Bontrager portable battery-powered pump

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One of my local bike shops has a brand new product. This is a
Bontrager portable battery-powered pump with a "smart head" that will
do both presta and schrader. The cost is about $70.

They claim that it will also do car tires.

This product is so new I cannot find out anything about it on the web
including the Bontrager site. Has anyone actually tried one of
these? If so how about reporting your results?

thanks,

HMB

[EasyCompany]

On Sat, 15 Dec 2007 14:24:15 -0800 (PST), wrote:

>One of my local bike shops has a brand new product. This is a
>Bontrager portable battery-powered pump with a "smart head" that will
>do both presta and schrader. The cost is about $70.
>
>They claim that it will also do car tires.
>
>This product is so new I cannot find out anything about it on the web
>including the Bontrager site. Has anyone actually tried one of
>these? If so how about reporting your results?
>
>thanks,
>
>HMB

Can you post something off the package, such as the inventory number,
or anything? If you didn't buy it, maybe you could call the store, or
check when you visit next time.

I'd be a -little- concerned at using an automatic pump on a bicycle
tire that is -also- (apparently) rated for car tires, but this
probably has safety checks to prevent over-inflation.

Any idea how big it is, or how much it weighs? Probably too big to put
in a back pack, eh? :-)

Very intriguing!

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
EasyCompany > writes:
> On Sat, 15 Dec 2007 14:24:15 -0800 (PST), wrote:
>
>>One of my local bike shops has a brand new product. This is a
>>Bontrager portable battery-powered pump with a "smart head" that will
>>do both presta and schrader. The cost is about $70.
>>
>>They claim that it will also do car tires.
>>
>>This product is so new I cannot find out anything about it on the web
>>including the Bontrager site. Has anyone actually tried one of
>>these? If so how about reporting your results?
>>
>>thanks,
>>
>>HMB
>
> Can you post something off the package, such as the inventory number,
> or anything? If you didn't buy it, maybe you could call the store, or
> check when you visit next time.
>
> I'd be a -little- concerned at using an automatic pump on a bicycle
> tire that is -also- (apparently) rated for car tires, but this
> probably has safety checks to prevent over-inflation.

Considering it's battery powered, I'd excpect doing
car tires would be a struggle for it -- more so
than the portable car tire pumps which plug into
the [vestigal] cigarette lighter.
>
> Any idea how big it is, or how much it weighs? Probably too big to put
> in a back pack, eh? :-)
>
> Very intriguing!

To paraphrase Tom McCahill: "Simplicity means reliability."
The more complex the mechanism, the greater likelihood
of malfunctions. When you really need a pump you don't
want malfunctions.

A simple frame pump has very much in its favour.

I've even had probs with those double-action mini MTB pumps.
A simple cylinder & piston with an interface on one end for
the user and another interface on the other end for the
inner tube valve so elegantly does the trick.

But this particular gizmo just might be Da Bomb for e-bikes,
which are already encumbered with an electric power source.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

[Zoot Katz]

On Sat, 15 Dec 2007 16:43:04 -0800,
(Tom Keats) wrote , in part, of battery powered pumps:
\
>
>But this particular gizmo just might be Da Bomb for e-bikes,
>which are already encumbered with an electric power source.

CoolI

After you've pumped up your flat it's easier to pedal/paddle home
because you drained your battery.
--
zk

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
Zoot Katz > writes:
> On Sat, 15 Dec 2007 16:43:04 -0800,
> (Tom Keats) wrote , in part, of battery powered pumps:
> \
>>
>>But this particular gizmo just might be Da Bomb for e-bikes,
>>which are already encumbered with an electric power source.
>
> CoolI
>
> After you've pumped up your flat it's easier to pedal/paddle home
> because you drained your battery.

Maybe after it's jettisoned.

I've been looking at e-bikes (at Green World Electric
Vehicles) and I must confess that I'm tempted.

It would be preferable to being squished between
two large guys in the back seat of a Mazda 323 on
the way to work.

After a shift of hand-bombing cheap junk from China
off marine containers from The Port, getting up the
South Hill can be very daunting. Heck, getting up
No 6 Rd or Jacombs Road to Bridgeport and over the
Knight Road bridge can be very daunting.
Especially at this time of year.

Well, Jacombs Road is actually a piece o' cake,
and a nice ride. Even though it does align one
onto the wrong side of the bridge if northbound.
I kinda like going over that li'l overpass over
the East-West Connector.

Nelson Road southbound off Westminster Hwy is
very ****ty, thanx to all the truck traffic.
Better to deke down No 8 Road -> Blundell ->
walk/carry it across the train tracks -> cut
through a parking lot or two. There's a gap
in somebody's shrubbery to allow that.

The lighter the bike, the easier it is to
negotiate that route.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

[Zoot Katz]

On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 05:22:59 -0800, (Tom
Keats) wrote:

>> After you've pumped up your flat it's easier to pedal/paddle home
>> because you drained your battery.
>
>Maybe after it's jettisoned.
>
>I've been looking at e-bikes (at Green World Electric
>Vehicles) and I must confess that I'm tempted.
>
I spent some time Saturday looking at them through the window.
The $500 sale price for a ready to roll electric bicycle looks good
to a person first contemplating utility cycling, especially after
they've looked at some of the fancy European city-bikes.
I didn't check the specifications but I'd not be surprised if the
overall performance disappointments new users. I think it's just a
new breed of BSO; BBSO (buzz-bike shaped object).

Were I too take the plunge, I'd go up the street to Renaissance
Bicycle Company. <www.ebikes.ca/> and get one custom configured.
They're equipped to make a 48 hole hub motor for cargo duty. They're
also a bunch of brainiac geeks full of youthful enthusiasm and bright
ideas. GWEV looksto me like a "lifestyle accessory" shop.

>It would be preferable to being squished between
>two large guys in the back seat of a Mazda 323 on
>the way to work.
>
Tell the guys I appreciate your car-pooling. I know it can sometimes
be inconvenient and uncomfortable but it sure makes sense. I think
having co-workers in the car puts the driver on better behaviour.

>After a shift of hand-bombing cheap junk from China
>off marine containers from The Port, getting up the
>South Hill can be very daunting.

Were Argyle St. or Boundary Rd. on my regular routes I'd be
considering a cocktail of coke, HGH and EPO or going electric.
Conversely, I was almost blown all the way up Heather St. on Sunday.

>Heck, getting up
>No 6 Rd or Jacombs Road to Bridgeport and over the
>Knight Road bridge can be very daunting.
>Especially at this time of year.
>
>Well, Jacombs Road is actually a piece o' cake,
>and a nice ride. Even though it does align one
>onto the wrong side of the bridge if northbound.
>I kinda like going over that li'l overpass over
>the East-West Connector.
>
>Nelson Road southbound off Westminster Hwy is
>very ****ty, thanx to all the truck traffic.
>Better to deke down No 8 Road -> Blundell ->
>walk/carry it across the train tracks -> cut
>through a parking lot or two. There's a gap
>in somebody's shrubbery to allow that.
>
>The lighter the bike, the easier it is to
>negotiate that route.

I always used to take the single-track and portage route over to Glen
St. from Home Despot on Terminal Ave. I've not been that way lately
so there may be an actual path and rail crossing through there now.
It's all these secret by-ways and restricted passages that helps make
cycling the best way to get around a city.
--
zk