Frame Pumps

[dsut4392]

I had a Zefal years ago, and never had a problem with it coming off the bike. I suppose if it fits a bit loose between frame tubes, this could happen. Which brings me to a suggestion that many of today's pumps have, a velcro frame strap. My Lezyne has one and I would never use a pump without one.

I probably just didn't fit it properly, you're right they normally don't come off.

I understand that getting your road tire up to 80 psi is enough to get home. But I figure if I'm going to carry a pump, why not get one that will get the tire up to the proper pressure so that you don't have to shorten the ride?

Who needs to shorten the ride? 80 PSI isn't ideal for avoiding pinch flats, or minimising rolling resistance, but it really isn't a big deal. In most cases I would agree with you about carrying a high quality, highly functional piece of kit, but pumps are something I just can't get excited about. For the frequency with which I use it, I'm prepared to live with second rate performance for the $40 and 40% weight saving.

 

[AnythingButKestrel]

Can you tell us what specifically you don't like about your Lezyne pump? I know they actually require some manual effort to use, but other than that?

I just don't seem to get flats where I ride, so for me, spare air is just an insurance policy rather than a daily need. The Lezyne twisted out the valve core of my road tube after I spent waaay too much time inflating it. So, forget about it for road tires.

The pumps are totally impractical for mountain tires (too little volume), so I just took the stupid thing back to the store. CO2 is just better, easier, and frankly, I just don't think it's that ecologically unsound. CO2 fillers may use disposable cartridges, but the actual device uses a LOT less raw materials to make and the empties can be recycled.

 

[marathon marke]

I just don't seem to get flats where I ride, so for me, spare air is just an insurance policy rather than a daily need.

That sounds reasonable. Even though I end up commuting through the city a lot, most of my riding is on old farm country roads. In the 6,000+ miles I've logged this year, I have had only two flats. OTOH, having spent the '80s doing countless double-centuries, 700-mile ultra-marathon races, and 3,000 mile self-supported tours, I've been conditioned to prepare for the worst. If you're riding through deserted areas where it might be 100-miles between towns, you're glad to have a pump when that third flat occurs and you might have only carried two CO2 cartridges.

The Lezyne twisted out the valve core of my road tube after I spent waaay too much time inflating it. So, forget about it for road tires.

I can only believe that the valve core issue must have been from improper use. Since I began long-distant cycling over 30 years ago, I have never had that happen with a pump. And the beauty of the Lezyne is having that flexible hose so that you don't have to "vise-grip" the tire/pump connection when you put in that last 10-15 pounds of pressure.

The pumps are totally impractical for mountain tires (too little volume), so I just took the stupid thing back to the store. CO2 is just better, easier, and frankly, I just don't think it's that ecologically unsound. CO2 fillers may use disposable cartridges, but the actual device uses a LOT less raw materials to make and the empties can be recycled.

I can see your point with MTB tires. I understand that you don't believe that it's ecologically unsound. And as I agreed with your earlier comment, if one rarely gets a flat, that's easy to rationalize. But I can honestly say that I have never heard of anyone who recycles CO2 cartridges! The possibilty is one thing. What cyclists actually practice is another. I doubt that there are more spent pumps lying on roadsides than empty CO2 cartridges.

 

[marathon marke]

No one has mentioned silca with campy medal head

I wish I would have saved one, just for my collection.

 

[AnythingButKestrel]

I can only believe that the valve core issue must have been from improper use.
...
I doubt that there are more spent pumps lying on roadsides than empty CO2 cartridges.

Maaaybe, but I think it's just that the tubes I ended up with have screw out cores. I'm not getting flats, so I'm a little reluctant to change tube designs. The tube wasn't damaged, I just had to screw the core back in and re-air.

As for the bike trash on the ground...that I don't get. It must be a Kalifornia thing, because it just doesn't seem to be happening around the Pac NW. We just don't have trash on trails here. My trash goes home with me and apparently it does with everyone else too. Locally, I've only seen it at a ski resort - the rest of the areas I ride are trash free. For me, it's just as easy to put the empties in the blue bin as the trash bin. And you can even recycle propane canisters now, so I know that the recycling system can handle them.

 

[marathon marke]

Maaaybe, but I think it's just that the tubes I ended up with have screw out cores. I'm not getting flats, so I'm a little reluctant to change tube designs. The tube wasn't damaged, I just had to screw the core back in and re-air.

Oh, well now we're getting somehwere. So, I'm assuming that when you screwed off the Lezyne's pump hose, the valve core came along with it? If so, could it be that the cores just needed to be scewed down tighter to begin with? I use Michelin Aircomp Ultralight tubes, and I've never had a problem with my Lezyne pump. What kind of floor pump do you have? Do you have any problems with that too?

As for the bike trash on the ground...that I don't get. It must be a Kalifornia thing, because it just doesn't seem to be happening around the Pac NW. We just don't have trash on trails here. My trash goes home with me and apparently it does with everyone else too. Locally, I've only seen it at a ski resort - the rest of the areas I ride are trash free. For me, it's just as easy to put the empties in the blue bin as the trash bin. And you can even recycle propane canisters now, so I know that the recycling system can handle them.

We don't really have that problem here in Wisconsin either, except at races. I was just trying to say that as far as the total amount of waste that is generated by flat tires, I think it's safe to say that the carts cause more of a litter problem than bad pumps. It's good to hear that your area doesn't have the problem with this kind of litter.

 

[Boeing]

lezyne work for me

both a volume pump mtn and a high pressure. but I only take a pump on the raodie when riding over 70 miles at one time

 

[zootracer]

Unscrewing valve cores..

I packed a Lezyne Road Drive L for about a year. Everything was fine until I unknowingly purchased some tubes with removable valve cores. When I went to unscrew the Lezyne hose from the tube stem it unscrewed the valve core, and I ended up with a tire with no air. I was thinking of using loctite to seal the valve core. I went back to using my Blackburn A1 for the time being. It does take around 200 strokes to get a 700x23 tire up to over 100psi with a Road Drive. When I run out of the new tubes I'll go back to packing my Lezyne.

 

[chasbo]

I have been using a full size Blackburn frame pump for years with zero problems. Velcro straps front and back keep it secure under my top tube. I will second a silca with a campy head, I still have one on my Nuovo Record bike that has been to hell and back and still works. I will also second the idea that 80 psi is plenty for most people and doesn't neccessitate shortening a ride. I manage 100psi easily with the Blackburn.

 

[LugHugger]

Bump

I had an interesting misfortune today. 5 miles out from the start of our ride I flatted the Conti Sprinter Gatorskin tub on my rear wheel. Pulled out my Lezyne Twin Drive, twisted on the cartridge and.... no thread on the valve!

Fortunately, my buddy had a manual pump with a lever actuated head and once the caffe latex had finally taken effect we were on our way again.

As a side note, the latex took 10 minutes to fully seal and bizarrely seemed to be escaping from two 3-4 cm lengths along the tyre where the rim tape and the rim meet. Thoughts? Pinch flats? I rode the tyre for about 10 seconds as it was deflating.

Anybody else had this CO2/valve misfortune? I guess the moral is to check that your kit is compatible before you close the garage door behind you!

And does anybody have recommendations for pumps with lever actuated heads specifically?

Cheers.

 

[purpletezza]

They look daggy and are big but a Zefal frame mount pump will inflate a tyre in about 20 strokes to hi pressure and last for years. Lever action head and you can buy spare parts. Great for touring.

http://www.zefal.com/en/traditional-pumps/109-hpx-classic.html

 

[chasbo]

A Blackburn full size frame pump on one bike and a Silca with a Campy head, painted to match my other bike. The Silca's are rebuildable and totally dependable and the Blackburn gets the job done, but doesn't last quite as long. I am going on 16 years on my Silca and after 7 years have had to replace the Blackburn once. The Blackburn works better though.