Silca has released its new Ultimate Shock Pump, marking its first foray into shock pumps.
The brand says it’s designed for the most demanding riders, looking for the utmost precision and efficiency in their suspension setup.
Although Silca is well known for its tools and various chain lubes, the brand is most notable for its bike pumps, with its timeless Pista track pump unveiled in 1917.
The mountain bike shock pump will retail for £125 / $125 / €149 / AU$219.95.
All in the detail
As you’d expect, Silca has sweated the details for its Ultimate Shock Pump.
Like its other products, the Ultimate Shock Pump has an all-metal construction for 'exceptional durability' and is fully rebuildable. The brand says plastic bodies, leaky heads or drifting gauges are common faults with typical shock pumps.
A ‘Zero-Loss Chuck’ ensures no air escapes when connecting or disconnecting the shock pump, with a ‘Valve Pin Actuator Nut’ above it to engage the Schrader valve pin.
The large 2in gauge has a scale in 2.5psi increments. Silca claims the gauge is accurate to +/- 2 per cent.
The gauge also handily rotates, should you need to inflate your fork or rear shock at an awkward angle.
The braided hose is made of stainless steel, which Silca says is for longevity and resilience. It’s also rated to 10,000psi, which the brand says eliminates the risk of burst failures.
The CNC-machined aluminium handle is claimed to be ergonomic and has an ambidextrous design.
Finally, there’s a bleed button to fine tune your pressure.
Silca Ultimate Shock Pump first impressions
The shock pump arrived yesterday, one day before the embargo, but I’ve managed to have a brief play with it.
On my digital scales of truth, the shock pump weighs 255g – 2.8g lighter than claimed.
The Ultimate Shock Pump oozes quality in the hand and, true to Silca’s word, the handle feels very comfortable.
I particularly like the ‘Zero-Loss Chuck’, which really grips onto the valve, while the rotating gauge is another handy feature.
Inflating a suspension fork on a test bike, the shock pump’s smoothness feels akin to the brand’s Impero or Tattico mini-pumps, with a satisfying wheeze at the end of every stroke.
The Ultimate Shock Pump is certainly expensive, but judging by previous Silca pumps I have that are still going strong, I’d be very surprised if the brands claims don’t stack up.
I’m looking forward to spending more time with the Ultimate Shock Pump over the next couple of months.
