Recent frame pump discussions on a bicycle newsgroup made me reflect once again on how much I dislike my several frame pumps where you push the built in chuck onto the valve stem, flip the lever and pump. Your left hand has to support the pump head to prevent breakage of a fragile Presta valve stem or pulling the chuck off the valve completely. That's why I like floor pumps with hoses, especially the Lezyne with screw-on chuck.
How much simpler life was in my dear, departed youth when juvenile bikes came with Woods valves and pump pegs on the frame to hold a chromed tin bike pump with a hose that stored inside the handle.
Well, those cheap pumps still exist, albeit in plastic with hoses to fit Schrader valves. I decided to get one of those hoses and figure out how to adapt it to a Topeak or HP frame pump.
Here's what I found for $2 in the BSO department at the local X-mart, complete with ball inflation needles.
Adapting it to the modern frame pump was easier than I thought. Here's the Schrader end with a supplied screw-in Presta (or Woods) adapter.
Here's the Presta adapter moved onto the end of the hose that normally screws into the cheap tin (or plastic) pump. The threads matched. A drop of blue Loctite ensures that it stays there and seals the threads. Two minutes work.
The result is a hose with one male and one female Schrader end seen here attached to a Topeak Master Blaster. A brass Presta-to-Schrader adapter (seen in jars on the counter of the LBS) makes it fit Presta equipped wheels too. If the Chinese manufacturers hadn't thoughtfully included the little adapter I'd have arranged a male Schrader end on the hose with a salvaged Schrader valve stem and a little epoxy glue.
A bit of test pumping reveals no noticeable added resistance from the small bore hose.
The hose will be carried in an under-saddle tool bag.
