And The Award For Being Good Chaps (and Chapesses) Goes To...

Wiggle and DX.

On Saturday my pneumatic inflation equipment suffered a technical failure. My foot pump took a crap that's what happened, and then I managed to break it some more. Go me.

So at just after 4pm on Saturday I went onto the Wiggle site in search of a replacement, and to stock up on one or two consumables.

Having decided on a suitable candidate I placed the order, with the postage free, 3-4 day delivery option.

Yesterday (Sunday) I got an email saying the package was ready for despatch and would be winging its way West with DX in the next couple of days. 

Eight o'clock this morning (Monday) it was on my doorstep. 

Now that is good going. I know I should support my local bike shop, which it must be said, is very good indeed, but for convenience, choice and cost, online is just so hard to beat.

The results of getting frisky with the plastic over the weekend - two tins of a smelly job, a chain oil job and a blow jo  track pump.

The pump I went for should do me I think. It's a Topeak JoeBlow Sport II (fancy name for a pump) and came in at £26.99, so not bad. I also had a look at it on the Topeak web site, and I have never seen so many track pumps in all my life as they have available. How many pumps can any one range of products need? I reckon three - a cheapo job for the hard of wallet, a middle job for those happy to pay a bit more for decent quality, and an expensive model for flash gits with money to fritter. But Topeak have 22... yes that is 22 track pumps listed on their site. Ok, some are merely colour variations of the same model, but even so, there is still a bewildering choice available, all with the sort of names the ad departments of men's shaver companies will be familiar with - Turbo/Sport/Sprint/Race/Max/Boost/Thrust/Plunge/Powerrr/Lunge/Inflatinator/Rarrr...* 

*Ok, the last few I made up, but you get the idea.*

What is it with these names? Will I feel inadequate with my mere JoeBlow Sport II wotsname if my neighbour flaunts his Topeak Valve Shagger Turbo Tube Blaster 5 next time I visit his garage? Is Track Pump Envy a known condition? Hmmmmm...

Topeak say this gauge is inspired by Chronographs, and it certainly wouldn't look out of place on some folk's wrists (the sort of bloke found at the wheel of a Ferrari replica made out of canoe plastic and covering a wheezing old Toyota). I'll only be using the first quarter of it though, not being a roadie. Little yellow diamond currently at 160 psi isn't to warn you of imminent destruction, but a slider to set at the pressure you desire, so you can line the needle up with it. Jolly good.

So anyway, I got the JoeBlow Sport II, which feels very well made, and features a twin head so no mincing about changing the head from Presta to Schrader, and as befitting the names of the pumps, also has a macho, sexy looking gauge, which is important, me being a bloke n' all. Oh and it's yellow. Other than that there isn't a lot to say, the reviews are positive, it was at a decent price, it should do the job.

Also in the box, was the packet of Haribo of course, two cans of the ever fragrant GT 85, as Wiggle are now matching Halford's online price of £2.25 a can, which is good, and a bottle of Wiggle's own brand wet lube. I'm a fan of this oil, as it's cheaper than most of the rivals, keeps the chain clean and seems to work well. Everything runs smoothly and quietly and it seems to resist water well, so just what is needed.

So that's that, not very exciting really, but there we go, it is a Monday after all.

Oh and in case anyone is wondering what that headless torso in my shed is, it's my old motorcycling jacket being used to insulate my pressure washer from the frost. They don't like it up 'em you know.