Bought a new Crank Brothers Alloy Pump last week. Used it for the first time today- What a PITA!! It would not pump past 80psi without the head popping off the presta valve (from the pressure) I flipped the head the right way to lock it down, but it just kept popping off! It seems the head does not grip the valve tight enough yet the pump is rated at 120psi -- any suggestions?
I too bought one and threw it away after haveing nothing but difficulty getting it to pump up a road tire to 95 lbs. P.O.S in all respects. Bought a Topeak road morph and now have one on each of my bikes.
On Wed, 9 Mar 2005 20:15:23 -0700, "Wasatch5k" <Wasatch5k@yahoo.com> wrote:
Bought a new Crank Brothers Alloy Pump last week. Used it for the first time >today- What a PITA!! It would not pump past 80psi without the head popping >off the presta valve (from the pressure) I flipped the head the right way to >lock it down, but it just kept popping off! It seems the head does not grip >the valve tight enough yet the pump is rated at 120psi -- any suggestions?
Yeah, this is generic, but probably applies to this pump like it does every other one I've ever seen. Unscrew the threaded cap that goes over the head. pull out the rubber doughnut and the little plastice doowitz behind it. You'll see the doughnut has a big hole side and a small hole side. Put the plastic widget back in with the raised portion away from the opening. Then put the doughnut back in with the small opening facing out. It's that last line that's important.
If your pump head was already assembled that way then you've got a crap pump.
Squid-in-Training Phil 10 March 2005 20:14:41 [ permanent link ]
RonSonic wrote:> On Wed, 9 Mar 2005 20:15:23 -0700, "Wasatch5k" <Wasatch5k@yahoo.com>> wrote:>
Bought a new Crank Brothers Alloy Pump last week. Used it for the>> first time today- What a PITA!! It would not pump past 80psi without>> the head popping off the presta valve (from the pressure) I flipped>> the head the right way to lock it down, but it just kept popping>> off! It seems the head does not grip the valve tight enough yet the>> pump is rated at 120psi -- any suggestions?>
Yeah, this is generic, but probably applies to this pump like it does> every other one I've ever seen. Unscrew the threaded cap that goes> over the head. pull out the rubber doughnut and the little plastice> doowitz behind it. You'll see the doughnut has a big hole side and a> small hole side. Put the plastic widget back in with the raised> portion away from the opening. Then put the doughnut back in with the> small opening facing out. It's that last line that's important.>
If your pump head was already assembled that way then you've got a> crap pump.>
Ron
You may want to state the reason for this: The heads are setup for Schrader valves initially. Flipping the rubber washer-grommet inside places the Presta side out, which has more rubber, and grips the stem better. Virtually all mini pumps are like this. -- Phil, Squid-in-Training
On Thu, 10 Mar 2005 16:14:41 GMT, "Phil, Squid-in-Training" <phil_leeIHEARTBASHGUARDS@hotmail.com> wrote:
RonSonic wrote:>> On Wed, 9 Mar 2005 20:15:23 -0700, "Wasatch5k" <Wasatch5k@yahoo.com>>> wrote:>>
Bought a new Crank Brothers Alloy Pump last week. Used it for the>>> first time today- What a PITA!! It would not pump past 80psi without>>> the head popping off the presta valve (from the pressure) I flipped>>> the head the right way to lock it down, but it just kept popping>>> off! It seems the head does not grip the valve tight enough yet the>>> pump is rated at 120psi -- any suggestions?>>
Yeah, this is generic, but probably applies to this pump like it does>> every other one I've ever seen. Unscrew the threaded cap that goes>> over the head. pull out the rubber doughnut and the little plastice>> doowitz behind it. You'll see the doughnut has a big hole side and a>> small hole side. Put the plastic widget back in with the raised>> portion away from the opening. Then put the doughnut back in with the>> small opening facing out. It's that last line that's important.>>
If your pump head was already assembled that way then you've got a>> crap pump.>>
You may want to state the reason for this:>The heads are setup for Schrader valves initially. Flipping the rubber >washer-grommet inside places the Presta side out, which has more rubber, and >grips the stem better. Virtually all mini pumps are like this.
Thanks Phil. I didn't know it was a mini. Guess the default for them would be schrader valves.
Petengail@Yahoo.Com 10 March 2005 22:23:02 [ permanent link ]
Possibly tighten the cap over the gasket to decrease the size of the gasket hole (as with a silca floor pump)?
I haven't fully come to terms with my Crank Bros. alloy pump yet either (but it got 5 stars from Mountain Bike Action mag so its gotta be good . In fact, I have yet to put it into action in a road situation as I carry CO2 and the pump is a backup carried only on expedition-length rides.
The pump definitely looks cool - did you mount the funky bracket on your bike? I have taken to putting mine in my camelbak (if I am using it) or in a jersey pocket so as to not ruin the aesthetics of the bike.
RonSonic wrote:> Yeah, this is generic, but probably applies to this pump like it does every> other one I've ever seen. Unscrew the threaded cap that goes over the head. pull> out the rubber doughnut and the little plastice doowitz behind it. You'll see> the doughnut has a big hole side and a small hole side. Put the plastic widget> back in with the raised portion away from the opening. Then put the doughnut> back in with the small opening facing out. It's that last line that's important.>
If your pump head was already assembled that way then you've got a crap pump.>
petengail@yahoo.com wrote:> Possibly tighten the cap over the gasket to decrease the size of the> gasket hole (as with a silca floor pump)?>
I haven't fully come to terms with my Crank Bros. alloy pump yet either> (but it got 5 stars from Mountain Bike Action mag so its gotta be good> . In fact, I have yet to put it into action in a road situation as> I carry CO2 and the pump is a backup carried only on expedition-length> rides.>
The pump definitely looks cool - did you mount the funky bracket on> your bike? I have taken to putting mine in my camelbak (if I am using> it) or in a jersey pocket so as to not ruin the aesthetics of the bike.>
I put mine in my camelback also, I don't like mounting things to my frame with zip ties and double sided tape. Your right though, the pump looks cool.
You best try pumping up your road tires before relying on it as backup...
On Thu, 10 Mar 2005 14:34:03 -0700, Wasatch5k <wasatch5k@yahoo.com> wrote:
RonSonic wrote:>> Yeah, this is generic, but probably applies to this pump like it does every>> other one I've ever seen. Unscrew the threaded cap that goes over the head. pull>> out the rubber doughnut and the little plastice doowitz behind it. You'll see>> the doughnut has a big hole side and a small hole side. Put the plastic widget>> back in with the raised portion away from the opening. Then put the doughnut>> back in with the small opening facing out. It's that last line that's important.>>
If your pump head was already assembled that way then you've got a crap pump.>>
The pump has two heads -- one for each type of valve.
Then jump to the last line.
It looks like they just added "features" rather than worrying about having the thing perform the simple basic function of inserting pressurized air into an innertube. Dual whatsits and stereo heads and blah.
I usually reject added features beyond the basics. So few things function all that well on a basic level I don't want to see any additional failure modes.
It looks like they just added "features" rather than worrying about having the> thing perform the simple basic function of inserting pressurized air into an> innertube. Dual whatsits and stereo heads and blah.>
I usually reject added features beyond the basics. So few things function all> that well on a basic level I don't want to see any additional failure modes.>
Let me know if you find a decent mini-pump. >
Crank brother stuff is *usually* solid, and it comes with a lifetime warranty. Anyways, I e-mailed Crank Brothers with my problem. We will see if they do the right thing. --
On Thu, 10 Mar 2005 14:34:03 -0700, Wasatch5k <wasatch5k@yahoo.com> wrote:
RonSonic wrote:>> Yeah, this is generic, but probably applies to this pump like it does every>> other one I've ever seen. Unscrew the threaded cap that goes over the head. pull>> out the rubber doughnut and the little plastice doowitz behind it. You'll see>> the doughnut has a big hole side and a small hole side. Put the plastic widget>> back in with the raised portion away from the opening. Then put the doughnut>> back in with the small opening facing out. It's that last line that's important.>>
If your pump head was already assembled that way then you've got a crap pump.>>
Petengail@Yahoo.Com 11 March 2005 07:55:15 [ permanent link ]
You best try pumping up your road tires before relying on it as
backup...>
Nate> -->
Let the bridges I burn light my way...
Actually have tried it - to about 80 psi - just got tired of grunting away. Seemed to work about as well as any mini-pump in terms of effort. It has those high volume / high pressure mode settings. High volume is ok, and the high pressure setting reduces effort (which is necessary about 40-60 psi) but that last 50 or so psi are a bit of a pain...
Better than hoofing it though. Course, a decent frame pump works much better and efficiently. And it doesn't run out of co2.
