Lazyass

I'm 48 years old, I couldn't care less what the proper look is supposed to be. This adjustable beauty fits on all four of my bikes (3 being vintage), from 54-57cm's. Frame pumps rule.

You'll have to forgive FSA for plastering their components with huge ugly logos.

Reynolds 

Zefal HPX user here.

chaadster

I still keep a Zefal HpX on one, too, but most of my other bikes are frame mounted minis-- Lezyne Road Drives in particular-- rather than frame-fits. The minis are good enough that I don't want to bother with the handling issues of a frame-fit anymore, like when grabbing the bike by the top tube and knocking it loose, or needing to remove it to put the bike on a trunk carrier.

chaadster

The custom painted Silca on this Speedvagen is dope:

ypsetihw

I don't have to forgive FSA, but I do have to forgive you, that nonsense looks terrible. if you're so old and don't care, then why even ride a drop bar bike? get a flat bar, stop wearing lycra, and stop trying to prove something that literally nobody is gonna agree with.

StanSeven

Don't worry about the logos. You lost your pedals.

sheltonlp

I'm not sure why anyone needs a pump that large, i'm fine with my CO2 and a mini pump for longer rides. I also have a Focus, I love their bikes but I do feel like I'm riding a billboard around.

If you changed to a Thomson seat post and stem you might gain a little style points :-)

thomasgk327

Zefal Competition on my 1970's Peugeot.

FBinNY 

50+ years riding, and a full length press on frame pump is like my American Express card, in that I don't leave home without it. Every bike is full time equipped with it's own pump, so it's one less detail to worry about in the AM.

Lazyass

I'm open to criticism, but not from a young'un on a Nashbar bike who hasn't even been riding a year yet

rpenmanparker 

DSFDF

My dissatisfaction with frame-mounted pumps dates back to my earliest days cycling when I discovered that all the hoopla about Silca pumps was hogwash. Their only true function was decorative as they couldn't pump up a beach ball, much less a 100+ psi bicycle tire. No question that Zefal made a better and more functional product, but the spell was broken. I still have one, but when CO2 was introduced for emergency, on-road bike tire inflation, that is the choice I made. Have never looked back.

FBinNY 

Gee, I guess I and tens of thousands of tubular riders who pumped our tires to 100+psi daily must have been suffering under some kind of mass delusion.

What to carry for on the road inflation is an each to his own taste deal with no right answer. But to disparage a product that served generations of cyclists well is nonsense. That you couldn't get it to "pump up a beach ball" says more about you than it does the pump.

BTW - CO2 inflators were around before you were. That thread doesn't mention a unit Schwinn was marketing in the sixties.

Lazyass

Well this thread isn't a debate about frame pumps. However you must have had a dud because they do pump up a 100+psi tire.

rpenmanparker 

Maybe so FB. They were surely popular and I'm sure they evoke much nostalgia. And I can see how they came to be relied upon when they were all there was to be had. All I can say is that the two I had didn't work for ****. Neither did anyone I know back then who had one really like it for anything but limping home after a flat. But if they were so fine, why were they almost completely replaced in the market by Zefal nearly instantaneously? For that interval when full size frame pumps were still in vogue, Zefal rapidly took over the market. That same Zefal is still being sold, while the Silca disappeared. The Silca company, whether the same organization or just a new company with an old name, has become a maker and seller of luxury exotica, pumps incredibly overbuilt and overhyped to justify prices several fold above what their functionality justifies.

rpenmanparker 

I will defer to the general opinion while still making sure to specify I am talking about 80's era cheesy plastic ones, not the metal ones which pre- and postdated them.

Reynolds 

Now that's a nicely proportioned bike!

(just kidding... )

DOS

I have a topeak frame pump that I use on my vintage schwinn because it looks cool. I also can get the tires above 100 psi but my technique isn't the best so have experienced user error failures. I will say the topeak morph series pump, including mini morph, is just a better design for getting air into tires from a portable pump.

FBinNY 

Bob, you mentioned the Silca pump which was plastic going back to the sixties (at least) and ever since. I used and continue to use them (yes, same pump for decades) and always preferred them over the aluminum counterparts because you could club a dog with them and till have a working pump.

Mr IGH

And we didn't snap the freaking valve off! I was a 6'2" 125lb freshman in high school when I finally was able to run a Silca frame pump (with Campy head) in a desperate moment fixing a flat on the roadside. None of my fellow scrawny ride mates could run one and they cheered me as I filled up my spare. One of those moments I've never forgotten.

StanSeven

My experience with a Zefal wasn't good. I hit a bump during a fast descent on a group ride and the pump popped off. I almost caused a huge crash. Then I learned about the Velcro straps which never seemed to stay in place.

kingston 

Totally depends on the situation and the bike
[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD]Never
[/TD]
[TD]Occasionally
[/TD]
[TD]Usually
[/TD]
[TD]Always
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Any ride on a racing bike or short rides around town on a cruiser or townie
[/TD]
[TD]Casual or training rides under 40 miles near home
[/TD]
[TD]Casual or training rides over 50 miles especially if I think there will be other people who may need help fixing a flat
[/TD]
[TD]Anything with gravel or an overnight[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

chaadster

Do you have that taped to your top tube so that you can remember what you're supposed to do sometimes?

I tried to follow the rationale, but couldn't, so I'd need to have it written down somewhere to get it right. Or is a coin toss involved in there somewhere? That'd explain the fine distinction between Occasionally and Usually.

big chainring 

OP, I'm which you.

ypsetihw

haha come on, you have to admit you were kindof asking for it with a thread like this. that is a rather nice looking focus, and I think the FSA slk cranks look very nice actually. I've just never had a need for anything beyond a minipump and a co2, even on rides up to a century. I DO like the look of vintage frame pumps on vintage road bikes.

to be fair, I'm hardly a youngun at 31, and my nashbar bike is current generation technology and very nicely equipped with a mix of 105 5800 and fsa components, which I think look sharp enough unless you like the look of a fully matched groupset. it's all my budget could afford with a 1yo, and a comparably equipped rig at my favorite LBS would have been close to 3 times as much after NYS taxes (don't get me started). it's actually coming into my third season riding as an adult thank you very much :-)

I used to have all kinds of stuff on my rig, including a frame pump, lights, saddle bag, and so on. as I've fallen more in love with my girl I have removed basically everything but the computer as to more fully appreciate her figure. my profile pic needs updating, but I have added a fizik aliante saddle in white and matching fizik white tape, and she looks gorgeous.

cheers man, happy sunday

Lazyass

The issue with my Park pump is that it rattles a little mounted under the top tube (unlike a Silica I used to have). It's not an issue on my old Univega because I mount it on the seat tube since I have no cage mount there, and that's my main ride anyway. I've ordered a Jandd velcro pump strap to use on my other bikes, and it has a little foam pad that goes between the pump and the frame.

Dombrowski has the strap from hell.