A word of warning to prospective purchasers of a Kalkhoff Pro Connect from 50cycles. I bought one of these excellent machines earlier in the year and have been very pleased with it.
Recently, although there was no real softening of the tyres, I decided to give them a "top-up", using my tried and trusted track pump. It was very disconcerting to discover that neither the Presta nor the Schrader adapter fitted the valve and my efforts merely resulted in a completely flat tyre.
When I contacted 50cycles I was advised that my pump did not fit because the valves on the Pro Connect were of the Woods type. These valves are virtually obsolete in this country. I personally have not come across them for about thirty years. The rather glib advice was to swap the (brand-new) inner tubes for Shrader or Presta ones. Eventually 50cycles were prevailed upon to send me a Woods/Schrader adapter.
I suppose I must regard myself as lucky that my experience occurred at home and not out on the road. Surely I cannot be alone in believing that 50cycles has a responsibility to alert its customers to this incompatibility? There is, however, no mention of this crucial detail on their website.
It is a nonsense that a machine in this price bracket should be supplied without an appropriate pump. 50cycles need to ensure that the machines they sell are suitably equipped for the British market.
Recently, although there was no real softening of the tyres, I decided to give them a "top-up", using my tried and trusted track pump. It was very disconcerting to discover that neither the Presta nor the Schrader adapter fitted the valve and my efforts merely resulted in a completely flat tyre.
When I contacted 50cycles I was advised that my pump did not fit because the valves on the Pro Connect were of the Woods type. These valves are virtually obsolete in this country. I personally have not come across them for about thirty years. The rather glib advice was to swap the (brand-new) inner tubes for Shrader or Presta ones. Eventually 50cycles were prevailed upon to send me a Woods/Schrader adapter.
I suppose I must regard myself as lucky that my experience occurred at home and not out on the road. Surely I cannot be alone in believing that 50cycles has a responsibility to alert its customers to this incompatibility? There is, however, no mention of this crucial detail on their website.
It is a nonsense that a machine in this price bracket should be supplied without an appropriate pump. 50cycles need to ensure that the machines they sell are suitably equipped for the British market.
