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New Silca SuperPista Ultimate Floor Pump Inflates the Standard

2014 Silca SuperPista Ultimate floor pump
33 Comments
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In 1917, Silca pumped up the cycling world with their original floor pump. Built strong and sturdy and completely rebuildable, the latest iteration is the SuperPista Ultimate, and it looks to uphold the tradition.

From top to bottom, premium materials mean it’s more than just hot marketing air under the new ownership. The frame is metal on metal on metal, with rosewood handles, a magnetic chuck cradle and highly accurate gauge adorning the polished body. Whoosh on down for all the details that justify the $445 price point…

2014 Silca SuperPista Ultimate floor pump

Starting at the top, rosewood grips are seated on an investment cast stainless steel handle. The look and feel was inspired by high end chefs knives. The grips are even shaped asymmetrically to be more ergonomic than standard round ones.

2014 Silca SuperPista Ultimate floor pump

With their new home in Indiana, owner Joshua Poertner saw this hose used in the pits at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Thanks to a US-made high pressure smooth bore PTFE hose that’s overwrapped in braided stainless steel then over-extruded with a durable polyurethane jacket, it’s rated to 12,000 psi. A generous 51″ (130cm) length lets it easily reach bikes in a workstand, too.

Inside the shaft are Igus bushings, similar to what’s found in suspension forks, and the piston rod is center less ground then Teflon Hard-Anodized. That should make for long lasting smooth performance. It pushes a 30mm diameter, 3.5mm thick full-grain leather plunger.

2014 Silca SuperPista Ultimate floor pump

Silca says most standard bike pumps’ gauges are only good for a +/- 5% accuracy, which can make for quite a range of pressures from one fill up to the next…a 10 psi spread for a 100 psi target. So, the pressure gauge on the SP Ultimate is sourced from a laboratory equipment supplier and uses a radial mount rather than a standard back mount. Accuracy is rated at +/- 1% between 40-120psi, the most common range roadies will use. Mountain bikers and cyclocross racers will get +/- 2% from 0-40psi and 120-160psi. And it should remain just as accurate after years of use and abuse.

2014 Silca SuperPista Ultimate floor pump

Part of the durability comes from elevating the gauge and hose mounts off the base plate. They’re attached to a CNC’d alloy “surfboard”.

2014 Silca SuperPista Ultimate floor pump

The surfboard’s other end holds a Neodymium magnet, which grabs hold of the 17-4 stainless steel air chuck. No more threading it into the base or reaching over to hook the hose, just flop it anywhere nearby and the magnet will tractor beam it into lock down. When you’re ready to use it, just tug the hose and it pulls free.

The chuck presses on for Presta valve stems and threads on for Schrader.

2014 Silca SuperPista Ultimate floor pump

All of it sits on a super side, super heavy (800g / 1.76lb) steel base plate. That foundation gives you plenty of footprint to keep it steady, and it’s anywhere from 6mm to 9mm thick, so it’s easy to step on with street and cycling shoes alike. The rubber feet keep it from slipping, and they say they’re grippy enough to hold, soft enough not to scratch delicate flooring and firm enough not to pick up gravel and road debris.

Total weight is 7lbs (3.2kg), and it comes packaged in a gun case with base plate detached.

Silca.cc

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33 Comments
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nightfend
nightfend
9 years ago

It’s awesome, I’ll give it that. I mean really freaking amazing craftsmanship. But still, geez, over $400 for a pump?

Matt Sauls
Matt Sauls
9 years ago

I want one, don’t care about the $445 price tag, I want and need one.

wheelz
wheelz
9 years ago

I’m in the market for the ultimate floor pump and thought that this work of art might be it. Then I saw the price 🙁 An analog preassure gauge with +/- 1% is almost worth it. Their claim that most pumps are only +/- 5% sounds about right in my experience.

Hobbanero
Hobbanero
9 years ago

I don’t mind splashing out for great gear that lasts, but this is a lot of $. I love them for making it though. Basically a halo item for their affordable gear.

Hoshie99
9 years ago

Leather plunger? That is a nod to tradition…At half the price, that would be a winner. I can see why it was expensive to make, and I suspect some will sell but I, personally, am not the target market for it.

j

Xavier
Xavier
9 years ago

Woahhh! One day I will own one.

anonymous
anonymous
9 years ago

I’m a hipster and I was going to pay lots of money for well designed Apple, I mean Silca products, but then I learned that it isn’t vegan.

Brett
Brett
9 years ago

I hope this has much better construction than their normal Superpista. I’d bought one of those thinking the ability to replace most of the parts would make it a long-lasting pump. Instead, what I got was poor build quality. The screw that holds the plastic fitting at the top of the shaft only loosely fits. The pump leaks air and is basically unusable now. I would never buy another one of these.

huuh
huuh
9 years ago

The magnet sounds like a good idea and will be soon on my pump.

I fail to see the benefit of an ultra precise cauge when the dial is so small that there’s no way an average person is going to tell 100 psi from 101.

Gunnstein
Gunnstein
9 years ago

Superpista Ultimate? Anything with a name as hip as that is worth whatever the asking price is. And besides, WOOHOO 12,000 PSI WOOT!!!!

On a slightly more serious note, the magnet is a nice touch. Everything is nicer with magnets.

groghunter
groghunter
9 years ago

+/- 1%, & the dial is still only marked in 2 PSI increments. le sigh. Oh, & it’s mounted near the floor, too. are my eyes near the floor? THEN WHY DO YOU PUT THE GAUGE DOWN THERE?!

Ilikeicedtea
Ilikeicedtea
9 years ago

I can’t bring myself to get all caps angry about any floor pump.

The Conductor
The Conductor
9 years ago

Would have looked nifty in Seinfeld’s apartment.

I’m glad my current orange Silca will outlast me, and I won’t need this one.

Flip
Flip
9 years ago

I know and love Josh, and I wish him well, but holy hell… good luck, man!

groghunter
groghunter
9 years ago

Technically I was getting all caps angry about ALL floor pumps, not just one.

Gunnstein
Gunnstein
9 years ago

@groghunter Good point. My el cheapo “Air Supply” pump has the gauge on top. Quite handy, that. Just don’t let it topple and fall, high chance of it breaking.

Pras y Cujon
Pras y Cujon
9 years ago

Joshua Poertner is the Carl Icahn of the cycling world?

Kovas
Kovas
9 years ago

I would buy one of these in a heartbeat, but my wife would be superpista when she found out how much I spent on it…

Jim
Jim
9 years ago

It also has a sensor which will render it inoperable unless you’re wearing Assos kit.

Gillis
Gillis
9 years ago

For that kind of scratch it should pump itself

greg
greg
9 years ago

halo product. hopefully some of the tech will trickle down.
i love it how it is, though.

Mindless
Mindless
9 years ago

I have a fairly cheap digital gauge, and it is the only way to fly for setting tubeless high volume tires. Pump it slightly higher, then bleed air to perfection. 2 psi marked gauge near floor just would not cut it, even with a leather plunger (deleted) every morning.

Jdog
Jdog
9 years ago

They will sell every one they make.

10G on a bike and $450 on a pump seems reasonable. 1g on a bike and $45 on a pump also seems reasonable..

George C
George C
9 years ago

I saw Brett’s comment, not sure if you have read the previous posts but Silca is now under new ownership and is being produced in the US. All previous products have ceased production and everything that is coming from Silca is new and designed from the ground up.

Sean
Sean
9 years ago

I wonder how long this pump would last at our nonprofit? Currently the longest we’ve seen a pump last is 6 months and that was a top end serfas; the shortest was a SKS at 2 weeks. We are a local nonprofit, Freewheelin Community Bikes, and have ties with ZIPP thru a few volunteers, now Im wondering if we could get one of these to possibly use in the shop as a “real world durability test/stress testing study”?

To the comments of for the price the pump should do the work itself; why not just get an air compressor then?

Now I do wish that they went with a digital gauge instead of the dial as it could further reduce inaccuracy in reading the dial.

Ronin
Ronin
9 years ago

If you’re going to go to all that trouble, why not put some fancy double stroke or even a double barrel on this thing so you’re getting more air per stroke. Wonder if it is any better to use than any other decent floor pump.

MaLóL
MaLóL
9 years ago

I would rather buy a wireless electric minicompressor by BOSCH, like the one pro-mechanics from Rapha-Focus CX team use… it has the digital gauge and battery and it inflates pressing a button ;-D

FastWayne
FastWayne
9 years ago

I had an old school Silca since 1974. It was pretty beat up and needed a complete rebuild, but I just tossed it last year when I moved; ) It never did have very much volume but lasted longer than any of my bikes! Current pump is a Pedro’s Prestige, 8 years so far!

FreeNachosNow
FreeNachosNow
9 years ago

Silca pumps last a lifetime. This one looks to be built to last a couple of lifetimes. If you can appreciate good design and tech, the price tag sounds right on the money.

Andre
Andre
9 years ago

I would call it ‘ultimate’ pump if this thing could pump shocks (220psi capable) and tubeless tires, with the new technology were there is a reservoir for high pressure shot…. That would the the ultimate pump! But $400+… Your buying the finish.

Rixter
Rixter
9 years ago

I’ve had a Silca floor pump for 30 years and still use it every week on various bikes. The base is showing its age and I want to replace it with another Silca before it goes. $200 for sure, $425 I think I will shop around or wait for a less pricey model.

Larry T.
9 years ago

A lifetime investment in a joy-to-use product…as long as someone doesn’t steal it! Our review – http://cycleitalia.blogspot.com/2014/08/air-pleasure.html

Sean
Sean
9 years ago

You can get these at Cantitoe Road now, http://www.cantitoeroad.com

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