Silca makes a wide variety of products, including some of the highest-quality bike pumps on the market. Just yesterday, the brand added its first-ever shock pump to that list. Reportedly 10 years in the making, Silca’s Ultimate Shock Pump intends to outperform and last longer than other pumps on the market. And with a retail price of $125, we certainly hope that’s the case. Given the longevity of Silca’s floor pumps, however, we think it’s fair to expect a similar level of quality and durability that justifies the asking price.
According to Silca, “Most shock pumps are almost disposable, with plastic bodies, leaky heads, and drifting gauges that fail.” As someone who currently owns and still uses a leaky old RockShox shock pump that I probably got for free with a new fork a decade ago, I certainly don’t disagree. Unless you use a shock pump very frequently, it seems like a tool that’s easy to overlook. It may not work well, but it works, so that’s good enough, right?
Well, the folks at Silca don’t think it has to be that way. That’s why they designed the Ultimate Shock Pump, “a tool meticulously engineered for riders and mechanics who demand pinpoint accuracy and long-term reliability from their suspension setup.” Let’s dig into the details to see what makes the Ultimate Shock Pump different.
Silca Ultimate Shock Pump Details
As expected from a brand like Silca, the Ultimate Shock Pump appears to be very thoughtfully designed and made with quality materials and craftsmanship to last a lifetime. If you’ve got ten minutes to spare, you can check out Silca’s video, which is linked below, for the full rundown, but we’ll touch on the highlights here.
Like other Silca pumps we’ve tried, durability appears to be one of the design priorities, and that is evidenced in the fully CNC-machined aluminum construction. Unlike many shock pumps, the Ultimate has no plastic components, and Silca says they avoided using cast aluminum, too. The overbuilt Kevlar reinforced rubber hose with an overbraided stainless steel sheath has a claimed rating of 10,000 psi and should be more than adequate for the 300 psi maximum pressure of the Ultimate pump. Silca wants you to get your money’s worth out of the Ultimate shock pump, too, so it is serviceable with replaceable parts like the gauge and internals. On top of that, it’s covered by Silca’s lifetime guarantee.
The maximum pressure of 300 psi should be more than adequate for modern suspension forks and shocks. The 2-inch analog gauge looks easy to read and shows pressure in 5 psi increments with a claimed accuracy within +/-2%. Silca says it has “near digital precision without electronic failure risk.” Plus, you’ll never have to charge it or replace batteries. Contributing further to the Ultimate’s accuracy is the bleed button and the zero-loss air chuck. This two-stage chuck helps prevent annoying air loss when disconnecting from the valve and is made from durable steel and aluminum parts.
While ergonomics don’t seem to be much of a consideration in the design of most shock pumps, it looks like Silca went out of its way to make the Ultimate’s handles comfortable to hold and easy to pump. Additionally, the gauge rotates to optimize its viewing angle so you don’t have to crane your neck to read it.
Silca Ultimate Shock Pump Specs
- Fully CNC-machined aluminum construction (no cast or plastic components)
- Rotating gauge head for optimal visibility at any angle
- 2″ analog gauge with ±2% accuracy and 5 PSI increments
- Zero-loss air chuck with stainless/aluminum internals
- 10,000 PSI-rated stainless overbraided Kevlar hose
- Bleed valve for precise pressure tuning
- Replaceable gauge
- Full metal check valve for long-term durability
- Weight: 258g
Silca Ultimate Shock Pump: Pricing and Availability
The Silca Ultimate Shock Pump retails for $125 and is available now. You can learn more about the new pump or purchase one on Silca’s website or from one of its retail partners.
