High quality pump head shootout-added Outdoor Gear Lab pump reviews

[Don49]

Originally Posted by Louis

This is what shows up when I go to the web site.

Given that the story's about floor pumps, this makes me wonder, are these real girls, or inflatable dolls?

Louis, that's one of those ads that's tailored to your browsing history. And I thought you spent all your time here.

[Louis]

Originally Posted by Don49

Louis, that's one of those ads that's tailored to your browsing history. And I thought you spent all your time here.

Shhhhhhhhh - don't tell anyone, the "hot Asian babes" may get jealous.

[bikinchris]

With all the comments about the 17.4 Silca head, now you know why I don't let people borrow my pump.

[zmudshark]

Originally Posted by Ti Designs

I grade pumps on a pass/fail basis. It either puts air in the tire or it doesn't.

Yep, and surprisingly (or not) I just bought a highfaluting pressure gauge, and it registers the same as my Harbor Freight gauge.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Ti Designs

I grade pumps on a pass/fail basis. It either puts air in the tire or it doesn't.

Yup, it's a bike pump.

[stephenmarklay]

I have had my Joe blow (not sure of the model) with that head for about 8 years. It has been great and I have thrown away a blackburn during that time.

The gauge is optimistic but I have an accurate gauge I always use.

[oldguy00]

Could someone please explain to me how the silca 17-4 style pump head works?
If it is 'loose' enough to push onto the valve, then how does it actually stay on while pumping?? I had a silca track pump a while back and could never get it to work (bought it new).
Anyway, I just went on to ebay and ordered a Hirame pump head for $74 US shipped, coming from Japan.
I currently have a Lezyne Floor drive pump, and a Specialized Air Tool Pro, and both have been pretty crappy IMHO. For whatever reason I could never get the Specialized to work well, its like the pump head just won't go onto a valve well, maybe it is touching the valve head and forcing pressure out the release button in the handle, I dunno, but no amount of messing with it has worked.
The Lezyne started losing pressure (posted about it in another thread) in its main barrel after only being used maybe 20 times. I re-greased it and its working a bit better, but the pressure gauge has never worked well, its bounces up when you put air in, but then the dial drops back down immediately.
I plan to cut the pump head off the Specialized and put the Hirame on that, see how that setup works...

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by oldguy00

Could someone please explain to me how the silca 17-4 style pump head works?
If it is 'loose' enough to push onto the valve, then how does it actually stay on while pumping?? I had a silca track pump a while back and could never get it to work (bought it new).
Anyway, I just went on to ebay and ordered a Hirame pump head for $74 US shipped, coming from Japan.
I currently have a Lezyne Floor drive pump, and a Specialized Air Tool Pro, and both have been pretty crappy IMHO. For whatever reason I could never get the Specialized to work well, its like the pump head just won't go onto a valve well, maybe it is touching the valve head and forcing pressure out the release button in the handle, I dunno, but no amount of messing with it has worked.
The Lezyne started losing pressure (posted about it in another thread) in its main barrel after only being used maybe 20 times. I re-greased it and its working a bit better, but the pressure gauge has never worked well, its bounces up when you put air in, but then the dial drops back down immediately.
I plan to cut the pump head off the Specialized and put the Hirame on that, see how that setup works...

Should be fairly hard to get onto the valve, threaded valves hang on much better. As it wears, tighten the cap I the end of the head, makes hole smaller. Eventually replace gasket, continue.

[Ti Designs]

Nobody is talking about the quality of the air delivered by higher quality pump heads - a $500 pump must have some measurable performance gain...

[oldguy00]

Originally Posted by Ti Designs

Nobody is talking about the quality of the air delivered by higher quality pump heads - a $500 pump must have some measurable performance gain...

Send me the pump, I will evaluate and report back.

[Don49]

Originally Posted by oldguy00

Could someone please explain to me how the silca 17-4 style pump head works?
If it is 'loose' enough to push onto the valve, then how does it actually stay on while pumping??

The end cap is the adjustment for both push-on force and retention on the valve stem, as op explained. I used one for years and it will certainly do the job, but I never looked forward to using it.

The Hirame is as perfect as a pump head can be. It's easily adjusted to zero insertion force and never blows off. You won't regret buying it.

[Louis]

Originally Posted by oldguy00

Could someone please explain to me how the silca 17-4 style pump head works?
If it is 'loose' enough to push onto the valve, then how does it actually stay on while pumping?? I had a silca track pump a while back and could never get it to work (bought it new)

Sure, I can explain: While aesthetically decent, operationally it's a fundamentally flawed design that works well only over a narrow range of gasket ID / stem OD dimensions and friction coefficients.

Which is why my Silca sits gathering dust down in my basement workshop, to be used only when I need a small amount of air in a tire. Otherwise, my "daily pumper" is a Joe Blow that uses a chuck with a positive retention device.

[bfd]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Should be fairly hard to get onto the valve, threaded valves hang on much better. As it wears, tighten the cap I the end of the head, makes hole smaller. Eventually replace gasket, continue.

Has anybody tried the new urethane gasket for the Silca 17-4 pump head like the one here:

http://silca.cc/products/silca-242-g...-presta-chucks

I believe its the same as the one sold by EVT:

http://www.efficientvelo.com/product...e-pump-washer/

I have the new urethane washer, but the old rubber washer on my Silca still works fine so I haven't used it yet.

So, has anybody tried this new urethane gasket? Does it make a difference?

Thanks!

[druptight]

Originally Posted by oldguy00

For whatever reason I could never get the Specialized to work well, its like the pump head just won't go onto a valve well, maybe it is touching the valve head and forcing pressure out the release button in the handle, I dunno, but no amount of messing with it has worked.

Obviously you're moving on from the specialized head, but I've never had an issue with mine. Slide one, flip chuck, pump. Once to desired pressure, always comes off with a nice pressurized hiss out of the pump - not the tire. It's consistently the best pump I've ever used (*never used any of the highfalutin ones from the initial review).

That being said, every time I read these reviews of the Hirame/Tanaka pump heads I find myself searching the web and lusting after a pump head. Then I realized my specialized works great and move on. When the head on the specialized does eventually go - I will buy one of these fancy Japanese ones!

[foo_fighter]

Sounds like you should try it and tell us!
I have an old silca head and a Topeak super chuck version of it and when the washers wear out I'll switch to the urethane version. It's also on Amazon Prime.

I'm currently using an old Zefal with a Topeak smarthead. Works fine.
I also bit the bullet and bought a compressor and a Prestaflator. Actually I have 2 prestaflators, one with the the screw on head and one with the Topeak. They both work, though the Topeak is slightly faster since you can push it on and then karate chop it off or push it off with 2 thumbs.(There is a bit of a learning curve with the Silca style heads)

Originally Posted by bfd

I have the new urethane washer, but the old rubber washer on my Silca still works fine so I haven't used it yet.

So, has anybody tried this new urethane gasket? Does it make a difference?

Thanks!