Review: Kuwahara Hirame pump head.

A few months ago I bought a Blackburn Piston 3 track pump because it has a huge dial which I really liked. When it turned up, the big dial was brilliant but the head that you attach to the valve was really awful. Whilst I was chilling with a glass of wine one evening, I happened upon an article on the Velominati website extolling the virtues of the Hirame pump head. As I'd had a few, I bit the bullet and ordered one from Track Supermarket in Osaka in Japan. It was just over £60 delivered but not being entirely sober helped (this is a recommended strategy in the Velominati article!). Anyhow, it finally arrived after paying a customs demand for another £22 (Grrr..).

I sliced the head off the Blackburn and pushed the spigot of the Hirame head into the tube where it was a nice, tight fit and tried it out. When you first use it, you tighten or loosen the collar so that when the lever is closed, it clamps onto the valve with just the right force. I did that and let some air out of a tire and tried it out. verdict? Absolutely superb! Valve cap off, unscrew core doodad, drop head onto valve, close lever, pump up tyre, open lever and lift off the head and the job's a goodun'. No drama, no fiddling, no fuss. Yes, £80 is a lot of money for a pump head but that's only the cost of a couple of tyres and this thing should last a lifetime.