We hear the same thing almost every time we have the Silca SuperPista Ultimate floor pump on our pages: “Gorgeous, but I just cannot justify spending $450 for a floor pump.” And to be honest, we get that. It’s not for everyone, and as it turns out, Silca understands that too. That’s why this week they introduced their new SuperPista – a floor pump with everything that makes a Silca product so great in a more affordable package.

The Silca SuperPista

The SuperPista is made with 100% aluminum construction (you won’t find any plastic here, as Silca specifically points out). The handle is Dried Beech Wood, CNC machined to replicate the superior ergonomics of the SuperPista Ultimate handle.

The 6mm-thick base is designed for pumping in cycling cleats, offering maximum stability and eliminating risk of shoe and cleat damage.  The base utilizes the same three German Furniture feet you’ll find with the Ultimate pump, which are approved for all indoor flooring surfaces.

The hose is made of ballistic nylon overbraid to provide five-times the life expectancy, half the compression of a traditional rubber hose.

Considering that accuracy is a hallmark of Silca products, its no surprise that they went with a gauge that is accurate within 2% and repeatable within 1%, making it more than 2.5-times more accurate than traditional floor pump gauges. Its 75mm diameter (3″) with Ultra-High contrast printing process and optical grade anti-glare PMMA lens ensure ultimate readability in all conditions.

The SuperPista ships with a Push-On/Push-Off chuck that now sports a fully metal pressure bleed button.

The top cap is designed directly from high-end Mountain Bike suspension forks, and utilizes IGUS Linear Bearing and Centerless Ground Piston Shaft resulting in a lifetime of smooth, grease free operation. The piston is a 7075-T6 Piston Head with IGUS split bushing directly from Mountain bike rear shocks—the same as used in SuperPista Ultimate. A full-grain 3.5mm thick Italian leather plunger provides more than 20-times the seal surface area and 100-times the life expectancy of common rubber O-ring seals.  Leather also holds onto lubricants, which allows it to run smoother and at a higher efficiency than rubber components.

Because Silca products are meant to last a lifetime, they are warrantied for one. The Silca Limited Lifetime Warranty covers the buyer of the SuperPista for life against manufacturing and material defects.  In addition, Silca guarantees the function of all metal parts in the pump for seven years against fatigue, stress, and other failures related to use of the product, even in pro-team, bike shop, or similar high-use environments (all of these conditions void traditional Lifetime Warranties).

Silca guarantees wear parts, considered to be any elastomer seal or leather seal for two years.  Just like brake pads, these parts experience wear and tear while performing their basic function. However, extreme use with pro-team and bike shop environments will wear them out much faster than daily or home use, and just like brake pads, these parts can be easily replaced when worn out.  For home use, the projected life of 242 gaskets is 7-12 years, and leather gaskets last for about 12-15 years.

Our Thoughts

The SuperPista Ultimate is a fantastic product, but even we know $450 is a tough number to swallow. At $235 the new SuperPista is a whole lot easier on the budget and still shares many of the features from the Ultimate, like the oversized shoe friendly base geometry, full-grain leather gasket, and IGUS linear bearings for smoothness. Add to that the lifetime warranty backing it up, and we think Silca has a real winner on its hands.