Track pumps and their valves

daniel_b
daniel_b Posts: 11,903
edited November 2022 in Road buying advice
Morning all,

I have had a fair few track pumps over the years - way back when I had a Blackburn air tower 4 or 5 I think it was, and it was excellent, but eventually something died and it would not inflate tyres.

Wiggle refunded me, and then Blckburn also sent me out a replacement pump, which was nice of them.

In the interim I also bought a Lezyne shiny silver pump - it comes with a 'quick valve' which in theory just pushes onto a presta valve, it worked for a while, but for ages now as soon as you get up to about 70psi it pops off, so that has been removed, and I now just use the screw on valve, which I have to say I really like, despite it taking a bit longer.

Also no bent valves, and the pressure release button is superb.

I always like to have a back up pump, and the current blackburn replacement is now also not inflating anything, so I'm debating whether to try and replace the head (Assuming that is what it is, I can feel air coming out of it) or seeing if I can buy replacement head of some sort, but I'd prefer one that screws on instead of the push and lever method.

I unscrewed the head from the blackburn, but am now wondering if it is proprietary or not - I can't see how I could fit a Lezyne chuck in it's place, as there is no free spinning part on the tube, so it would be impossible to screw it on, plus I don't think the thread size would match up.

Frustrating, a lot of the websites don't seem to sell as many track pump spare parts as they used to either :#

Can anyone share any knowledge/expertise on these, and anyone out there prefer the screw on option like me?
Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 18

Comments

  • photonic69
    photonic69 Posts: 2,702
    SJS Cycles? Plenty of spares available:
    https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/search/?term=pump spares

    Just get a Topeak JoeBlow thing. Always popular and plenty of spares (usually). I've got a JoeBlow pump and I have recently rebuilt the head with new washers/seals etc for around £6 or they sell new heads for £12
    https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/pumps/topeak-joe-blow-twinhead-wo-hose/


    Sometimes. Maybe. Possibly.

  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,903
    edited November 2022
    Thanks Nic, quite a few spares there, including a blackburn head for £9.99 plus postage.

    I did fancy a Topeak Joe Blow Sport III, as everyone seems to rave about them, despite them not being screw on, but having seen that CRC and Wiggle had them for only £23.49, but are now out of stock, I can't bring myself to spend ~£38 on one from elsewhere.

    It's even black and yellow which makes it all the more galling!

    I am tempted by the Lezyne digital pump (Think that has the screw on chuck) for around £40 though:

    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
    Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
    Scott CR1 SL 12
    Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
    Scott Foil 18
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,201
    i put an sks eva head on my lezyne travel pump, same as on the sks at home

    https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/pumps/sks-eva-replacement-floor-pump-head/

    if it is just slightly loose on some extenders, adding a layer of insulating tape to the rubber washer* is all that's needed, the head stays on at least up to 10 bar

    *the washer wears over time, but replacements are available

    https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/pumps/sks-eva-head-washer/
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny