bought an electric bike without battery, appreciate some battery buying advice .

[Phil Dryden]

Yes, thats an old Woods type valve, and the associated inflator - I believe the flexible attachment inserts inside the handle for storage. Wow, takes me back a good few years. I remember the washer (leather I think) inside the pump would dry and shrink until the pump became useless for pumping as it could no longer generate enough pressure. I am pretty sure you can still get such pumps; just a case of hunting around ebay.

 

[Nealh]

Be better to get new Schrader valve tubes and a proper pump.

 

[crystaljohn]

Be better to get new Schrader valve tubes and a proper pump.

That's what I was thinking too Neilh. I suspect the valve's have seen better days. I bought a new pump and despite pumping frantically until I was worn out I don't seem to have increased the pressure!

 

[crystaljohn]

Finally pumped up my tyres.
I visited a friend who is a keen racing cyclist, and he gave me a pump which works with a soda syphon bulb, which also had a Schrader to Presta converter.
I used the converter adapter with my car footpump and with not many pumps got the tyre to a good pressure.
I wonder if the Woods valve was reluctant to open up to allow air in when I was using my hand pump, and the extra pressure being generated by the car foot pump overcame the resistance of the Woods valve.