Hi everyone,
I own a Specialized Air Tool Comp Floor Pump that is about 2 years old and has received only light use. I have bent a couple Presta valve "plungers" (plug may be the correct term) in recent months. Is it me or this a problem for this model pump? The pump has never gripped valves well in my opinion. The pressure gauge stopped working right 2 months after I bought it. I am wondering too if replacing it with a different model pump might be the best option? Thanks!

I can't keep up with all the floor pump offerings that keep changing. What I will say is that I very much prefer a non Smart head/chuck. I find a chuck with a dedicated presta hole is far easier to use. I also will spit into the chuck to help lube the interface between the valve and the rubber grommet. Makes sliding on and off the valve easier and less wear to the chuck grommet.

I'd go to your LBSs and try a few new pumps and get the one that is easiest for you to work with. Andy.

You could also replace the chuck on your pump with a different/better type, but if the gauge isn't working, it sounds like new pump time. Thread-on chucks, like the Lezyne, are the most reliable and foolproof, but a bit more tedious to use as you need to thread them on and off each time. One chuck that has worked well for me is the lever operated Topeak Twinhead, which is available separately at Amazon, etc.. Eventually the seals get worn out and are available as replacement items too.

Topeak also makes a nice thread-on type chuck, the Threadlock.

I can't speak to the pump's quality, but I generally don't chalk bent valves up to the pump. I consider those to be user errors, though a head that needs to be wrestled with can be a factor. Whatever head you use should slip on easily, grip well under pressure, then release and slide off about as easy as they went on.

Like AS, I prefer simpler designs like basic thumb locks (not so-called smart heads) or the classic push-on head.

However, to prevent bending valves in the future, you have to figure out why you're bending them up to now. Are you wiggling the head in order to massage it on or off? If so, what kind of pump head, and why are you struggling so?

A little wiggling may be necessary, but try not to wiggle at all. If you must wiggle, do it as little as possible, by pushing straight as hard as you can. I agree that you probably caused these failures by wiggling.

Deb has always wiggled. If not I might not have married her. OTOH, she doesn't bend valves.

Thanks everyone. I will see about getting a new head though I expect I will ultimately buy a Lezyne. In regard to wiggling, the Specialized's head grips Presta valves poorly, though itis passable on Schrader valves. It is always an effort to get the head to secure to the valve without flopping off.

I like my Specialized pump, but I'm quite impressed by Lezyne pumps.

I bought a Joe Blow pump at a local LBS when I suddenly had bikes with Presta valves and kept forgetting I had an adapter tied to the seat rail.

I think it works GREAT. I have had to use some other pump brands and none of them impressed me.

Two seasons of riding and airing up tires, it has worked flawlessly.

Mine is similar to this one- Topeak® Cycling Accessories ? Products - JoeBlow? Sport II

-SP

Hi everybody,
I went to my LBS and explained about my pump problems. A mechanic said I needed a gasket in the pump head and a new gasket was installed. I asked the mechanic to test the pump on a Presta valve (not mine). In order to get a tight seal, he really wiggled and jammed the pump head all the way down on the valve. Is that the way a pump head should have to work? Was my pump head really fixed?

Yeah, basically. Pump heads held on by a rubber grommet have a lot of variability depending on the pump head, the condition of the gasket, and the tube stem. You push it on, flip the lever (or whatever), and if it leaks you redo it pushing in on further and trying again. If it still doesn't seal or stay on, put a new grommet in it and maybe then it will work. Some are better than others, but that's the basic drill. Thread-on types are much less temperamental and problematic. They thread over the threads at the tip of the stem and an o-ring seals against the shoulder at the end of those threads where the diameter of the stem increases (some have larger threads beyond the shoulder and some are smooth). Eventually that o-ring will wear out and need replacement too.

All these issues are just with the end of the pump head (chuck), everything before that usually works fine. So, chose a pump based on the pump head, or put a good chuck on the pump you have.

Hi Looigi
Thanks for responding. I have one more question. The LBS recommended putting a little Triflow oil on the pump head. Might that cause any problems, like weakening the grommet, collecting dirt, etc.?

I would never use something like WD-40 on a rubber pump head grommet.

However, here's an old fashioned, and very declasse trick that works well, and costs absolutely nothing. Spit in it. Spit is an excellent, non-harmful lube for things like pump heads. And the beauty of it is that we all have an unlimited supply.

I've attached a magnet to my pump with a zip tie. The magnet holds a small combination end wrench (open on one end box on the other). I leave the little screw-on washer thingy on my presta valves. When attaching the pump head I slip the box end wrench over the valve. I can use the wrench to press down/away (on the washer) while I pull the head straight up. If I forget to use slip the box end on... the open end works fine as well.