Bad Gear - Sour Times

I bought a Topeak frame pump about six months ago. Not pleased at all. I imagine some designers here in the States saying what can we do to design a pump that is the cheapest to manufacture; not a great pump, not a good pump, just a pump that looks good on the sales floor but not worth a damn any other way you look at it.

So I buy the pump and mount it with my water bottle holder. It has two plastic clasps that hold the pump somewhat, and along with two rubber stretchy things these are supposed to secure the pump to the frame. Well the first one was gone in about 3 months, the second in about 5 months. Also the pump has a rubber fitting that keeps dirt out of the valve. Only one problem....IT DOES NOT STAY in the Valve so it is worthless. Also why cant they tell you on the packaging when you buy the pump what you can expect in the way of PSI. I have Vredstein tires that have a max PSI of 175 but I put anywhere from 130 to 150 in them. Guess what I cant get any more than 60 or 65 PSI with out hearing a hissing sound at that point. Just tell me up front so I can compare. Does anyone know of any better frame pumps?

I will tell you all about my wonderful Silca Presta floor pump later. I love this thing. Now that's a pump, made by cyclists for Cyclists.....