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.
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 😩).
So I replaced the Lezyne with a Silca SuperPista Digital Floor Pump.
For me, the standout feature is the high mount backlit digital gauge.
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.
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.
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.
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 