Author Topic: What track pump?  (Read 2918 times)

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
What track pump?
« on: 19 October, 2019, 08:12:16 am »
Unless anyone knows how to fix my original Joe Blow, which seems to have lost its anti-return valve action, whatever it's being used to inflate, because the handle pushes back up.

I was looking at the SKS Rennkompressor but two of the valve heads look too big for a Brompton front wheel and another needs a Presta screw-on adaptor, which is no good when I mostly have Presta valves.

Ideally needs to go over 200psi for my track tubs.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: What track pump?
« Reply #1 on: 19 October, 2019, 08:27:54 am »
Planet X put out some new 230psi/tubeless capable pumps a few weeks ago. As usual their photography is dreadful but I've used their pumps before and they are good. Might be worth a punt? Ones £55 the other's £35.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TOBATUPU23/barbieri-tubeless-230psi-floor-pump

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TOJOPIRG/jobsworth-push-it-real-good-tubeless-230psi-floor-pump

YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
https://bit.ly/2Xg8pRD



Ban cars.

Re: What track pump?
« Reply #2 on: 19 October, 2019, 08:41:11 am »
Has the Joe Blow given good service?  If so, get another one, at least you’ll have some spares.
I can’t remember the version I have, it has a longer hose so I can check the bikes while they’re hung up and the gauge is at the top making it easier to read. Best pump I’ve owned, not expensive, sadly not built to last a lifetime, though should last long enough to give good value.

dat

Re: What track pump?
« Reply #3 on: 19 October, 2019, 08:46:22 am »
If you don't use tubeless tyres I'd advise against one with a chamber. Every time you go to blow up you tyres you loose pressure as the air leaves the tyre and fills up the chamber. Not annoying enough for me to buy a new pump but I wouldn't buy one again.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: What track pump?
« Reply #4 on: 19 October, 2019, 09:02:22 am »
I've been using an earlier version of the Lezyne Steel Floor Drive for the last 10 years:

https://ride.lezyne.com/products/1-fp-sfldr-v604?variant=19837349232726

They look to have improved the head and cheapened the finish since I got mine.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: What track pump?
« Reply #5 on: 19 October, 2019, 09:52:13 am »
Has the Joe Blow given good service?  If so, get another one, at least you’ll have some spares.
I can’t remember the version I have, it has a longer hose so I can check the bikes while they’re hung up and the gauge is at the top making it easier to read. Best pump I’ve owned, not expensive, sadly not built to last a lifetime, though should last long enough to give good value.

My bold.
I'd agree with that.
I've been using the same Joe Blow since 2006.
It's never missed a beat.

yorkie

  • On top of the Galibier
Re: What track pump?
« Reply #6 on: 19 October, 2019, 09:57:29 am »
I have an SKS Rennkompressor, which I have had since 1990. It's given very good service in that time and the pump itself is going strong without any problems or maintenance required. I only had to replace the head about 4 years ago due to the rubber being perished and the head slipping off the valve. I eventually replaced it with a replacement head and hose from the Joe Blow range, as they come with a selection of adapters for various sizes and threads.
Born to ride my bike, forced to work! ;)

British Cycling Regional A Track Commissaire
British Cycling Regional A Circuit Commissaire
Cycling Attendant, York Sport Village Cycle Circuit and Velodrome

Re: What track pump?
« Reply #7 on: 19 October, 2019, 10:16:16 am »
topeak do spares; SJS has a wide selection eg is it this one you need?

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/pumps/topeak-checking-valve-joe-blow-sportsprint/

if not it might be one of these

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/pumps-spares/?brand=topeak&price=0%2D6
(filtered by brand and price)

IME check valves often fail simply because they are dirty; it might just need a good clean.

If you do buy a new pump I'd suggest one with a narrow barrel if you want to get to 200psi without breaking sweat.

cheers

Re: What track pump?
« Reply #8 on: 19 October, 2019, 11:42:17 am »
Unless anyone knows how to fix my original Joe Blow, which seems to have lost its anti-return valve action, whatever it's being used to inflate, because the handle pushes back up.

I was looking at the SKS Rennkompressor but two of the valve heads look too big for a Brompton front wheel and another needs a Presta screw-on adaptor, which is no good when I mostly have Presta valves.

Ideally needs to go over 200psi for my track tubs.

Yes, I do.
 
I had the same problem after using it to charge Airshock. IIRC it was the valve right down the bottom near the base. I think I just gave it a clean.

fruitcake

  • some kind of fruitcake
Re: What track pump?
« Reply #9 on: 19 October, 2019, 11:49:55 am »
...and another needs a Presta screw-on adaptor, which is no good when I mostly have Presta valves.
I initially felt the same way about using the presta adapter with a track pump I have, but it's not a problem in practice.

My other track pump is an entry-level Bontrager which I am very impressed by.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: What track pump?
« Reply #10 on: 19 October, 2019, 12:45:22 pm »
Unless anyone knows how to fix my original Joe Blow, which seems to have lost its anti-return valve action, whatever it's being used to inflate, because the handle pushes back up.

I was looking at the SKS Rennkompressor but two of the valve heads look too big for a Brompton front wheel and another needs a Presta screw-on adaptor, which is no good when I mostly have Presta valves.

Ideally needs to go over 200psi for my track tubs.

Yes, I do.
 
I had the same problem after using it to charge Airshock. IIRC it was the valve right down the bottom near the base. I think I just gave it a clean.

Is it the one right next to the "foot"?
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: What track pump?
« Reply #11 on: 19 October, 2019, 12:51:58 pm »
Smooth valve stems are a help as the threaded ones obviously slowly wear the adaptor innards away

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: What track pump?
« Reply #12 on: 19 October, 2019, 05:16:07 pm »
Topeak sell spare valves and pieces for most of their pumps. This in itself is a good reason to buy them.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: What track pump?
« Reply #13 on: 19 October, 2019, 09:30:39 pm »
It looked clean but I cleaned it anyway.  It's behaving at the moment - did a couple of tubs to 160psi.  Thanks for the help.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: What track pump?
« Reply #14 on: 19 October, 2019, 09:35:31 pm »
Unless anyone knows how to fix my original Joe Blow, which seems to have lost its anti-return valve action, whatever it's being used to inflate, because the handle pushes back up.

I was looking at the SKS Rennkompressor but two of the valve heads look too big for a Brompton front wheel and another needs a Presta screw-on adaptor, which is no good when I mostly have Presta valves.

Ideally needs to go over 200psi for my track tubs.

Yes, I do.
 
I had the same problem after using it to charge Airshock. IIRC it was the valve right down the bottom near the base. I think I just gave it a clean.

Is it the one right next to the "foot"?

I think so, yes.

To he honest I cant remember what I did, but I do remember it geing a Doh! moment because it was so simple.

Re: What track pump?
« Reply #15 on: 19 October, 2019, 11:52:11 pm »
if in doubt about the exact location of a check valve, it pays to bear in mind that a high pressure pump is made most efficient if the 'dead space' (between the end of the piston at the bottom of the stroke and the check valve) is made as small as possible.  It is therefore almost invariably the case that the check valve is in the base of the pump, very close  to the bottom of the pump bore. Occasionally the check valve is built into the first hose connector but more often it is before that.

cheers

Re: What track pump?
« Reply #16 on: 20 October, 2019, 09:28:30 pm »
Has the Joe Blow given good service?  If so, get another one, at least you’ll have some spares.
I can’t remember the version I have, it has a longer hose so I can check the bikes while they’re hung up and the gauge is at the top making it easier to read. Best pump I’ve owned, not expensive, sadly not built to last a lifetime, though should last long enough to give good value.

My bold.
I'd agree with that.
I've been using the same Joe Blow since 2006.
It's never missed a beat.

Same here with a Joe Blow Sport, I must have had it 15 years easily and have never replaced anything in it.

Re: What track pump?
« Reply #17 on: 20 October, 2019, 09:55:25 pm »
The SKS pump I bought a couple of years ago was crap - neither nozzle attached well to either type of valve and you had to put your entire body weight on it above 50 psi. It’s been banished to live in the car boot.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: What track pump?
« Reply #18 on: 20 October, 2019, 11:54:16 pm »
This thread should be in grammar wot is shit.
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: What track pump?
« Reply #19 on: 21 October, 2019, 09:56:22 am »
The SKS pump I bought a couple of years ago was crap - neither nozzle attached well to either type of valve and you had to put your entire body weight on it above 50 psi. It’s been banished to live in the car boot.

If you want to do high pressures with a SKS pump the 'Rennkompressor' is still The Daddy; it has a narrow piston (lots of other SKS pumps don't)  and can get to high pressures very well. However there are a couple of wrinkles

1) the piston seal is rubber and needs lubricating (else it will go draggy and may even overheat in use if you get into a pumping frenzy)
2) the Rennkompressor is (last time I checked) available with at least four different chucks, most of which are crap.

Ironically the chuck that works best (from the laughable selection on offer, it is easily the least good part of the pump) is the one that looks least suitable for bicycle use, consisting as it does of a lever action Schrader-only chuck (which looks like it fell off a 1970s era foot pump from halfords) and a screw-on adaptor for presta.  But the adaptor seals onto most presta valves well, the seals wear well (and can be replaced if necessary) so it is pretty much OK really.

cheers

Re: What track pump?
« Reply #20 on: 21 October, 2019, 11:42:56 am »
I've got a Rennkomressor which I've had forever (20 years?) and it had been brilliant, never had anything done to it.  The chuck I had was the one Brucey describes which was OK but I did find that the rubber seal in the Presta head wore out every few years so I eventually bought one of the Kuwahara Hirame pump heads via a contact in Japan.  If you want to get up to 200psi the Hirame head has to be the way to go as it clamps on to the valve.  It is rock solid and doesn't mind what angle the valve is at, it just works without any leakage.  The Silca pump head is exactly the same as the Hirame one (I think), just a bit more expensive.

Re: What track pump?
« Reply #21 on: 21 October, 2019, 02:51:17 pm »
this is the SKS presta adaptor.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/pumps/sks-brass-presta-adapter-with-chain/

until quite recently this part was about half the cost and furthermore you could buy rubber seals to fit into the brass part and make it like new again.  Now it seems rather expensive for what it is, and I can't find the seals separately.

This is the SKS schrader head that comes with it

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/pumps/sks-lever-connected-head/

again it seems like a lot of money for what it is.

So undoubtedly you can do better these days, chuck-wise, but it might be at a cost.

cheers