Dear Topeak,

I was under the impression that your products were well designed. I found myself buying several of them because of various design points, plus how easy it is to find your products in the store. Often times, the only two options were Topeak and the cheap store brand.

I had one of your Mountain Morph pumps and a Mini 18, but it was stolen with my bike over a year ago. When I got a new bike, I thought I’d buy a new Mountain Morph pump, except that you changed the design so that it didn’t have a gauge anymore so purchased one of your Pocket Rocket Master Blaster pumps instead, plus a new Mini 18+, and a large Aero Wedge Pack with the fixer.

Now, the pump was a little clunky. The way I had to re-arrange the inner bits of the pump chuck if I wanted to help a fellow cyclist who had Presta valves when I had it set for Schrader was annoying. But it seemed to work, so I didn’t worry about it too much. Except that about two months ago, I realized that it wasn’t pumping anymore. I had figured that it was just because I’d been commuting in the rain all winter.

So, I figured I’d get a new pump, given that the latest crop of pumps looked like they handled switching between Presta and Schrader much better. So I picked up the Peak DX II.

I had a flat on Friday and the fixer latch on my aero bag broke. Also, try as I could, I couldn’t get the pressure of my tire over about 30 psi with the pump. I also found that it was basically impossible to get the pump on a Presta valve without deflating the tire. Because 30 psi wasn’t enough for a tire that’s rated on the sidewall up to 80 psi, I grabbed my Genuine Innovations CO2 inflater and realized that they had a perfectly functional chuck that does Presta valves or Schrader valves without needing to change parts or deflating the tire while I’m monkeying with the chuck. Today, while riding to work, I discovered that the whole chuck assembly of my pump had fallen off.

I should add that I’ve actuated the latching mechanism on my aero bag maybe 20 times. At most.

Now, I’m realizing that there’s a problem. It’s not just that pumps don’t last so long if you ride in the rain, it’s that the dust cap on my old Master Blaster only worked when it was set for Presta valves and mine was set for Schrader valves. It’s not that nobody can make a chuck that works well with presta or schrader, it’s that Topeak doesn’t make a chuck that works either way. And it’s not a random thing, either. Topeak parts are no more reliable than cheap store brand, but they do cost more.

Now, unlike some bike products like bells or fenders or cyclecomputers, if my saddle bag falls off while I’m riding, I’ve lost my tools and spare tube. If my pump breaks, I won’t be able to inflate a tire when I flat. These are products that stand directly between me and walking ten miles off a mountain trail with my bike over my shoulder. I might be able to afford paying more than a store brand for something that looks nicer, but I nothing is going to make me comfortable going many miles from home where I have to trust a company that has made so many parts that have failed me in the past. Given that at least the last pump lasted me a year or so before it failed and the new pump lasted maybe a month, I can’t help but feel that your quality is on the decline.

Thus, I am not replacing my Topeak under-saddle wedge bag with another Topeak bag. I now have a pump and a CO2 inflator, neither one from your company. And, unless there is literally no other option, I will not be buying any Topeak, Allay, OnGuard, or ergon products at any point in the future.