Syncros FP1.0 Floor Pump - Reviewed
Syncros has expanded its range from wheelsets and cockpit accessories to include some impressive-looking tools. The FP1.0 floor pump is the best of three such items in the Syncros lineup and it is one of the better-made pumps we have come across in a long spell. The shaft is polished stainless steel, while the handle, cylinder and base are aluminum. The handle is a rounded, triangular shape that fits the hands well. A large, three-inch-diameter dial-gauge dominates the base, and it reads both in BAR and PSI. The gauge reads to 14 atmospheres (about 200 pounds per square inch). I did not take it up to the redline, but if you forget your shock pump, it is good to know that your Syncros FP1 could stand in for it. The dual-sided valve head threads onto either Presta or Schrader stems, and the head rotates inside its carrier so that the user can easily thread it onto the valve stem by spinning the free end of the pump head. The head seals similar to a shock pump, in such a way that allows the user to unthread it from the valve stem without losing air pressure. Syncros FP1.0 floor pumps come in anthracite silver and cost around $130 in better bike shops.
Syncros
The Syncros FP1.0 pump is built tough, with all metal construction, a comfortable handle and a large, easy to read gauge. The base is cast aluminum, which also helps it to remain upright.
Syncros FP1.0 Floor Pump Features
• Purpose: Home and shop use
• 1.25-inch (31.8mm) cylinder moves a lot of air
• 50-inch (127cm) hose allows easy access while bike is in work-stand
• Thread-on, double valve-head fits Schrader and Presta stems
• High-pressure sealing head can double as suspension pump
• Large, easy-to read gauge indicates both BAR and PSI
• Shop-quality all-metal construction
• MSRP: $130 USD
Performance
I am not the suicidal type, nor would I normally entertain the slightest thought of taking another’s life, but I experienced moments, using the Syncros FP1 pump, when both actions, however unspeakable, seemed reasonable and just. By all respects, the Syncros pump seems like a perfect tool. It is beautiful to look at, comfortable in the hands, intelligently designed, sturdily manufactured, and it incorporates the contemporary favorite, thread-on valve head. To its credit, I used it for nearly a month with great satisfaction on both Schrader and Presta-type valve stems.
During that brief honeymoon, I successfully inflated various tubeless and tube-type tires, filled a couple of shocks and forks, and fixed a flat on my Volvo station wagon. The generous diameter of its piston and cylinder moves a large enough volume of air to get a tubeless tire seated with little effort – or get a car-tire up and running with a reasonably short stint on the pump handle. Before the beauty of this tale swings toward darkness, I will go on record to say that if all the valve stems in your stable are Schrader types, I could recommend the Sycros FP1.0 as your go-to pump.
Internal friction created by the O-ring in the seal, is one contributor that causes the user to accidentally unscrew the replaceable valves from Presta stems when removing the pump-head.
My unicorn died however, and my rainbows faded to black when I showed up at a photo shoot, whipped out my new Syncros FP1.0 uber-pump and proudly offered it to a local hotshot who needed to top off the air on his big bike’s wheels. Each time he unthreaded the pump-head, it unscrewed the removable valve from his Presta stems and released all the air (and a measure of his Stan’s sealant) from the tires. After three unsuccessful and very public attempts, the lad handed me the FP1.0 in silence, walked a considerable distance back to his car, produced a beater hand-pump and finished the job. Shamed? Oh yeah.
From that moment, I too was cursed by the FP1.0 floor pump, which managed to remove two out of five Presta valves that I came across – regardless of the fact that I had tightened most of the little buggers in anticipation of future trouble. I finally snapped while I was racing darkness to get a ride in on a test bike. I had forgotten my hydration pack, which contained my backup hand-pump and the tools required to tighten a valve stem. Standing in darkness beside my bike at the trailhead, with two nearly flat tubeless tires that could not be inflated with the magnificent looking floor-pump that had once shown so much promise, I vowed to take the life of the person at Syncros who decided that thread-on Presta pump heads were a great idea.
Pinkbike's take:
 | Imitation, they tell me, is the sincerest form of flattery, but when Lezyne first introduced the contemporary thread-on Presta pump head, Presta stems with removable valves were quite rare and the merits of tubeless tires were still being debated. The copycats, Crankbrothers and now Syncros, cannot claim such ignorance on that issue. Lever-head or Silca style push-on Presta heads have proven to be very reliable and, with one exception, thread-on heads are not an improvement over either of the old standbys. The one situation is when the valve stem is too short to get enough purchase for a flip-type or push-on head to seal. Beyond that, thread-on pump heads can only be defended as a vain fashion exercise. Now that that is off my chest, I very much like the all-metal, no-nonsense construction of the Syncros FP1.0 pump, and it gets high marks for its shop-length hose. The action of the pump is smooth and it has never felt sticky over time. Ergonomically, the pump also earns our respect - for the handle's shape and for its ratio of height to pump-stroke. (Some pumps can feel like back breakers.) I probably will purchase a lever-type pump-head to replace the stock thread-on item and call it good. For Schrader valves, the Syncros' FP1.0 pump gets two thumbs up. Presta users, however, should shop for an alternative design. - RC |
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Thanks for letting us know this pump is not as good as it looks.
With that said, I'll go use my 12 dollar pump and cry in the basement.
You know, if you want a review on something specific, you can just google it...
Nope. Pinkbike commenters are as ignorant as youtube commenters, just with better grammar.
For once, pinkbike has offered up a good review. Instead of just saying positive things, they provided useful information to us. You should be praising pinkbike for this review, not bitching about it.
getting negative propped for telling the truth, you guys are a little in denial. Pinkbikes home page is designed to cover local events and shit yet these reviews show up on every single users home page atleast once a week, how do you bigots think pinkbike has afforded to upgrade it's website format and video players etc... Shit all costs money man. Neg prop all you want...
ancillary.edinburghbicycle.com/image-cache/00015500/00016611/extra-large/specialized-airtool-hp-floor-pump.jpg
each pump lasts about 1 year which in a workshop environment is seriously impressive
Topeak Joe Blow lasted about 3-4 weeks in comparison
we are super busy in the workshop, no time to be f*cking around "screwing" the valve head to the valve core on that Syncros pump featured, especially if it starts unscrewing presta valve cores and leaking Stan's all over the workshop!
Every time on a workshop pump, I want to use a press-fit (and lock lever) design head which takes less than 1 second to connect or disconnect and never messes up the valve core
So I got me a Lezyne CNC Floor Drive. Let me tell you, nicest, smoothest floor pump I have ever owned. Compared to the Canadian Tire & Walmart sports pumps for the $45.00 price range, I will always choose my Lezyne Floor Drive.
In my opinion the others are manufactured poorly and lack strength. It seems the plastic always breaks, or seals leak after very little use. The length of hose always seem to be short as well.
Put good money forward and purchase a product that has a multiuse (shock pump), and will last with the option for rebuilding.
Some times It’s worth the money upfront. If I can assume, no one rides a SuperCycle. Same can be said with bike pumps and the sort.
For $130 I could buy a couple things or at least an upgrade for my bike(well maybe, $130 doesn't buy shit anymore).
Aren't all cars made from parts sourced all over the world? Even if their locally made?
Completely agree! this will not accurately pump up a shock, it is for TT tires that run very high pressure
Won't take presta properly? It's sucking the big one.
At least a real mountain biker knows how to survive without a credit card on his camelback.
So I got me a Lezyne CNC Floor Drive. Let me tell you, nicest, smoothest floor pump I have ever owned. Compared to the Canadian Tire & Walmart sports pumps for the $45.00 price range, I will always choose my Lezyne Floor Drive.
In my opinion the others are manufactured poorly and lack strength. It seems the plastic always breaks, or seals leak after very little use. The length of hose always seem to be short as well.
Put good money forward and purchase a product that has a multiuse (shock pump), and will last with the option for rebuilding.
Some times It’s worth the money upfront. If I can assume, no one rides a SuperCycle. Same can be said with bike pumps and the sort.
If you're going to make one... why not improve on it? Do something different. Making a sub par knock off of someone else's stuff is a pointless waste of resources. I have a bump in my garage right now that's been through a lot of moves, a lot of trips to the trails, dirty, abandoned, etc. It works every time like clock work and guess what... it looks a lot like this one.
Do something new. Do something better. Or don't do it at all.
1) If you think the review is a waste of time, isn't posting about it too?
2) Any info about avoiding a frusting, overpriced piece of equipment is welcome news.
3) If Richard Cunningham wants to review a floor pump then that's the way it is, show some respect.
Personally I have a CT pump that's mediocre at best but $130 would buy a hell of a lot of CO2 that I can use on the trail. What you need if you're serious is a compressor, not a toy!
Pretty good products otherwise.
I need an accurate gauge up to 90 psi.
2)buy a gauge with the range you need
3) add some pipes between pump, gauge and the valve head
4) you have the pump you need!
"Faster and lighter" than the previous... and World will never be the same.