Bad Lag

I got a flat today. It was my first flat in a very long time. The latex tube failed by blowing out into a spoke recess (even though it was covered with an intact rim strip).

I had a Lyzene mini-pump and a spare tube with me, so I was not stranded. It did point out how insufficient those mini-pumps are when trying to reach 100-120 psi.

I limped back home on a tire inflated to only about 60-70 psi.

Ironically, I have a vintage Silca Impero but took it off the bike. I get so few flats, I was looking to preserve it.

So, what does the hive know about the new Silca Impero frame pump? Anyone have one? They are expensive ($165) but do they work?

davester

The vintage versions (sporting Campagnolo metal heads) can usually be picked up pretty cheaply, work much better than the mini pumps, look better than the modern version, and only weigh an ounce or two more than the mini pumps. I find myself often telling riders I encounter on the road who are struggling with their mini pumps or have accidentally released all the CO2 in their cartridge to get out of the way so that I can pump up their tire with a real pump. Zefal HPs are functionally even better, though are less attractive. All my road bikes have either vintage Silca Imperos or Zefal HPs.

3alarmer 

.
...I cannot pump a road tyre with a Silca frame pump much beyond 80 psi. Even with all the various bracing tricks, I still can't reliably expect much over that pressure. With a Zefal HPX frame pump, I can get to 120psi pretty dependably. I know there are people who really like Silca frame pumps here. I am just not one of them. I don't carry a pump on the frame for how it looks.

Dfrost 

Neither wife nor I feel “safe” riding without a useful pump, every ride. We’ve had too many surprising flats in our combined 65+ years of road riding. And we’ve each helped out a few folks, typically experienced riders, who didn’t carry a pump for whatever reason.

We use Topeak full size frame pumps (apparently no longer made), like a Zefal HPX but without the annoying rattle-causing flared handle, on the bikes with a pump peg. The others with no peg but two bottle mounts get the largest size Lezyne road drive. It has reliably and without much difficulty/too many strokes got a 28mm tire to its nominal 85 psi, measured with a Lezyne in-line gauge that is surprisingly accurate. The Lezyne is attached with the included pump mount under a water bottle cage.

smontanaro 

I use a Zefal HP. In fact, I like them so we'll, when my 40-ish year old pump gave up the ghost, I scrounged a small collection from someone who had several take-offs laying around and now have two working pumps and a third which might work in a pinch.

The HPx is the current incarnation of that series and is, I believe, still in production. I'd give that a look-see. You might well need a pump clip, but that's easily found.

jamesdak 

Yep, I pretty much carry a Zefal HPx on every ride no matter which bike I take. Only have a few I can't fit one on. That said, to be honest I also carry a CO2 setup with me also with and extra cartridge. Plenty of room in my saddle bag for that , two spares, two tire levers, etc.

I usually flat only once or twice a year and the last couple of times it's been super quick and easy getting back on the road using the CO2. But I will always carry a Zefal as a dependable backup.

I recently picked up another one so they are still around. Sometimes hard to find the size you need to fit your bike though. Remember to take that into consideration.

Mr. Spadoni 

HPXs are almost always on the Rivendell site but My last two came from garage sales. Goal is to collect enough that I don’t have to swap them between bikes.

ryansu 

I like Leyzene pumps - I have three - and 80 psi is perfectly adequate for me to get home, I don't even consider that limping, I can see that if I felt I just had to have 120 PSI that the leyzene might not be up to that task but I have not needed anything over 100 psi in at least a decade, I am not sure my local roads would be very welcoming for a bike running 120 PSI tires

jamesdak 

??? I've got 4 of these I use and no rattle. Just curious, do you mean the pump handle itself or the lock lever for when you lock it onto the valve?

Salamandrine 

FWIW, I've never had a problem reaching 100+ psi with a Silca and campy metal head. Generally I used to run my training sew ups at 100. The silca plastic heads that came with the pumps kinda sucked IIRC.

I can't speak to the reissues. Pretty different pump, from what I can tell.

Bad Lag

Is this a strength issue you have or are you saying the pump and its seals cannot go over 80 psi? Zefal has a smaller diameter tube, less cross sectional area, so it requires less force to reach a given pressure.

northbend 

I use one of those new Silca Frame pumps on my touring bike. The bike as a whole, is what I consider an affordable luxury, the pump being part of that package.
It works fine but not head and shoulders above any other frame pumps I use (Zefal, Topeak) on other bikes.
Of the three, the Zefal is the best from a functional point of view, the Topeak the least.

The new Silca is heavy compared to the others, much more solid and sturdy.
I am sure I could hold off a pack of wild dogs with it and I like how it looks.

Dfrost 

The Zefal rattle was caused by the pump handle flare against the frame tube, not the locking lever. It was probably the result of pump pegs positioned a bit closer to the TT (Klein and Erickson frames), certainly not a problem for most. Those HPX pumps are very nice and I’ve got a few in our two sizes tucked away. At the time, we solved it by wrapping window seal strips around the handle.

Kabuki12

My Silca Impero pumps still work fine but 65lbs maybe 75lbs tops. It gets me home but that's about it. My Zefal HP pumps are definitely better and can easily pump 80-90 lbs. The Silca pumps are on the bikes and are original matching pumps but I really should overhaul them , maybe it would change my opinion of them . Both work ! Joe joesvintageroadbikes.wordpress

seedsbelize 

I had two ancient HPX-4s around, that I was hoping to make into one functional one. But alas they only come apart so far, and what I needed to do couldn't be done(by me anyway). I now have three HPX-3s, for my three regular riders. And nice chrome pump umbrellas to mount them with.

philbob57

The failure point of the Zefal HP that stumped me the most was the piston seal. If you come across an HP with that problem, an OEM replacement is available from a seller on the 'bay for $13.49, including shipping. (I am not connected in any way with the seller, except as a customer.) I imagine it's available directly from Zefal, too, for Europeans.

Salamandrine 

If a Silca frame pump won't pump higher than 75 or 80, then likely the seals in the pump head need to be replaced, and/or the main diaphragm needs to be greased or possibly replaced. 110+ no problem with a Silca in good condition. They are trickier to use than a Zefal HP/HPX, and require technique and a bit of strength.

It's kind of funny that the reissues are on the heavy side. The main reason people used Silcas BITD was because they were very light. Perhaps they figure the target market demographic is not longer worried about a few ounces here or there...

Reynolds 

Zefal HPx here too.

top506

Zefal will ship direct to the US.

Top

Bad Lag

Maybe I should just get my old Silca Impero back on the bike.

bikingshearer 

+1 on everything in this post.

BTW, Zefal XPs may be the best dog defense system ever made. Silcas are okay, Zefals are more substantial.

devinfan

I’m not sure vintage Silcas work the absolute best, but they definitely look the best!

Homebrew01

I have a Park frame pump. Nice thing is it's adjustable, so fits on different frames.