Free air pump on W&OD as you enter Arlington – broken

Yeah, unless you know for sure your tires are low it’s generally best to leave them alone when out on the road. Pumps and air canisters can be finicky. You’ll learn what feels/sounds abnormal as time goes on.

I meant to reply to your earlier message about your new bike getting scratched while parked at work. Yeah, you pretty much have to assume that the bike will be scratched any place another bike might park next to it (parking racks especially). Cosmetic damage has never bothered me; I figure a scuffed up bike means it has many miles on it and a happy owner. It also makes you bad ass!

I carry a spare tube, a tire lever, a patch kit, and a canister pump in my tiny saddle pouch. I carry the same manual pump shown above when I go on longer trips where I will not be near metro/buses or in an unfamiliar area just in case the canister doesn’t work. I usually carry a spare canister in my pocket too since they are so small.

@lordofthemark 84259 wrote:

My tires did not really seem low, but thought I might as well top off. Not only did it not work, but I managed to drain all the air from my front tire and ended up with a flat. So I walked the bike to back to Bikenetics, where I also go to tell them how well it has worked out for me. I was meeting my wife in Shirlington, but she spent more time than expected in synagogue, so I still got so Shirlington ahead of her.

That pump (just west of lee hwy/s. washington street, east of little falls st.) is always broken. When I see folks with bikes/strollers/etc. stopped there, I stop and invariably use my frame pump to pump up their tires.

B

I was near the pump this morning and decided to test it, and it was working, but I wouldn’t depend on it. I used a small key to push the valve and some trapped water and dirt came out. Maybe the pump knew that a guy around it that didn’t really need it seriously and it decided to work!