Pump It Up

No, not the great Elvis Costello song.  Rather, been looking in vain over the internet for one's trusty old-fashioned long, phallic, bike pumps like I had as a kid.  All I see in the market are 1) compressed oxygen containers that look like crack vials; 2) foot pumps; 3) short pumps that I think are designed only for barely inflating the inner tubes in cases of emergency so you can just make it home or to a local repair center.  Foot pumps of course rock big time, but they are not practical for taking along.  One's old-fashioned trusty long pumps that would fit between teeth on the bike frame could fit in one's bag if necessary.  They would last for years too.  What's up?  Things of the past?

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Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on July 13, 2013 at 3:20am

Ah, you want something to mount on your bike... Google for "Zefal HPX".  Again, they should be widely available.

Permalink Reply by SlowCoachOnTheRoad on July 13, 2013 at 3:35am

Not just to mount - the short ones don't pump up the tubes tightly since they are not strong enough - only the long ones can do that... you think they are widely available?  I'll keep hunting, thanks.

Skip Montanaro 12mi said:

Ah, you want something to mount on your bike... Google for "Zefal HPX".  Again, they should be widely available.

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on July 13, 2013 at 3:46am

Zefal HPX is a full-length pump.  I still have my old Zefal HP (probably 25 years old).  They are definitely the cat's meow of frame pumps.

Permalink Reply by SlowCoachOnTheRoad on July 13, 2013 at 4:03am

Yes, that looks like the animal.  Although the one I had in mind would have a short rubber hose connecting the pump to the bike tube, as opposed to the more awkward design where the force of the pumping goes directly onto the spoke nipple, which seems to be the case with the Zefal.  Maybe that is just the latest design for all pumps - and maybe even better than the old ones, I just don't know.  But thanks- I'll give this Zefal a serious consideration! 

Skip Montanaro 12mi said:

Zefal HPX is a full-length pump.  I still have my old Zefal HP (probably 25 years old).  They are definitely the cat's meow of frame pumps.

Permalink Reply by David P. on July 13, 2013 at 5:18am

Slow Coach,

As Skip pointed out, the Zefal HP(X) is still available, and is a classic. Topeak also makes a good frame pump. You might also consider the Topeak RoadMorph pumps - they're not as elegant-looking as a full-sized frame pump, and they may eat up a bottle cage mount, but they are really effective (not like the mini-pumps) and they have a foot peg, swivel handle and hose with an in-line gauge.

Permalink Reply by John C. Wilson on July 13, 2013 at 10:08am

What you are looking for is the Zefal Lapize. Zefal 800 would do it as well. Available online.

I agree with other posters the Zefal HPX is just a great pump. The "express" pump head is not hard to get used to. There are a few situations where the hose you want is better, and yes, it is possible, though unlikely, that an HPX type connection would break a valve stem or valve stem seat that would have been spared by a hose type pump.

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