Thread: Air Support
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Old 05-11-26 | 11:53 AM
  #19  
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79pmooney
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From: Portland, OR

Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder

I hope someone starts making the Zephal HP/HPX again or a very similar pump/ Patents had to have expired long ago so I cannot see any reason not to copy them exactly. Those pumps worked. Really, really well. I lent mine to a skinny 40 yo engineer at a time trial 50 years ago and he had no trouble inflating both tires to 120 psi.

100 not so hard strokes to get to full riding pressure. I raced on air from my HP for nearly all my races; inflating near flat latex tubed sewups. THe HPX was a little quicker pumping, same effort. (The handle twisted to bypass the spring to secure the pump when it was mounted on the bike; making the stroke easier. Zephal then made the barrel a touch larger. But that did made for one more part that could fail. So I basically consider it a draw as to which model was better.

No hose. But wrapping your hand around the head, the rim and tire and perhaps a spoke or two was easy and meant all pumping force was opposed by your hand. And made on-off very fast.
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