topflightpro

Yep. It took about three weeks for me to need to replace the rubber gasket in my Silca pump head - I had the basic Pista. Then I needed to replace the leather washer. Then again. Then the rubber gasket again...

In less than six months, the damn thing became such a PIA, with parts needing to be replaced way too frequently, that I just bought a Lezyne, which works fine.

Hopefully that super expensive one works better than the one I bought.

bmcphx

I read a lot about replacement parts before spending $200 on a pump and all signs point to the new ownership of silca carrying a much better standard. I guess I'll find out if that's true.

tetonrider

i think josh said that they wanted to maintain the reputation of silca for longevity.

i know that the leather washer is something he made a big deal about. i'd never used/owned one, so i just assumed that they figured out leather was better. @topflightpro's comments indicate that maybe that is not so true.

anyway, based on a few interactions with josh i suspect they would stand behind their product, no matter what.

i evaluated their new pump head. i use a hirame head and thought their new head might be a better version that is more widely available--that i could recommend to others. they bill it as working with every wheel. unfortunately, i had access to a few wheels that they did not test it with, so i sent it back with that feedback. it's nice....for the wheels it works with. but for those wheels a standard head (w/ lever) works just fine, too.

shovelhd

I have a 34 year old Silca track pump. I've replaced the leather washer once. The gauge is another matter.

bmcphx

they sell a head with a lever as well, if that's your jam.

tetonrider

almost every pump winds up using one of a few gauges. they're pretty cheap and prone to failure. you can replace them pretty easily on some pumps. it's a weak link, for sure.

don't know what josh did with the new silva one, but it is pretty nice.

tetonrider

yeah...their hiro lever. it is supposed to be an improved hirame but IMO/for my situation it doesn't work as well.

it's very nice but kind of irrelevant for regular wheels. the side throw is useful for stuff like discs/tri-spokes....but the diameter and height of theirs is often an issue.

otherwise, a lever with a vertical throw (which they don't make) is just fine.

Porschefan

Well.....no, I won't go there.

Actually, just consider a work of art; example of extraordinary craftsmanship; epitome of industrial design. That's where the value is. And it IS beautiful. Might as well optimize the tire pumping ritual for maximum aesthetic enjoyment!

Now, if you ever buy one of the new $10K Apple iWatches....then I WILL tell you how stupid you are.

STP

caloso

Yeah, I was feeling a bit discouraged after Saturday's M45+123 crit, that I felt like I was in the best March shape in years but that I'm losing ground. But I have to remind myself that I've hardly done much high intensity work yet this season. I'm trying to take the long term view.

himespau 

And I will disagree with him fervently and on the record when you send it to me. Though that would be the really stupid thing as it won't work for me as I don't own a cell phone.

shovelhd

It all evens out across a long season.

I'm bummed that I won't be out your way next month.

caloso

Me too. Sorry your plans changed. April in NorCal really is the best.

shovelhd

I was looking forward to killing myself to keep up with Malcolm Hill.

gsteinb

CRCA just canceled tomorrow's central park race

mike868y

shocking

gsteinb

you're too much of a whiney little dweeb to properly pull off NE agro sarcasm. Play to your strengths man.

save10

this is what happens when it doesnt rain all winter. empty reservoirs and giant guads.

gsteinb

don't you guys just steal water from other states?

carpediemracing 

My Silca worked great until I used it to chip ice at Turn One at Bethel. I saved all the pieces to put back together but haven't yet.

caloso

That's southern California. They steal ours, plus Nevada's, Arizona's, and Baja California's.

hack

Northern California steals from other Northern California counties. Southern California steals from Northern California and other states. Water is in such short supply now that Los Angeles is offering to buy up water allottments from NorCal farmers at prices that make it more profitable to sell the water than to farm land.

ridethecliche

And then that land is going to be effed in 5 years when they try to farm it again and everyone will be scratching their heads.

gsteinb

Stay classy San Diego!

hack

From what I've read, most of the farmers are going to elect to farm in lieu of selling off all their water for a variety of reasons. Keeping the land "farmable", not screwing over the surrounding industry that relies on their farmed goods for jobs, etc. Since a lot of these water rights are quite historical, the allottments often exceed need, so I believe the farms that have excess water allottments are likely to sell, but will still have enough supply to keep their farms in operation.

However, there are some movements at the State level that are looking to modify the historical water rights or increase temporary curtailments until the "drought" ends. Bottom line is that we (State of CA) put too much demand on the long term available water and with our population growth will continue to have nothing but problems.

Hermes

Future team kits