the time, but couldn't compress it at the high pressures his tires needed (~120psi/8.3bar). I got a spare thumblock connector from a floor pump, a length of reinforced rubber hose, and sawed the base off a presta valve. Shoved the presta valve in the hose, connected the lot with small jubilee clamps, and it worked well for him as a kind of floor pump, so long as he remembered to put the Zefal's little nylon retainer "wings" on some sort of pad. He could press down with body weight and that made all the difference. I've seen several similar homemade adaptations over the years.
Best,
Dan.
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can someone with a Nomad Mk2 measure the outside diameter of their seat tube for me?
Circumference looks to be 4 inches on the dot. (Sorry I missed this request at the time!)
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(Sorry I missed this request at the time!)
Oh, no problem, Jim; just grateful for the info -- a stellar job, as always from you! Very much appreciated!
Shortly...I will have some Big Surprises to reveal <rubs hands in glee>
All the best,
Dan. ("Getting there by a slightly different route...")
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I surely thank you all for your suggestions for "Best Mini-Pump at the Moment". I learned a great deal from your shared experience, and now know of several I would wish to try if I go that route.
However, I have solved my pump-fitting problem. I had thought I might need to find a mini-pump, since there was really no place on the Nomad's frame to fit my Zefal HPX2; The Nomad Mk2 has a shorter seat tube than my Sherpa Mk2 due to the greater slope of the top tube.
So...I put a little more thought into it.
Unlike the Sherpa's fastback seatstays, the Nomad has its stays more widely spaced, and the pump could fit between them.
Of course, there was the problem of how best to secure it, and that's where Zefal came to the rescue once again with a Doohicki Plus for the bottom, and a zytel nylon worm-drive peg at the top, attached to the seatpost. It works a treat, and the pump is so secure I cannot imagine a situation where it could possibly hop out (the little "wings" on the head end are securely held in the Doohicki Plus' slots). The pump fully clears the frame and can be quickly and easily extracted from above or from below without interference.
And, 'cos aesthetics matter, the pump fits parallel to the seat tube so it looks like it is s'posed to.
Best of all, I get to use the pump I already had -- a nice, longish frame pump that is reliable and does the job quickly.
Solved!
Best,
Dan.
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Whichever mini-pump you get, it MUST have a flexible tube. Otherwise, you will break the valve stem eventually. I vote for the lezyne pressure drive pumps. They flexible stem which supports both presta and scrader valves in an ingenious way. The pump weighs under 90g and it is small enough to fit in a saddle bag with the rest of my tools. I carry two of these pumps since a pump is even more important than a flat repair kit. The pump is slow for fat 55-559 tires, but gets the job done eventually. Supposedly, it will produce high pressures for road tires, but I wouldn't know since I have tried with those.
The rubber o-ring seals can fail eventually. SJSCycles (but not too many other retailers) sells the lezyne maintenance kit with replacement o-rings. This is very lightweight, so I throw this into my maintenance kit while touring as well.
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Hi All!
American publication Bicycling magazine just posted a roundup of their favorite mini-pumps here:
http://www.bicycling.com/mountainbikecom/bikes-gear/our-favorite-fast-action-mini-pumps?cm_mmc=Facebook-_-Bicycling-_-Content-Slideshow-_-mini-pumps
Awfully short on details (none) as is typical for them, but some nice photos and web links. There were a couple in their list I hadn't seen before.
Hopefully this will make selection easier for others.
Best,
Dan.
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Whichever mini-pump you get, it MUST have a flexible tube. Otherwise, you will break the valve stem eventually. I vote for the lezyne pressure drive pumps.
I had been using the Topeak Road Morph G pump but I didn't like the folding handle, so I decided to try one of the Lezyne pumps. The Lezyne pump failed on me so I took it back to the shop and traded back to a Road Morph.
Here's my Lezyne story:
We were about 5 miles into our ride when the rear tire went flat on a 2-mile climb. I found a screw in the tire and removed it, but there was little burr left on the inside of the tire so I booted it with a Parks adhesive tire boot that I carry with us and replaced the inner tube. Pumped it up with the Lyzene pump (which worked OK this time) and proceeded with the ride. When we got to our lunch destination the tire was going low, so I had to remove the tire, replace the tube, and pump it up again. (I found out later that the tire boot was chafing the tube and causing the flat.) I have now used up my 2 spare tubes. On the return trip - about 10 miles from home - the tire went flat again. This is where everything went to pieces. I now had no new tubes, so I had to patch the one in the tire. I got everything back together and pumped the tire up. This time, when I removed the pump head the stem valve came out with it. The Lyzene pump head had unscrewed the valve and I had no tools with me to screw it back in tight enough. I now had to take the tire off again, patch another tube, and try again. This time one of the o-rings in the pump blew out! Crap! We ended up riding on about 60 psi in the rear tire until we got to a bike shop on the way home where I borrowed a floor pump to get enough air in the tire to get us home. Lessons learned: 1) Never get a pump with a screw-on head - it can unscrew the valve when you remove it. 2) Never get a Lyzene pump - the 0-rings are a weak point and can fail, leaving you without a pump.
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Lessons learned:...
...And, sadly, a Third Lesson learned from this end...
Always care a spare pump if you ride alone, well away from access to any sort of compressed air. Lungs are not a suitable substitute, even if employed in desperation against the laws of physics. To cut to the chase, a whole series of unfortunate events -- perhaps including oxygen deprivation at altitude -- led to me stepping backwards onto my pump where I had laid it on the ground. Of course, it snapped in two. Lesson learned, so now I carry a small Crank Brothers plastic mini-pump in my underseat bag as backup. Doesn't matter how many tubes or patches I have if there's no way to reinflate the tube/tire. No, the Crank Bros mini is not ideal, but it is small and reliable, and when I really need it, I don't particularly care that it requires 475-646 strokes to get a tire up to pressure (yes, I counted; it made the time pass a bit more quickly as my arms turned noodly).
When things go really bad, there's always meadow grass or sagebrush to stuff inside the tire. It doesn't help much but saves the rim edges a little bit as the tire gets destroyed a little ore with every roll of the wheel. :(
So sorry you had such bad luck, Steve; how unfortunate!
Best,
Dan. (Such stories leave me feeling...flat)
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Bah! A mate of mine flatted on the second last lap of a round of the Australian MTB Championship series. No external assistance possible, replacing the tube would leave him finishing close to last. He rode the last lap and a half (about 6kms - long races back in those days) on a flat rear tyre. Trashed the tyre and rim.
You're all soft I say :P
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Trashed the tyre and rim.
B-bu-but Pete! That's why we're soft! Going on is expendysive, and replacements are hard to find on-tour... :-\
Nah, you're right; we're soft! ;D
All the best,
Dan.
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He rode the last lap and a half (about 6kms - long races back in those days) on a flat rear tyre. T
I've got a DVD, Race Across the Sky, about the Leadville Trail 100, where Lance Armstrong gets a flat close the end and just rides on it. Definitely depends on the situation!
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My mate was in the lead. I think he only lost two places - third place on a flat tyre ;D
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I had been using the Topeak Road Morph G pump but I didn't like the folding handle, so I decided to try one of the Lezyne pumps. The Lezyne pump failed on me so I took it back to the shop and traded back to a Road Morph.
Here's my Lezyne story:
We were about 5 miles into our ride when the rear tire went flat on a 2-mile climb. I found a screw in the tire and removed it, but there was little burr left on the inside of the tire so I booted it with a Parks adhesive tire boot that I carry with us and replaced the inner tube. Pumped it up with the Lyzene pump (which worked OK this time) and proceeded with the ride. When we got to our lunch destination the tire was going low, so I had to remove the tire, replace the tube, and pump it up again. (I found out later that the tire boot was chafing the tube and causing the flat.) I have now used up my 2 spare tubes. On the return trip - about 10 miles from home - the tire went flat again. This is where everything went to pieces. I now had no new tubes, so I had to patch the one in the tire. I got everything back together and pumped the tire up. This time, when I removed the pump head the stem valve came out with it. The Lyzene pump head had unscrewed the valve and I had no tools with me to screw it back in tight enough. I now had to take the tire off again, patch another tube, and try again. This time one of the o-rings in the pump blew out! Crap! We ended up riding on about 60 psi in the rear tire until we got to a bike shop on the way home where I borrowed a floor pump to get enough air in the tire to get us home. Lessons learned: 1) Never get a pump with a screw-on head - it can unscrew the valve when you remove it. 2) Never get a Lyzene pump - the 0-rings are a weak point and can fail, leaving you without a pump.
Wrong lessons learned. First, make sure you tighten up the parts on the Lezyne pump that can be unscrewed before using it, since the o-rings are most likely to blow out when they are not firmly held in place. Second, you should have had two pumps, since all mini-pumps have weak points, and that most definitely includes the Topeak pumps. The Lezyne Pressure drive is lightweight enough (about 90g) and small enough that carrying two pumps is is not a problem. Third, bring along a 15 x 30 cm piece of 1000d coated nylon cordura (fabric used to make heavy backpacks and luggage) to protect the tube from any boot you use and/or serve as a boot in its own right. Fourth, the Lezyne pumps don't have screw-on heads or at least I never use this feature with Scrader valves. Finally, if your tubes have removable valve cores (all Scrader tubes and some Presta tubes, then you really should bring along a valve core remover and some spare valve cores, since sometimes the valve core is where the leak is occurring.
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As an old-school roadie, I am particularly fond of the Zefal HPX series of pumps. I'm saddened to think they're no longer made, as Andre said. I knew the black ones had been discontinued in favor of silver, and they still appear in the Zefal catalog...but have been dropped by SJS Cycles.
Dan.
In December 2012 we took delivery of our Thorn tandem and we were able to specify a Zephal HPX No 4 to accompany the bike. Fits a treat on the boom tube with a brazed on peg. SJSC refer to it as an Äntique" pump! So there are still a few left!
Mike
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Yaaaaay, Mike; good news, that! Get 'em while y'can. The black ones are already in extremely short supply, even on eBay.
The Zefal HPX is one of my favorites, and still made of Real Metal® -- aluminum in this case. They keep working fine for a long time provided one doesn't get too frantic with the pace of pumping so the little ball check-valve at the end gets dislodged. If it does, one needs either a very long slotted screwdriver or a (care) tire iron to tighten it up again.
The Zefal HPX has *almost* replaced the Silca Impero with Campagnolo chromed-steel two-legged head as my aesthetic pump of choice. Man, to my roadie eyes, those still just look "right" when painted to match the bike frame. Trouble is they were made of styrene plastic. Never too sturdy to begin with, it gets embrittled with age and they all shatter while pumping someday. Either that, or they crack across the threads. Still pretty, though the hardest work to actually use at high pressures. I've managed to hammer in as much as 130psi/8.96bar with one, but regretted it. My arms felt like wet noodles after.
Good news, Mike; thanks for sharing.
Best,
Dan.
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Fourth, the Lezyne pumps don't have screw-on heads or at least I never use this feature with Scrader valves.
I have two Lezyne pumps (Road Drive and Micro Floor Drive). Both have screw-on hose connectors.
(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRm5SJq-XQUnSMWKV_O7KA163IaSy9bj3Z24tuDxVB-_3UjISD_-g)
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The Zefal HPX Vintage Number 4 Reversible Frame Fit Pump Silver also available from Parkers of Bolton for £20.
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got a zefal hcx for a tenner in my local bikeshop last week . ;)
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I have two Lezyne pumps (Road Drive and Micro Floor Drive). Both have screw-on hose connectors.
(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRm5SJq-XQUnSMWKV_O7KA163IaSy9bj3Z24tuDxVB-_3UjISD_-g)
My Lezyne pressure drive mini-pumps have that same tube and it does indeed screw onto the valve. But the person I was replying to said something about unscrewing the valve. I'm not longer sure what he meant. I assumed at the time that he was talking about unscrewing the valve core, which is something you can do with Schrader valves to install stans sealant (which I use as protection from goat-head thorns). I'm certainly not having problems with the Lezyne pumps, other than that the o-rings can blow. Which is why I carry the o-ring repair kit and also two pumps. The Lezyne mini pumps are very lightweight and very small, so carrying two is a viable option. From the standpoint of person in the middle of a big city, with a bike shop right down the street and everyone busy, busy, busy, these Lezyne mini-pumps take forever to pump up a 55-559 tire. From the standpoint of someone with a flat tire and a broken pump in the middle of the desert, on a dirt road that sees maybe one truck every few days, with a 30 mile hike to the nearest paved road, they work very quickly.
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Fair comment. But I must admit that I use the pump sooo rarely, and it is always kept in good nick. As the problem you mention is all about the hose connector, I'd probably carry a spare hose rather than the whole spare pump. It's possible to go overboard with spares and where do you draw the line?
Spare chain? Spare saddle? Spare rim? Spare handlebar? I have heard of all of these failing for someone on a tour at some stage :-\
Note: I do not carry any of these as spares, nor do I ever plan to.
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Spare chain? Spare saddle? Spare rim? Spare handlebar? I have heard of all of these failing for someone on a tour at some stage :-\
Note: I do not carry any of these as spares, nor do I ever plan to.
That's it. I'm coming for you. -- Murphy's Law
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A bit off original topic but,
I once surprised a son who had just broken a toilet seat in our house by bringing out a spare and replacing the broken one.
I am risk averse and tend to take too many spares on a tour, but other cyclists have definitely benefited.
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If one brought a spare toilet seat on-tour, it would solve a number of ancillary problems as well.
Just sayin'.
All the best,
Dan. (...who just had to say it, and wants to tour with julk)
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Fair comment. But I must admit that I use the pump sooo rarely, and it is always kept in good nick. As the problem you mention is all about the hose connector, I'd probably carry a spare hose rather than the whole spare pump. It's possible to go overboard with spares and where do you draw the line?
Spare chain? Spare saddle? Spare rim? Spare handlebar? I have heard of all of these failing for someone on a tour at some stage :-\
Note: I do not carry any of these as spares, nor do I ever plan to.
I use a pump rarely myself. But like I said, these Lezyne mini-pumps are very lightweight at 90g each and also very compact, and I HAVE had one fail on me. It wasn't the o-rings in the tube, BTW, but rather in the pump part. This happened in bitterly cold weather, and fixing the pump would have been difficult, since my hands would have become numb but fixing those o-rings requires a delicate touch. I didn't actually NEED the pump at this time, I was just topping up my tires that had gotten a little low in pressure, but it was a wakeup call. Flat tires can occur at any time and you can't fix them without a working pump. The Schwalbe Mondial is NOT immune to nails sticking straight up.
Not planning for a broken chain is unwise. Broken chains are not uncommon, though I've never had one myself. The SRAM PC830 that I use is a good chain, but there are always manufacturing defects. I carry 5" of spare chain (5 full-links) plus 3 spare master links.
A broken saddle or seat post just means you have to push the bike out to the nearest highway or town. No big deal.
Rims usually crack before they completely disintegrate, so it would be wise to examine them frequently and I do. If a crack is found, you should be able to make it back to a highway or town before the cracks gets too big. Just be gentle and perhaps push rather than ride to take some weight off the wheels. A friend of mine had his rim crack while desert touring. He was able to continue riding on it to town.
The main problem with a broken handlebar is that you can no longer push. However, it is possible to improvise. I carry a hiking stick as part of my gear (self-defense from dogs, front support for my tarp, self-defense from mountain lions when hiking) and that could be used to steer the bike while pushing. Another possibility is the seat post. Long stems can also break, but mine is short (70mm) and so very unlikely to break.
A broken handlebar might cause a crash which breaks your wrist. If this happens in cold, raining and windy conditions, then you'll need shelter fast to avoid hypothermia. Can you pitch your shelter one-handed? It's simple to take one-handed setup into consideration when choosing a shelter, and usually doesn't add weight.
If you travel in the desert, are you prepared for leaks in water bottles/bladders? Leaks are possible even with high-quality containers, and are easy to prepare for by simply distributing your water into multiple containers.
I'm not a fanatic about survivalism, but it is seems foolish not to be prepared for common contingencies when you are touring at a leisurely pace, and hence weight is not a major concern like it is for racers.
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To throw another spanner in the works: recommendations for dual use (shocks, i.e. air suspension forks and tyres) pumps?
I've come past these two (plus rebranded versions of the latter):
http://www.topeak.com/products/Pumps/shocknroll
http://www.amazon.com/GIYO-Bicycle-Schrader-Presta-Shock/dp/B00BW4TS0G/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1387085979&sr=8-12&keywords=giyo+pump
I know small pumps require more strokes, such is life. Definitely +1 on tube connectors to avoid damaging valve. For redundancy I'm considering getting both, so that between the two of us (both on air-suss forked nomads) plus one more 'normal' tyre pump, any one can die without leaving us...deflated.
And a final spanner: how many spare tubes would you carry between two riders for a year of South America? I've read Thorn's view on Schrader valves, hence them supplying bikes with Presta/ Presta-drilled rims. How easy is it to get hold of 26" presta valved tubes in out there places?
Btw - beautiful life hack: cutting the top half of the presta valve plastic lid and screwing it back on turns it into a schrader adapter: http://cyclingabout.com/index.php/2013/10/make-your-own-presta-valve-adapter-video/
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And a final spanner: how many spare tubes would you carry between two riders for a year of South America? I've read Thorn's view on Schrader valves, hence them supplying bikes with Presta/ Presta-drilled rims. How easy is it to get hold of 26" presta valved tubes in out there places?
We rode for 3 months in Italy and Corsica. Only one puncture, that amazingly could not be traced to any foreign body - it may actually have just been a combination of a softening tyre due to long period between topping up and perhaps a pinch flat. I never got around to repairing the tube and now it's........ ??
Anyway we carried two spare tubes each. If I was touring for a year, perhaps make it three spare tubes. The more critical things are:
1. really good puncture-protective tyres;
2. access to reliable patch glue.
One of the biggest failures I've found is the glue - tubes of cement that dry out on you. Very common once it has been opened, especially if you have hot weather. I have even once opened a sealed tube of glue to find the tube was entirely empty :o :-[ - evaporated somehow. I'd expect that tube repair glue is reasonably common in South America however. If you puncture tubes then repair them. A tube is not dead until it has eight patches on it by my standard.
As for presta tubes - Wiggle is your friend. Here in Australia I can get a package shipped from Wiggle in 4-5 days. South America can't be too much worse.
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Not a mini pump I know but has anyone tried a Biologic Postpump Seatpost?