In a message dated 3/9/04 8:13:47 PM Pacific Standard Time,
CaptBike@sheldonbrown.com writes:
> Steven L. Sheffield wrote:
>
> > >But Silca's are a PITA pump to use compared
> >to a Zefal ... but they're a lot
> >> better looking, especially on a classic, lugged-steel frame.
>
> Chuck Schmidt wrote:
>
> >The Silca is built for lightness primarily, and all its limitations are
> >a consequence of that. A racing part that might not be the best choice
> >for riders not interested in lightweight racing parts.
>
> Actually that's not quite it. The Silca is built
> for _speed_. A pump, like a bike, has a "gear"
> which is mainly related to the area of it's
> piston.
>
> A large diameter pump like a Silca has a "high
> gear" and pumps a greater volume of air per
> stroke than a skinny one of the same length does.
> Being "geared higher" it does require more
> strength to compress the air to a given pressure.
>
> Riders with weak arms and high pressure tires are
> generally better off with a skinnier, "lower
> geared" pump such as a Zéfal HpX...but a rider
> with strong arms can get back on the road quicker
> with a Silca.
>
The final statement here is a fair and accurate statement, far better than the "value judgment" that that "Zefal is the real pump" that was stated earlier. Anyone who prefers a Zefal is entirely entitled to their opinion, but this does not make Zefal a "better" pump than a Silca, if someone else prefers a Silca. All you can say is "they're different, and these are the differences...". Take your choice and pay your money regarding what works for you. Like Phil, I've been getting 100 to 120 psi from my Silcas for years, and I always thought I was really pumping up my tires. Stevan Thomas Alameda, CA Where do you throw a Zefal with a dent in it?