Pump problems

This is the master of all bicycle tire pumps!!!

This is the master of all portable bicycle tire pumps!

This is the master of all portable bicycle tire pumps in the region of Atsugi.

Actually, there's only 2 portable bicycle tire pumps in the vicinity of Atsugi, and the one in the picture is the only one that does not cost 100 yen.... ($1, 66 Eurocent)

T_T

At least my tire is no longer flat! Not thanks to this pump by the way. I only found this pump after fixing it. Here's the story: two days ago I bought the 100 yen pump, tried to test it and deflated my tire accidentally.

It gets worse. My tire has a special valve (called French valve, damn the French!), which doesn't fit to any pump here. I had to get an adapter first, which I did, yesterday. Finally I could use my crappy 100 yen pump to inflate my tire. The crappy pump was, as expected, crappy. It couldn't inflate the tire enough to make it usable...

Today during lunch break I went to a gas station to get my tire fully inflated, but their pump didn't really fit the nozzle. Tonight I finally managed to go to the bicycle shop, and for the first time in 7 days it wasn't actually closed.. They let me use their wonderful pump which I cannot describe in words here, and my tires were 70psi in no time.

That being done, I asked the bike shop guy if there were any portable pumps I could buy, but he told me they were all crap. Going around the other bicycle shops didn't give me any result either, and I was about to settle for another 100 yen pump when I found another bicycle store. Located in the third floor of ItoYokada, a big warehouse, a small easily overlooked section provided me with the wonderful pump you see in the picture.

Finally, I am content. The last thing now taken care of, I am ready for my cycling trip to Shikoku. We will be taking the shimanami kaidou, which, as you can see from the picture, should be an excellent road for cycling. A flat, scenic route with dedicated cycling paths and bridges for cyclists only ^_^.

OK, back to work!

Posted in Cycling , Travel

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