For what it's worth, I've got a silca from the early 80s and an SKS (I believe) from the 90s. I can still get parts for both.
Maybe buy a small compressor. Should be able to get parts for that just about forever. And you can do other things with it too, like fool car tires, now dust of things, use an airbrush, air tools, and more.
I've got one and also used electric pumps. For super early rides, I'd rather not wake up my family with a loud pump.
Fair point about the noise but an electric pump and a compressor are different.
I know Silca makes highly regarded floor pumps and they sell replacement parts for the internals. You could check them out. Boy are they expensive though.
I can't believe I have to skip over their tire pumps because they aren't vegan (leather gasket is used). That's a bummer.
Another thing to be aware of.
I think Silca is what you want. But I don’t know if you want to pay for it :D
Yeah, their prices are like <$100 to $800! LOL But the highest end ones have a pretty robust lifetime warranty.
I've been looking at their pumps because they have some pretty good black friday deals right now.
The 50 year old Japanese one at my grandparent's place while I was over there still works, it uses a clip to hold against the Woods valve, and no pressure gauge so I have to guess when it's filled by feel.
Looks similar to this random one I found on the internet. Maybe it's too low tech for your needs.
That's awesome! The only real features that I'd like to have are a gauge and a non-lever chuck.
The only floor pumps I've owned when my kids were learning to ride bikes were those super cheap ones you get at a department store... all plastic, and good for a handful of uses. LOL
I like park tool products. They always last for me. I've never bought their floor pump because i just have a cheap no-name one that won't die but I definitely want one for my next floor pump.
Topeak is another good brand that I like but again I don't have a floor pump of theirs just a frame pump. I've read a bunch of rave reviews for their floor pump and the guys at GMBN swear by them.
I'm a Park Tool fan and own quite a few of their bike tools, but I'm not a fan of their chuck style (that lever-type chuck). It does look like they sell just about every replacement part for their home mechanic floor pump, so I'll keep them in mind!
I've been using a Topeak Joeblow for more than 10 years now. I don't exactly remember when I bought it, but I've thrown it around quite hard and it still works great today.
That said, it's not possible to have a forever-pump because all pumps have seals. These seals will slowly degrade over time. What you should look for is a company that sells spare parts and rebuild kits. Ideally a company that has been around for a long time so you can have a decent expectation that they'll still be around when you need a rebuild kit (new-old-stock doesn't work great for rubber/leather goods). Bonus points if the rebuild kit looks like parts that you could make or find from a local hardware store; just in case the company does fold.
... it’s not possible to have a forever-pump because all pumps have seals... What you should look for is a company that sells spare parts and rebuild kits.
Yes, to me, BIFL means that it can last a lifetime with proper care and maintenance. Rebuilding/servicing is something I'd expect to do, and I don't mind that at all!
I like the idea of parts that could be purchased at a hardware store. I'm afraid I don't know enough about these larger pumps to have a clue what brands or models offer something like that, but that is something to consider :)
The brands mentioned here (Topeak, Silca, and Park Tools) all have rebuild kits and they've been around for a long time. I wouldn't hesitate buying any of their models.
Yes, I'm familiar with all those brands, I've just never owned a floor pump from any of them :) I'll see what's available (I'm in Canada) and how easy the parts/rebuild kits would be to get locally.
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