Bulletproof floor pump - whats your experience?

[wallymann]

+1 for both points! my topeak joeblow is running great after many years and i retrofitted that same 2-way head to my older silca super-pista.

be aware the little threaded caps from the pump-head can come loose, so i secure them with little strips of electrical tape.

Originally Posted by GregL

Thirteen years ago, I asked the lead mechanic at my LBS for his floor pump recommendation. He said the least expensive Topeak pump (Joe Blow Sport) was the most reliable and what the staff used at the shop. It has been 100% reliable in my use ever since. The steel base and pump barrel are slightly heavier than other pump materials, but they are very durable. I liked the Topeak TwinHead so much that I retrofitted it to another pump I have.

Greg

[alancw3]

Originally Posted by saab2000

SKS Rennkompressor is the pump that used to be the basis for many other brands, including the Zéfal Husky. It is extremely well build and you can install the chuck of your choice.

I have had several in several places over the years. They are super solid.

I actually owned a 75th anniversary pump. it a word of art bit not user friendly, push on inflation connection I was thinking about a Hiram connector and then bought the AIR Tool Pro. again. not cheap, but in the last ten years it has been fauless

[mtechnica]

My 1984 silca would like to have a word.

[CDollarsign]

I have the Arundel Floor Pump 1. I had a cheap pump before this that usually broke every 2 years and was a little hesitant spending $100 for just a pump, but I am happy I did. The Arundel pump is really nice and seemingly well built. I doubt I have to purchase another one.

[Spinner]

My Pedro's Prestige is at least 20 years old and has never failed.

[sleepyfelix]

Thanks for all the recommendations so far, and equally useful, the what to avoid advice as well.

[mtechnica]

It seems like most pumps will last, especially if you replace the head.

[Velocipede]

Originally Posted by mtechnica

It seems like most pumps will last, especially if you replace the head.

Or just maintain them a bit. That's the key

[cmbicycles]

I have a few floor pumps and not really had a problem with any except the most expensive one, go figure. One I bought and others have just come and gone with buying bikes over the years. Have a boat anchor Schwinn that is a few decades old and still works; Topeak I bought 20 years ago, still works great; a Spercialized pro had the head constantly damaging valves when removed, replaced with a Tanaka head and it works better; also two no name pumps in garage/shed that all work fine.

[oldguy00]

Originally Posted by Hank Scorpio

I would say NOT the lezyne alloy drive or the Sks aerminus or whatever it is called.

Second this. Bought mine new from LBS, never worked properly, even after trying replacement parts from Lezyne. Piece of junk, gave mine away.

[benb]

I've been through many pumps and my take is they all wear out. All of them.

It doesn't matter what you spend, if you use it hundreds or thousands of times per year it's going to wear out.

So just get something where you can rebuild kits that cover all the wear items if you don't want to replace the whole pump.

I've gone through a bunch of the Topeak & Blackburn pumps, Specialized, and now I have a really nice Bontrager one.

The Topeak ones they have rebuild parts for the valve head but not all the pieces inside. I had 2 of the Joe Blow sport ones fail last year after quite a few years.. the rebuild kits did not include everything to get them working again, I would have needed to completely replace the head.

The Bontrager one I have now supposedly has a more complete rebuild kit.. but we'll see. I need to actually buy the rebuild kit this year ahead of time in case the pump lasts longer than the parts are available.

If you want it to last forever it seems you need to go Silca since they have such great history with parts availability.

[fmradio516]

Originally Posted by benb

If you want it to last forever it seems you need to go Silca since they have such great history with parts availability.

not sure if its just me, but i miss my crappy Specialized pump when i use the silca super pista because i need to pump so many more times with the silca. i guess because of the diameter of the tube..

[Clancy]

Originally Posted by mtechnica

It seems like most pumps will last, especially if you replace the head.

This...
Also, are people putting a few drops of light oil down the plunger ever so often and replacing the rubber washer as needed?

I bought 4 Lezyne Alloy Floor pumps at an REI garage sale for $5 each. Not pumping air. Replaced the rubber washer with the spare new one they include on the shaft and the pumps were as new. Kept one and donated 3 to Earn-A-Bike.

Ask those who brag about owning a Silca for decades and I’ll bet money they will tell you they maintain ‘em.

Sounds like a lot of perfectly good pumps might be getting tossed in the dumpster

[benb]

Originally Posted by Clancy

This...

Ask those who brag about owning a Silca for decades and I’ll bet money they will tell you they maintain ‘em.

Sounds like a lot of perfectly good pumps might be getting tossed in the dumpster

The key is whether you can actually get a part to "maintain" it.

It's not worth it to go hunt down a replacement part for a cheap pump if the manufacturer doesn't have parts and doesn't even document what the parts are.

[weiwentg]

Originally Posted by Clancy

This...
Also, are people putting a few drops of light oil down the plunger ever so often and replacing the rubber washer as needed?

I bought 4 Lezyne Alloy Floor pumps at an REI garage sale for $5 each. Not pumping air. Replaced the rubber washer with the spare new one they include on the shaft and the pumps were as new. Kept one and donated 3 to Earn-A-Bike.

Ask those who brag about owning a Silca for decades and I’ll bet money they will tell you they maintain ‘em.

Sounds like a lot of perfectly good pumps might be getting tossed in the dumpster

I was going to say something along these lines. Lezyne does sell spare parts including O-rings, chucks, and gauges. I haven't maintained my Lezyne pump in 10 years, but it does still pump, and I know I could swap out the O-rings if it started to fail. I don't know if other pump manufacturers make the spares available, though.