Old 10-01-20 | 11:47 AM
  #66  
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Road Fan
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Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Ann Arbor, MI

Bikes: 1980 Masi, 1984 Mondonico, 1984 Trek 610, 1980 Woodrup Giro, 2005 Mondonico Futura Leggera ELOS, 1967 PX10E, 1971 Peugeot UO-8

Originally Posted by RobbieTunes
I have a cheap $9.99 pump from Harbor Freight. Difficult, no Presta, but it attaches/releases the Shrader/Presta adapter cleanly, and gets to the psi I need. I sort of hate it.
My lady has a nashbar pump that is at least 20 years old. It's never been serviced. It works fine, but the gauge is small and scarred and faded and difficult to see.

My main pump was a Topeak Joe Blow Pro. I thought it was great, until it needed servicing about 2 years ago. Now it stops at 80 psi.
Topeak doesn't service it any longer, but sent me a new head and O-ring, just in case the recent failure was the head or O-ring.
Turns out, the fitting on the pump body failed (leaked). It's about 7 years old. That sort of rules out Topeak.

To the Trek store (which was barren, by the way, two employees, maybe 10 bikes, no ability to browse with COVID),
despite vowing to never patronize Trek or Bontrager again. I'm a convenience *****. I say "I need a pump." They have 4 cheapo's and the Flash TLR.
I also pick up carbon rim brake pads--cork. (turns out they're howlers.)
I take the Flash TLR floor pump, able to inflate tubeless, etc with the charged cylinder. Digital readout. Accurate. Poor base, though.
I figure OK, now that I have 3 sets of tubeless wheels, maybe I can use this. I mistakenly figure price also equals quality.
Got it home, got it hooked up....the digital display is upside down.
I kid you not. In order to read it, I'd need to have eyes under my ass.
You'd think with my head up there, that'd be easy, but not for pumping tires.

Pump display is upside down. Back to the store.
"We don't have any more pumps."
"We don't have any other brake pads."
Whoopee. COVID?

No Topeak due to their inability to make a long-lasting pump.
No Bontrager since they apparently don't know up from down.
No Specialized.... I like the police.
The Harbor Freight model is a stroke-inducer above 60 psi.
My lady won't let her nashbar pump out of her sight.
I had a second-hand Silca that I'm now sure I should have held onto.
speedevil has a Lezyne that has a great angled head (thread-on).

What are folks using and why?

Is it normal to have to service your floor pump?
I kept my old Silca Pista. I put on a new hose maybe 20 years ago. I've had ot replace the pump head rubber ... is it a washer? Anyway have done that twice. I've never needed a new cork piston. I really like how well it works, and the fixes are way easier than patching a tubular. The fixes have been easy and I can just keep doing them.

I don't want the other problems you are having. If you are done with your Silca floor pump I'll buy it especially if it's the longer length Super Pista with the wooden T-handle.
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