Cyclists with a good few seasons in their legs will associate the Silca name with rather fine floor pumps, for which one can still purchase spare parts and excellent new models thanks to a rescue purchase of the ailing Italian brand some years ago by US cycling entrepreneurs.
As cycling moves into a new era, Silca might one day become better known for chain wax systems. Chain wax is sort of a cognoscenti kind of thing. It’s not new, and it’s not a secret, but few seem to know about it. Hardcore cyclists who have be using it correctly for years will tell you it is the most sensible way to go, and it could well catch on among those that never want to get chain oil on their hands, clothes etc., because for waxers that becomes a thing only other cyclists have to deal with
Some cyclists find that the simple and cheap jarring wax is sufficient, while others haved mixed in slippery additives like graphite. Silca, sensing a movement in the market, particularly as more cyclists are riding dusty trails these days, came up with their own proprietary blend. Sales manager, Joey Rewolinski, showed us Silca’s Ultimate Chain Waxing System, a compact at-home kit for immersive waxing of chains.
The user can melt Silca’s StripChip wax blocks to wax their chain simply, quickly, and without mess. The chain hanging stand, an essential component in the chain waxing process, allows the chain to dry and drips excess wax back into the pot for use on another application.
Other innovative products from Silca are their Grinta (Italian for “Grit”) saddle and handlebar bags. A strong and secure BOA cable cinch secures the 2.5L saddle bag out of the way, at the same time allowing for expansion as the rider’s needs dictate.
Now back to the pumps. If, like me, you got involved in cycling during the 1980s or earlier, the brand name Silca is synonymous with high quality floor pumps made from Columbus steel tubing and lightweight plastic frame pumps that hung below the top tube – often painted to match the frame – and secured in place with a brazed on pump peg on the head tube.
While frame pumps are a relic from the past, Silca still does make high-quality floor pumps. According to Joey Rewolinski, Silca’s Sales Manager, floor pumps are still a core business for Silca, and he said, “our pumps will always be iconic products” for serious cyclists (many of which wax their chains). The new Terra floor pump is geared specifically for gravel bikes, Rewolinski told us, and he said that the company is always developing new and better floor pumps.
For more on Silca’s innovative and dynamic products, visit: www.silca.cc
