Just when you thought this had gone away......
Found this on Spectrum Cycles site:
http://www.spectrum-cycles.com/
How to use a Silca frame pump. Trying to teach people how to use a Silca frame pump sounds pretty silly, but there are good reasons. Let's walk through the logic. * A frame pump is intended to get you home after a flat tire and to beat off dogs, not to pump up your tires day after day. A floor pump is designed for that purpose. * Once you have fixed your flat tire, getting back on the road quickly is paramount, dynamiting your tire up to eight or nine atmospheres is not as critical as some would make it out to be. * Silca frame pumps used properly will enable you to get your repaired tire up to riding pressure (6-8 bar.) faster than any other frame pump. Because of the larger shaft diameter, Silca pumps give more pressure per pump than the others. * Of all the full length frame pumps, the Silca is the lightest. (the collapsible frame pumps are really cool but they are only useful as devices for forcing you to take a long rest during your rides.)
Silca pumps come with four different types of heads. They all work the same, but the sealing grommets are only adjustable on some of them. The sealing grommet is the rubber donut which the tire valve goes through in the pump head. At this time, the most common head is a dual finger type made by Silca shaped somewhat like the old Campy steel heads. Although the fingers tend to break pretty easily, the head actually works quite well. This type of head uses a slotted screw at the back end of the head to adjust the seal grommet. The older Silca made heads did not have adjustable grommets. The Campy steel heads were adjusted by tightening the screw-on grommet retaining cover. I say "were" because Campy has not marketed their steel heads for years and the supply has dried up. If you have one or can get one, DO IT! and sell it to me. They were the best.
There are a few tricks which one must use while pumping tires with Silca pumps. The most important thing to understand is that presta valves can be bent or broken quite easily and one must take steps to avoid doing so. Get into the habit of pumping your tires up by only holding the pump, NOT by holding the wheel or tire. The easiest way to do this is to pump up the tire with the wheel off the bike. Work the pump head onto the valve stem by moving the pump shaft back and forth while pressing the head onto the valve. At all times, the head must be aligned with the valve. If there is any pressure still in the tire, you must prevent the pump handle from being forced out of the end of the pump by the tire pressure. To do so, hold the handle and pump shaft tightly together in one hand and, make sure that the head is perfectly aligned with the valve as you press the head onto the valve. Once the head is well seated on the valve, grasp the head and pump end by wrapping your index finger around the end of the head and holding the shaft tightly with the rest of your hand. Lift the wheel off the ground with the pump, keeping the head and valve at 12:00 o'clock. Always keep the head and valve aligned with each other so that the valve has no bending pressure on it.
Start pumping up your tire. Be sure to not pull the handle too far back. You can pull it right out of the shaft if you try. Once the tire pressure begins to climb, you will find it more difficult to pump. To get that last atmosphere or so in, you will want to use leverage to your advantage. For the easy part of the pumping, most people will have had the pump shaft running from side to side around waist level. When the pumping gets more difficult, you will want to end each stroke with the pump shaft almost perpendicular from your waist with the head end away from your belly. That way, you can pull the head end of the pump straight in while holding the handle end in at your belly. Thus, while the pumping is the most difficult, you will have the most leverage. This may sound awkward, but once you get the rhythm, it is very efficient and quick. With a bit of practice, you will be able to easily reach 7 atmospheres (about 100 lbs.) quite quickly.
Once you have pumped up your tire, the last trick is removing the pump without harming either the pump or tire valve. Place the wheel back on the ground with the valve still at12:00 o'clock. Hold the pump handle in one hand and strike straight down on the pump shaft with you fist as close to the head as possible. It should pop right off.
Things to remember: * A frame pump is to get you home, not for day to day use. * Always keep the head aligned with the tire valve. * Don't pull the pump handle out of the shaft. * Never apply any lateral or torsional force to the tire valve. * Pop the head off when you are done, don't wiggle it off. * Send me all your extra Campy steel heads, prepaid shipping.
Pete Geurds
Douglassville, PA