Sedona Press Camp Reveals Hidden Treasure

SKS Stowaway Pump

What started with countless washers, rolls of duct tape and several trips to the local hardware store, resulted in SKS Germany’s new Stowaway pump that tucks cleverly into a straight or riser handlebar.

“We call it the hidden treasure. It’ll get you home for sure,” said SKS General Manager Mark Burgener, who designed the pump.

Flexible washers keep the Stowaway from rattling inside the bar. The 51-gram pump is Presta or Shrader compatible and goes to 80 psi. 

The Stowaway is an especially useful tool for the minimalist mountain biker, the urban commuter or those who don’t flat often, Burgener said, noting that the Stowaway takes about a minute-and-a-half longer than a mini pump when inflating a mountain bike tire.  

“It’s not as daunting of a task as you first think. But the thing that’s cool about the Stowaway is you put it in your bars and you forget about it,” said Burgener, who has brought his concept for the new pump from start to finish.

In addition to constructing many physical prototypes, Burgener hand-sketched the design, came up with the name, and has been working closely with the SKS tooling department in Germany to fine-tune the final product that will be on the market in fall 2011. 

“The complexity of the product is the flexibility of the washers [which keep the pump from rattling around]. The day I got it to work, I was stoked,” he said. 

Burgener has worked in the cycling industry for nearly 20 years and his passion for bikes goes back to his early teen years when he raced BMX and dirt bikes. His love for big hits carried into his adult life, where he continues to ride and play hard. He even built a supercross course on his five-acre back yard near Olney, Ill., where SKS USA distributes its German-made products.

The Stowaway is expected to retail for $21.99. Visit sks-germany.com for more info.