Ooh. It smells of wee in here.

[Yorick]

Anyway. During the cycle race yesterday I parked next to the Shimano support team. I was surprised when they brought out a manual hand pump. Can see it at back of car.

I'd have thought they have a leccy one to save time?

20220521_122923.jpg (1.57 MiB) Viewed 249 times

[JamJar]

Track pumps are very quick to inflate a road tyre and I suspect far more accurate

[Yorick]

Track pumps are very quick to inflate a road tyre and I suspect far more accurate

The one they had looked like the cheap one I bought from Decathlon

[lostboy]

Track pumps are very quick to inflate a road tyre and I suspect far more accurate

Only way quicker than a track pump is to whack it with a CO2 canister. And there's no accuracy at all with that.

[Yorick]

Seeing the Shimano car reminded of when I saw them in the half Iron-man a few months ago
The lead cyclist had only done a few hundred yards when he stopped by the backup crew.
They were at least half hour trying to get the gears working.
Little lights flashing all over the bike.
Lots of changing batteries and leccy stuff.
They were still at it when my rider came through

All seemed a bit overkill and too complicated

[lostboy]

Seeing the Shimano car reminded of when I saw them in the half Iron-man a few months ago
The lead cyclist had only done a few hundred yards when he stopped by the backup crew.
They were at least half hour trying to get the gears working.
Little lights flashing all over the bike.
Lots of changing batteries and leccy stuff.
They were still at it when my rider came through

All seemed a bit overkill and too complicated

Ah, the magic of Di2 (Shimano's electronic system). It's one of those things that must be pretty reliable considering the tens of thousands of bikes that it's on and on which it works fine - but I'm not sure I'd want to be using it if my livelihood depended on it (race results etc.). That's why so many pro teams still use Dura-ace mechanical.

[JamJar]

Track pumps are very quick to inflate a road tyre and I suspect far more accurate

Only way quicker than a track pump is to whack it with a CO2 canister. And there's no accuracy at all with that.

Yeah I carry a handy little hand pump that also takes CO2, great for on the road.

[JamJar]

Seeing the Shimano car reminded of when I saw them in the half Iron-man a few months ago
The lead cyclist had only done a few hundred yards when he stopped by the backup crew.
They were at least half hour trying to get the gears working.
Little lights flashing all over the bike.
Lots of changing batteries and leccy stuff.
They were still at it when my rider came through

All seemed a bit overkill and too complicated

Ah, the magic of Di2 (Shimano's electronic system). It's one of those things that must be pretty reliable considering the tens of thousands of bikes that it's on and on which it works fine - but I'm not sure I'd want to be using it if my livelihood depended on it (race results etc.). That's why so many pro teams still use Dura-ace mechanical.

I've got Di2 on my gravel bike and it is brilliant.

[lostboy]

Track pumps are very quick to inflate a road tyre and I suspect far more accurate

Only way quicker than a track pump is to whack it with a CO2 canister. And there's no accuracy at all with that.

Yeah I carry a handy little hand pump that also takes CO2, great for on the road.

I have a Bontrager pump that does both. It's a very useful gadget.