Day 2 was the longest of the three days. It was 124km from Kampar to Taiping.
Map courtesy of Ride with GPS
We left the Grand Kampar Hotel at 7:00 am.
Photograph courtesy of VV
Breakfast was about an hour later at D’Anjung Bali. I had talked up their puri to Vanessa, so I was relieved that the place was open. Despite the sign on the gate saying “Closed.”
Photograph courtesy of VVPhotograph courtesy of ANPhotograph courtesy of WWK
We paused for drinks at Gelung Pepuyu. Our next scheduled stop was at Beruas.
4km from Beruas Vanessa had her second flat tire in as many days. It sounded like a gunshot when her rear inner tube exploded. Fortunately, her tire was undamaged. It was the same tire that had flatted the day before, which was a bit of a worry. When we got to Taiping she had her wheel and tire checked at a bicycle shop. Happily she had no further problems.
Photograph courtesy of THL
Most of the group were considerably ahead of us when Vanessa flatted. They had finished their drinks at Beruas by the time the rest of us got there.
Photograph courtesy of MT
The road from Beruas to Terong is in poor condition. All the lorry traffic has left it badly rutted. Sadly one of those ruts caused Ernestine to lose control and fall. Thankfully she wasn’t hurt badly, but that was the end of her ride.
Photograph courtesy of THLPhotograph courtesy of HCP
Once she was on her way in one of the support cars to get her abrasions cleaned and dressed, the rest of us stopped at Padang Gajah for drinks and to refill bottles.
Photograph courtesy of GKPhotograph courtesy of VVPhotograph courtesy of VV
It was 35ºC at Padang Gajah, and it was 38ºC when we got to Terong 11km later. I needed to stop for ice cream. Fifteen minutes later we were riding the last 20km to Taiping.
AiWei and AiLei are from Taiping. They took us to the Larut Matang Hawker Centre for lunch.
Photograph courtesy of VVPhotograph courtesy of J
Photographs courtesy of MN
It was a short ride from lunch to the Flemington Hotel. It was 4:00 pm by the time we were in our rooms. That gave us seventy-five minutes before we had to be in the lobby, ready to be driven to dinner.
Photo courtesy of MLPhoto courtesy of ISPhoto courtesy of KBS
Dinner was courtesy of Simon. His penalty for pulling out of the ride. We went to Restoran Light House Seafood.
Photo courtesy of JPhoto courtesy of VV
This restaurant is famed for its seafood porridge. We had that, and lots more besides.
Photo courtesy of MLPhoto courtesy of ML
I was stuffed after that meal, but others had room for more. One of the Taiping-ites ordered fried chicken by phone. We stopped to collect the order on our way back to the hotel.
Photograph courtesy of EK
We wanted to sit at the rooftop bar but our chicken, being outside food, was not allowed. So we went to the Taiping Lake Garden across the road.
Photograph courtesy ofTAWPhotograph courtesy of GKPhotograph courtesy of THL
Photograph courtesy of Yaopey Yong at unsplash.com
I met the early members of the R@SKLs after the 8th CFAL round Penang island ride in 2016. The year of the dropped pedal 😂. Lay, whom I came across during the ride, introduced me to them.
The R@SKLs trip to Penang has been an annual event since. Each year the number of riders has grown.
This year a group of seventeen opted to cycle to Penang.
The first day’s ride was from Tanjung Malim to Kampar.
Photograph courtesy of Ally TheanlynMap courtesy of Ride with GPS
Some of us got to Tanjung Malim by road.
Photograph courtesy of SSH
The rest took the train from Sungai Buloh. After stopping at Bin Soo’s and AiLei’s for muffins.
Photograph courtesy of GKPhotograph courtesy of HCP
Being the R@SKLs, our first stop was one kilometre from Tanjung Malim KTM station for roti canai and nasi lemak at Restoran Al Kassim Maju.
Photograph courtesy of KC
We had two support vehicles for this trip. An ice chest in the back of Amy’s truck held water and 100 Plus. Our drivers, Azaman and Suwardy, took advantage of an ice delivery to the restaurant to buy ice for us.
Photograph courtesy of KC
There was a flat tire to deal with before we could get going. That was the opportunity to try out TH’s new toy.
Photograph courtesy of Marco Lai
Then we were on our way.
Photograph courtesy of THLPhotograph courtesy of HCPPhotograph courtesy of HCP
Our next stop was an unplanned one. Vanessa had a flat tire north of Trolak.
Photograph courtesy of ML
We dipped into the ice chest at our first rest stop just before Sungkai.
Photograph courtesy of MLPhotograph courtesy of MN
The next stop was for fresh-cut fruit at Bidor. Having ridden 55km, we were more than halfway to Kampar.
Photograph courtesy of EKPhotograph courtesy of KC
We spent more than one hour at Tapah for lunch. We got there at 1:00 pm. It was 36ºC, and we appreciated the air-conditioning in the KFC. We are on the floor because all the furniture has been removed from the ground floor of the restaurant. No doubt for social distancing reasons.
Photograph courtesy of VV
The others went to a chicken rice shop across the road. I assume that shop had ceiling or wall fans.
Photograph courtesy of TAL
The remaining 22km passed without incident. We checked into the Grand Kampar Hotel, showered, and went looking for food. About half of us went to the McDonald’s around the corner from the hotel. We had our first taste of strictly enforced COVID-19 SOPs there. In addition to the now-standard registration via the MySejahtera app and temperature checks, we couldn’t all gather at the counter to order our food.
Photograph courtesy of MT
After our burgers, we met most of the rest at the Entertainment Hub for more rehydration. We fell foul of the COVID-19 SOPs there too. Our group had grown to more than ten, so we couldn’t stay.
The last stop before calling it a day was at Restoran Ken Claypot House. Claypot meals are a Kampar speciality. COVID-19 SOPs meant five people to a table.
Pai and I signed up for this ride when it was scheduled for March 2020. COVID-19 put paid to this event and many others. The Movement Control Order came into effect on 18th March and life as we knew it came to a sudden stop.
Five months later, life has returned to a semblance of normalcy. Including the resumption of outdoor sporting activities. The postponed BRM300 and BRM1000 rides were rescheduled to the end of August. A BRM600 ride was added to the mix. All to coincide with Malaysia’s Independence Day (Merdeka) on August 31st.
Graphic courtesy of Audax Randonneurs Malaysia
The ride started from Morib. Pai and I spent Saturday night in a hotel in Banting. By the time we got our acts together, all the hotels in Morib were full, so Banting, about 12 km from Morib, was the next best option.
The idea was to get the 65 km drive from home out of the way on Saturday and thus be able to sleep for an extra ninety minutes on Sunday morning.
I neglected to check the location of the hotel. It was on a very noisy Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad, which is the main road through Banting. I didn’t get much sleep.
The BRM300 started at 5:00 am on Sunday 30th. We had twenty hours to complete the distance. Pai and I got to the start with plenty of time to check in and to set up our bikes.
Photograph courtesy of Audax Randonneurs Malaysia
As we were about to start, I noticed that my chain was trapped below the chain catcher, which hadn’t done its job. However, the chain catcher did stop me from getting the chain back onto a chainring. The only way to get the chain back onto a chainring was to break the chain. Fortunately, I had a quick link on my chain, and Pai had quick link pliers. And a stack of wet wipes for me to get all the grease off my fingers afterwards.
I was not a happy man when we finally got going.
Photographs courtesy of Audax Randonneurs Malaysia
The route took us to Lukut and then clockwise to Rembau, Tampin, Sungai Udang, Port Dickson, Lukut and back to Morib.
Map courtesy of Ride With GPS
As soon as we left Morib, Pai noticed that my rear derailleur was making a clicking noise. We stopped at the roadside to check my RD, but in the dark, we couldn’t see anything wrong. We stopped again under lights at the Petronas station in Sungai Pelek and saw the problem. In the dark at Morib I had threaded the chain over rather than under a small tab on the RD. So out with the quick link pliers and wet wipes again.
Dawn was breaking when we left Sungai Pelek. 20 km later it was bright enough to turn my front light off.
Photograph courtesy of Audax Randonneurs Malaysia
It was the middle of the three-day weekend so the roads were very quiet.
Photograph courtesy of Audax Randonneurs Malaysia
Checkpoint 1 was at Restoran 3 Abdul in Rembau. That was 94 km into the ride.
Photographs courtesy of Audax Randonneurs Malaysia
We had breakfast there.
We rolled out of the restaurant at 10:00 am.
It might have been a better idea to stay and nap at the restaurant like this fellow.
The major climb of the day started at KM 102.
How major? This major.
Map and graphic courtesy of Ride With GPS
We decided to save our legs.
Photograph courtesy of Audax Randonneurs Malaysia
I didn’t feel very good after that climb. My average heart rate increased by 10% and I was pedalling squares. It was getting hot, which didn’t help.
Photograph courtesy of Audax Randonneurs Malaysia
I started to cramp in the sartorius muscles. The sartorius are the longest muscles in the human body, spanning both the hip and knee joints. Fortunately I was able to stretch and stop the cramps from really biting.
Graphic courtesy of innerbody.com
I emptied my water bottle at a rapid rate. We stopped at the sundry shop at KM 119 for a rest and to buy some drinks.
50 minutes later, just south of Tampin, Pai spotted a roadside stall selling coconut shakes. That was a much needed cold drink.
The temperature was on its way up. It was 33ºC / 91ºF when we stopped for that coconut shake. It would hit a high of 39ºC / 102ºF later in the day.
Graph courtesy of Ride With GPS
Along with the heat, there were these to contend with.
Photograph courtesy of Audax Randonneurs Malaysia
At 1:20 pm we got to checkpoint 2 at the Petronas Sungai Petai station on the AMJ Highway. It was the hottest time of the day. We had ridden 153 km, and I needed a break. As did many others.
Photograph courtesy of Audax Randonneurs Malaysia
That bike with the orange fork is mine. I was inside the station, enjoying the air-conditioning and more drinks.
Photograph courtesy of Audax Randonneurs Malaysia
Our next stop was at a Petron station in Sungai Udang. Pai needed nutrition. I needed more drinks and to get rid of my jersey. It would be cooler riding with just a base layer on.
Photograph courtesy of Pai HC
Those stops and a lot of sugary drinks must have helped me. I felt a lot better when we left that Petron station. I still had to ward off the occasional sartorius muscle cramp.
We hit some holiday traffic on Federal Route 5 between Sungai Udang and Taman Masjid Tanah. It was a relief to get off Federal Route 5 at Kampung Pulau Semut and out of a steady stream of traffic.
We took a short break in the shade at a bus stop at Kampung Tengah. It was still 34ºC / 93ºF. The forecast had predicted rain, but there was not a drop all day. It was 4:20 pm, and we had ridden 195km.
Checkpoint 3 was 15km later at a FIVE petrol station in Pasir Panjang. Five Petroleum is a local fuel brand that launched in March this year. This particular site used to be a Caltex station.
After yet more drinks.
Photograph courtesy of Pai HC
At 6:00 pm we got to Teluk Kemang. It was time for some food at the McDonald’s linked to the Shell station there.
“Only” 75 km to go!
Photograph courtesy of Pai HC
We spent 40 minutes refuelling, chatting and cooling down. Then it was ‘lights on’ and through more bumper-to-bumper holiday traffic along the beachfront to Port Dickson town.
Photograph courtesy of Audax Randonneurs Malaysia
We made a short pit stop at the Petronas station just after the Lukut climb. And a longer stop at the Petron station in Sungai Pelek. Then Pai pulled us along at 28 kph over the last 35 km to Morib.
Photograph courtesy of Audax Randonneurs Malaysia
Thank you Sam Tow and his group of amazing volunteers for organizing yet another excellent BRM ride.
Photograph courtesy of Audax Randonneurs Malaysia
A BIG thank you to Pai. I couldn’t have finished this without you riding with me, my friend.
A welcome sign of the slow journey to normalcy during the COVID-19 pandemic is people returning to work. Especially when work is in another country.
Nineteen R@SKLs met at Rimbayu to bid farewell to Kieren.
Photograph courtesy of LY
We did a relatively short ride to Jugra for a meal at the no-name Chinese restaurant on Jalan Bukit Jugra.
Map courtesy of RidewithGPS
The drive to Rimbayu was through alternating belts of rain. Rimbayu was dry, but lightning flashed, and thunder rumbled not far away. The drizzle started as we rode through Kampung Seri Cheeding, and persisted to Kampung Sawah.
Soaked socks are not nice.
Photograph courtesy of LY
We have eaten at this restaurant before. The food is reliably good.
Photograph courtesy of LY
There is a temple next door. Giant joss sticks were across the road to celebrate an auspicious day for the temple deity.
No rain but there were a couple of flat tires to deal with on the way back.
Photograph courtesy by MN
We will miss your extended stints at the front of the group. Be safe and well, and we look forward to riding with you again.
Last month a group of us rode to Port Dickson and stayed at Paul’s apartment. One month on and seven of us were planning to invade Paul’s again.
We rode down on Friday 31st. It was Hari Raya Haji. The roads were fairly quiet as the majority of people who wanted to balik kampung had made their drives a day or two before.
Our route was the same as it was in June. Starting from where I live and making the short detour to Sungai Pelek to ride the ferry over the Sungai Sepang. Then ride to the Seremban KTM station the next morning to catch a train back to KL.
Map courtesy of Ride With GPS
The planned 6:00 am start was washed away by the rain. We were in Yut Kee eating breakfast at 7:30 am. It was still drizzling after 9:00 am when we rode past the PETRONAS Twin Towers on our way to the MAJU Expressway.
Photograph courtesy of ML
We weren’t on MEX long before we had to stop. There was some broken glass on the road shoulder which may have caused this puncture.
Photograph courtesy of ML
Not surprisingly, most restaurants and coffee shops were closed because of the Hari Raya Haji holiday. Including our regular eating places in Dengkil. We ended up at the McDonald’s in Kota Warisan for some food and coffees.
The rain had stopped and we had cool overcast conditions for most of the way from Kota Warisan to Port Dickson.
Photograph courtesy of ML
This time the ferry at Sungai Pelek was running.
Photograph courtesy of ML
It is a short float across the Sungai Sepang.
Photograph courtesy of ML
Followed by a quick ride through mangroves to get to the N4 at Kampung India.
Photograph courtesy of ML
We had one more stop to fix a flat tire before we got to Port Dickson.
Photograph courtesy of ML
Port Dickson was heaving with people. We wanted a late lunch. Most places had people outside queueing to get in. We settled for PappaRich. Which wasn’t too full. However, the restaurant was understaffed, so it took an hour from when this snap was taken for our food to arrive.
Photograph courtesy of ML
Eight more kilometres of riding through holiday traffic and we were in Paul’s apartment.
Photograph courtesy of MLPhotograph courtesy of ML
Suffice to say a good time was had by all that evening.
The next day we started riding to Seremban at about 7:00 am.
Photograph courtesy of ALL
It is just under 40km from The Regency Tanjung Tuan Resort in Port Dickson to the Seremban station. No punctures on the way 👍🏻.
Photograph courtesy of ML
Time to put on our masks. Wearing masks on public transport and in public places became mandatory this day.
Photograph courtesy of ALL
We were at the station in plenty of time for the 9:06 am train.
Photograph courtesy of ML
AL was comfortable in her slippers ⬆️.
I got comfortable in my Furoshikis.
Photograph courtesy of ML
It was a short hop from Bank Negara station to Gavel for breakfast.
A fellow R@SKL turned me on to the fact that there are a lot of murals in KL. I knew of some along the bank of the Klang River because they are visible from the rapid-transit trains.
Zaryl led eighteen of us on a mural tour.
I had no idea that there were so many more within 8km / 6mi of where I live. Mostly in the old heart of the city, in areas which were run down and frankly dodgy until urban renewal efforts worked their magic. Jalan Alor. Changkat Bukit Bintang. Lorong Panggung. Now those areas are home to trendy cafés, restaurants and speakeasies. And are very Instagrammable!
And two murals which reflect the current zeitgeist.
We stopped for breakfast at Feeka, which is next door to this mural.
After all the treats for the eyes it was time for some treats for my tummy!
Our last stop was not at a mural but at a work of art nonetheless. The recently-opened Saloma Link Bridge.
The invitations had been coming for some time. Accompanied by photographs like these.
Photograph courtesy of PL
Photograph courtesy of PL
As soon as the MCO ban on interstate travel was lifted we started planning a ride to Port Dickson. Paul provided additional encouragement.
Photograph courtesy of PL
Within a week everything was confirmed. The route was from where I live to Regency Resort Tanjung Tuan.
Map courtesy of Ride with GPS
Ready to roll at 6:45 am.
Photograph courtesy of TS
Our first stop was at the Seri Kembangan R&R on the Maju Expressway.
Photograph courtesy of TS
Stop two was in Dengkil for breakfast. 44km / 27mi and 2 hours into our ride.
Photograph courtesy of TS
On the road again toward Bandar Serenia and Kota Warisan.
Photograph courtesy of ML
We made the right turn onto Jalan Besar Salak at 10:00 am. The stretch from Bandar Baru Enstek to Sepang was into a strong headwind. We were glad for a break at the Shell station.
Photograph courtesy of ML
Kieren and Terry had ridden faster than the rest of us and they made the left turn onto Federal Route 5 toward Lukut. Fortunately, they stopped at the border sign and called me to check where we were.
Photograph courtesy of TS
It is a good thing Terry called because we had decided to ride in the opposite direction to Sungai Pelek to take the ferry across the Sungai Sepang.
Photograph courtesy of TS
We got to the ferry to discover that it had not started running again. Nothing to do but smile for the camera and head back to Sepang.
Photograph courtesy of TS
Lay and I were leading the group 2km from Regency Resort. I heard AiLei shout “Faster. Faster.”
When Lay and I pulled into the Regency Resort gate the rest were nowhere to be seen. AiLei had shouted “Puncture. Puncture.”
Photograph courtesy of ZT
Everyone got to Regency Resort eventually.
Once we were all settled rehydration was essential.
Photograph courtesy of TS
Followed by some paddling.
Photograph courtesy of ZT
And conversation with our hosts. Paul and Simon were superb hosts. Thank you from all of us.
Photograph courtesy of ZT
Simon cooked steaks for some of us for dinner. The others went out to tar pau fried rice, fried noodles and seafood.
Photograph courtesy of ML
Lots of food, beer and wine = let’s just ride to Seremban tomorrow and take the train back to KL.
So at 7:25 am we were on the road to Seremban.
Map courtesy of Ride with GPSPhotograph courtesy of MLPhotograph courtesy of ML
It took about 90 minutes to get to the Seremban KTM station. Faster than I had expected, and fast enough for us to catch the 9:06 am train instead of the 10:02 am departure that we had planned for.
This bicycle was built by Alchemy Bicycles, then in Austin, Texas. At the time I lived and worked in Houston, Texas.
My bike followed me on my travels to Den Haag in the Netherlands, and finally to Kuala Lumpur.
Map courtesy of Google
The travels of this bike had something to do with international commerce. I would not own it if I hadn’t been working in Texas. My Bike Chick and I were able to live outside Malaysia because we worked for organizations trading in multiple countries. Organizations that encouraged the international relocation of some of their staff.
Keeping the bike running depended on international commerce. A new saddle from an Italian manufacturer. Chains and cassettes from an American company with manufacturing in Taiwan. Tires from Germany.
The rear derailleur hanger did its job for ten years. Cut to a month ago. I had just started a ride when I heard a “crrrrrruuuuunch”. The rear derailleur had over-shifted into the spokes and snapped at the lower knuckle. The hanger had bent as it tried to do its job of protecting the derailleur.
I had a spare derailleur on hand. I did not have a spare hanger.
The mechanics at my local bike shop managed to bend the hanger back enough for it to be usable. There were signs of a crack, and it would be just a matter of time before the hanger broke in two.
There are hundreds of derailleur hangers available. No bike shop stocks them all. International commerce to the rescue.
First, I had to identify the hanger I needed. Wheels Manufacturing LLC is in Louisville, Colorado. Their website lists more than 350 different hangers. Alchemy is not among the bike brands in the Wheels Manufacturing database. I searched for hangers with two fasteners. There are more than 160 to choose from.
I was not sure if I found the one I needed. Wheels Manufacturing warns that an incorrect hanger will not fit.
Next, I did what I should have done to start with. I emailed Alchemy Bicycles Inc, which is now in Boulder, Colorado. I got a quick reply with a link to Paragon Machine Works in Richmond, California and the hanger that I needed.
It is a good thing I checked. The hanger I needed was shorter than the one I had initially identified.
Photographs courtesy of Wheels Manufacturing LLC and Paragon Machine Works
A few minutes later, I placed an order on the Paragon website for two hangers. International commerce in action again via the magic of the Internet.
Map courtesy of Google
By the end of that day, a package was on its way to me from Richmond via Los Angeles and Hong Kong. The two hangers were in my hands four days after I had placed the order.
Map courtesy of Google
Up until a month or so ago, I took international travel and the Internet for granted. Globalization, despite its drawbacks, was here to stay.
Then the novel coronavirus spilled out across the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has already badly affected global trade. International travel is at a standstill. Economies worldwide are staggering. It may be well into 2021 before we see the end of this pandemic.
Cracks have already appeared in the global economy. How big will those cracks become? How will international trade be affected?
In the meantime, all the local bike shops are closed until at least the end of March. Thank goodness the Internet still works.
My first review of a Redshift product was for their ShockStop suspension stem. At the time the ShockStop suspension seatpost had just been launched on Kickstarter. I pre-ordered one and have been using it for a few months now. It was on my bike during the 280km IIUM Endu-ride at the end of last month.
Appearance
One knock against suspension seatposts is they are not particularly attractive. The Redshift ShockStop is fairly minimalist compared to, from left, the Cane Creek Thudbuster ST, the Kinekt-BodyFloat, the Suntour NCX and the Specialized CG-R suspension seatposts.
Construction
The ShockStop seatpost is made of 6060 T6 aluminium alloy. It is 350mm long and 27.2mm in diameter. Shims are available to fit 30.9mm or 31.6mm seat tubes. The saddle clamps are compatible with 7mm round and 7x9mm oval saddle rails.
This seatpost weighs 497gm.
Photograph courtesy of amazon.com
Mechanism
The 35mm of suspension travel is provided by a main spring. A second inner spring can be combined with the main spring to provide a stiffer spring rate, up to the rider weight limit of 110kg.
The spring stiffness can be fine-tuned by adjusting the preload plug at the bottom of the seatpost.
Diagram courtesy of Coldroket.com
Installation
Installation is straightforward. A comprehensive set of printed instructions comes with the seatpost. An installation video is also available on the redshiftsports.com website.
Graphic courtesy of redshiftsports.com
Ride Quality
The Redshift website says that the ShockStop suspension seatpost “lets you float over rough terrain – ride further, faster, and more comfortably on the bike you already own.”
This seatpost delivers on that promise. Saddle movement is fluid, without any jerkiness as it moves through the 35mm of available travel. This creates a plush feel that is effective at isolating the rider from vibrations and larger impacts.
The four-bar linkage keeps the saddle angle constant throughout the range of movement.
A nice touch is a fender or cover that attaches magnetically to the rear of the suspension linkage. This keeps the moving parts of the linkage and saddle clamp bolts clean when riding on wet roads.
Animation courtesy of redshiftsports.com
Conclusion
The Redshift ShockStop suspension seatpost is well-engineered, easy to adjust and has a smooth and impressive suspension action you can tune to your own personal preference.
I like this suspension seatpost so much that I bought a second one for my other bike.
Almost five years ago, I wrote a blog post titled Pump It Up, about the inflation devices I use. My floor pump then was the Lezyne Classic Floor Drive.
Photograph courtesy of Lezyne
That floor pump still works well. But five years on, the floor level needle gauge has become difficult for me to read (damn you older age 😩).
For me, the standout feature is the high mount backlit digital gauge.
Photograph courtesy of road.cc
The gauge sits at the top of the pump barrel. The backlight comes on automatically when you start inflating a tire. The red numbers are about 12mm high and are easy for my sixty-plus-year-old eyes to read.
This pump is not a one-trick pony. The list of features is impressive.
The Gauge
The gauge can display one of three different measurement units: psi, bar, or kg/cm2.
You can set a target pressure alert using the “+” and “-” buttons. When you reach your desired pressure, the display flashes.
Silca claims the gauge is accurate to within 1%.
The Chuck
The SuperPista Digital includes Silca’s Hiro chuck. This all-metal chuck seals completely on Presta valves as short as 10 mm. The chuck is rated up to 220psi or 15.1 bar. The locking lever can be operated with one hand.
Photograph courtesy of road.cc
The Pump
The SuperPista combines a full metal shock piston design with the classic Italian leather plunger washer that has been a feature of Silca pumps since 1917.
Photograph courtesy of Silca
An alloy barrel and German Igus linear bearings create the highest efficiency, smoothest running Silca floor pump to date.
The pump has a top-mount hose design with a magnetic dock beside the gauge for the Hiro chuck. A strap holds the handle in place for storage or transport.
Photograph courtesy of Silca
The hose is 130cm long, which is enough to reach the valves of bikes clamped in repair stands or car racks.
The pump stands about 76cm tall. The handle extends to 132cm. By extending the handle all the way, a tire can be inflated to 90psi in 24 strokes. The pump is rated to 220psi.
The Base
The three-footed base exceeds 28cm at its widest point. Rubber feet ensure that the stable base does not slide around on the floor. The weight of the pump and the wide base make the SuperPista difficult to accidentally knock over.
Is the SuperPista Digital Worth the Price?
This is an expensive pump. There are no rivals in this price range to compare it with. What do you get for your money?
You get Silca’s outstanding build quality and attention to design. The SuperPista is handcrafted from first-rate materials and is a pleasure to use.
This pump is covered by Silca’s Lifetime Warranty, which covers defects in materials and workmanship for the life of the user, plus 7 years of coverage for non-defect reasons such as fatigue, wear and tear, etc.
With the proper care and maintenance using Silca-supplied replacement parts, the SuperPista digital will probably be the last floor pump you will ever buy.
Conclusion
The high price makes it impossible to recommend the Silca SuperPista Digital on a pure value for money basis. There are lots of cheaper pumps that do a fine job of inflating tyres. But the way this pump is designed and constructed makes it a joy to use. It has beautiful touches all around. If money is no object, this pump scores 10 out of 10.
Old Roots, New Routes 