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For those über fans of the Richard Sachs House Industries ‘Cross Team, you can now pick up a limited edition Silca Custom Artist Edition floor pump. Yes, they’re expensive, but we already knew that coming into this, right? Personally, I just like looking at the detail that goes into these paint jobs. See for yourself at Silca.
Having essential tools you need in one easy to access and transport location is a must. Silca takes their precision line to another level with these German and Swiss precision hex heads, with a twist. Along with the standard hex wrenches, is the proprietary made in the USA SILCA 17-4 Stainless Magnetic Adapter. The Adapter with a pleasant magnetic click turns the 6mm Hex Key into a ¼” socket drive which can fit any common ¼” driver Bit. Also in the HX-One Kit are are the 6 most common Torx sizes, 2 Phillips Head and 2 Flat head Drivers.
All tools fit in a laser-etched Beech wood case. In stock from Silca for $125 on September 1st. Head over for more information.
The first round of these went quick…
Silca’s Super Pista pumps already have a certain panache and when you turn one over as a canvas to an artist like Dario Pegoretti, they suddenly are elevated to art. For the latest run of Artist Series Super Pista floor pumps, Silca and Dario worked on 10 more pumps, ranging from $900 USD to $1,200 USD.
Expect these to go quickly once they hit the stock at Noon EDT on August 5th, so sign up to be alerted at Silca if you’d like to purchase one.
Fenders aren’t exactly my favorite bicycle accessory. Granted I live in Texas where it “never rains” or so it didn’t really until this year. We’ve had a very wet spring and summer, resulting in a lot of unexpected rain riding. So much so that I finally broke down and decided to ditch the big, plump tread of my Bruce Gordon Rock n Roads for some fenders and the biggest tire I could find that would fit…
Whether you already have an SuperPista Ultimate floor pump, or you’re buying for the first time, Silca’s got two gauge offerings depending on the style of riding you do. I can’t remember the last time I pumped past 60psi for any of my bikes and wanted the ability to hit lower pressures more accurately on my Silca pump. Now they sell a low-pressure 60psi Ultimate Gauge for $65 or the complete SuperPista Ultimate Plus floor pump which comes with both gauges.
Just in time for ‘cross season preparations.
As if a $450 floor pump wasn’t balleur enough, Silca has begun to stock their artist-edition Super Pista Ultimate Pumps first previewed here in the 2015 NAHBS coverage. The first artist being the legendary Dario Pegoretti. Known for his beautifully-constructed frames, made in Italy and painted like none other, Dario’s a true auteur in the modern framebuilding world.
Each pump painted by Dario is created completely by hand and no two will be exactly alike. A total of 10 pumps are available. See the entire collection at Silca.
I tend to get giddy about projects, especially those which were born in the USA, or at least in this case resurrected. Silca’s a company with its roots deeply embedded in cycling history. For over 100 years, this company has been a part of inflation technology (yes, I just said that). After the name was purchased and relocated to the USA, things have been changing rapidly. For the better.
That $400 floor pump caused a bit of a ruckus, as did the $40 air chucks yet for some reason the thought of a $165 frame pump doesn’t seem like a huge leap. Especially when you consider the detailing and that a made overseas Topeak or the like is still $50. The Impero Ultimate has been reborn. It’s a beast of metal, with no plastic parts and it’s machined in the USA. Best of all, it comes in BLACK!
Without me slobbering too much here with copy, why don’t you just check out the specs and more photos below, or order one at Silca. I just did.
For Friday the 13th, Indianapolis-based Silca has a limited run of EOLO III co2 chucks, machined from titanium. Only 50 of these will be available for one time only at Silca.cc starting now.
If there is any pump worthy of the North American Handmade Bicycle Show, it’s the Silca Superpista Ultimate Floor Pump. These puppies are hardly your standard-issue shop pump. For starters, they’re machined in Indianapolis, Indiana, using the highest quality materials including race car engine hosing. Silca then dumped the standard issue +/-5% industrial gauge for a +/-1% laboratory grade gauge that reads from 0-160 psi. There’s also a stainless chuck and a magnetic bed, keeping it in place when not in use. All this with a rosewood handle and weighing in at 7lbs.
Anyway, back to NAHBS and Silca’s presence there. New for 2015, Silca is offering their pumps at a paint-grade finish, along with various gauge and hose colors, allowing for customization. What you’re seeing here are a few examples they had on deck with them at NAHBS. From a Pegoretti-painted (center) to a classic Martini racing Silca (right) and even half of a his/hers pairing (right), you can see the options are endless.
I felt like giving these unique pumps a treatment on par with the unique bicycles I shot at NAHBS. Contact Silca for more information and I can’t wait to see what people come up with.
While a $400 floor pump is more than likely out of your budget, Silca’s $47.50 EOLO III co2 chuck probably lands within your holiday shopping budget. The EOLO III regulator chuck is made in the USA and has three rubber insulator rings ensure damp fingers don’t get stuck while zapping your tubeless tires back to pressure. These rings can be swapped out, using Silca’s $6 pack of multi colored options.
As far as the chuck itself is concerned, it’s damn easy to use and nicely machined.
My only complaint, there are no black insulating rings and while I still think Co2 canisters are extremely wasteful for everyday use, they’re still a necessity for tubeless tires. Overall, the EOLO III is a fun, simple, product that’s easy to use and customizable. Most importantly to me, it’s made in the USA.
See more at Silca!
So… what makes a bike pump worth $450? NPR dives into the story on how Silca moved their production to Indianapolis. Listen to the story at NPR and yes, I totally bought one. Ok, I lied, I put it on my credit card.
Is it really worth it? I mean, it’s a pump, but it’s a damn nice pump and it looks great holding down the tiles in my office. Functionality considered, it’s got an impressive amount of machining, akin to a luxury sportswatch and if it means Silca might one day make a $100 USA-made floor pump, I’m all for supporting this industry.
Side note: I’m really enjoying my new photo studio…
