Danny Meuris from Heist op den Berg (Belgium) rode a racing bike for the first time more than 40 years ago. He has remained loyal to his racing bikes in the same way as he does to the RENNKOMPRESSOR that has been reliably accompanying him through all those years, it having been lovingly embellished with colourful stickers.
When the rubber seal stopped working after four decades of service, Danny Meuris was unable to find a replacement anywhere. He was in despair. A new pump was out of the question as far as he was concerned but the story found a happy end: after conducting extensive searches, his bike workshop Fietsen Cigno in Heist op den Berg was able to found out who made the legendary floor pump: SKS GERMANY. The pump was professionally repaired by them before they returned it to him. Danny is happy and ready for many more years on his racing bike – obviously together with his old love, the RENNKOMPRESSOR.
Herman Braun was 16 years old when he worked for Team Goudsmit in Oss (NL) as a mechanic back in 1972. He had to inflate 48 tyres day after day, and that using the SKS hand-held air compressor No. 195 that dated from 1955 – a predecessor of the RENNKOMPRESSOR.
Was it fate or a coincidence? Years and countless detours later, exactly this pump No. 195 found its way back to Herman Braun. Luckily, he no longer has to inflate 48 tyres with it every day. Although … the floor pump would be able to manage it without difficulty even after half a century.
Rini Pijnen from Ossendrecht in the Netherlands lost a leg after suffering an accident many years ago. This did not stop the passionate biker from continuing with his hobby however. He has been biking with a leg prosthesis since then. He always has a companion during his tours: the RENNKOMPRESSOR, especially fitted with a thicker tube.
The floor pump has been accompanying Rini for many years, no matter whether at work (he is a bike dealer) or on holiday. The RENNKOMPRESSOR proved to be a loyal helper after Rini had cycled over 100 passes in France. He cycled 4000 kilometres in just 32 days, resulting in him becoming a legend in the ”Club of a Hundred Passes“.
Pink was the colour of the 90s. The RENNKOMPESSOR was also not spared from this fad. The company Augusta (now BBB) from the Netherlands had just this colour in its corporate logo. No wonder that the RENNKOMPRESSOR was sold there in a special pink paint finish.
Dennis (Photo) is able to remember it well. He worked for Augusta in the nineties and is still in possession of one of the seldom compressors. The pink RENNKOMPRESSOR still works perfectly and is in almost daily use at Tom Schouten in Scheveningen, where Dennis works today.
Willy Heeneman from the Tom Schouten cycle shop in the Netherlands proudly presents a RENNKOMPRESSOR from 1970. The floor pump would have landed in the refuse if the specialist had not recognised the good quality when an old lady came to the shop with a pump. “It is broken”, the woman told him, it not being possible to convince her that it was a RENNKOMPRESSOR that can be repaired without difficulty. “I want another pump, a less expensive one”, the old lady insisted. Willy was horrified but acted in accordance with the lady´s wishes.
The end of the story? The RENNKOMPRESSOR was repaired and found a new home in Tom Schouten´s cycle shop. It is not known whether the old lady was pleased with her inexpensive pump.
“I have done a lot of nonsense in the past to the displeasure of some very respectable and serious characters but I was as meek as a lamb – I swear it! Vincent Kluwe-Yorck had an idea when he was cleaning out his coffee grinder (brushing the grinder mechanism out in addition to vacuuming and blowing out using a compressed air cartridge) as he always did each week. He was very annoyed at the horrendous prices being charged for the cartridges and decided to adopt an extraordinary measure. Here are his instructions:
“Your need a SKS RENNKOMPRESSOR and a piece of mountain bike inner tube with a valve. The tube is pushed over the tip of the grinder 2 (see Ill.) and tip 1 (see Ill.) is placed on the valve. This is then strongly blown through using the RENNKOMKPRESSOR.“
The result: the grinder was clean but the kitchen was filthy. Vincent Kluwe-Yorck had to “blow“ over the kitchen walls and ceiling, including all of the cups inside and out, not forgetting every crack and crevice in the floors. He used the vacuum cleaner this time however.
…or, how Otto Peter hit upon the idea to create his own cycling museum.
»When reading a cycling magazine, I stumbled upon a report about a cycling race which took place on old racing bikes in Tuscany and I found it to be so interesting that I registered for the next “L’Eroica”. The race on historical racing bikes takes place over 75, 135 or 205 kilometres. The event also features a large parts market for historical bicycles. Exhibitors, primarily from France and Italy, present and sell all types of cycling products that were fashionable over the past decades. From that point on, I collected all types of cycling parts and bicycles from all eras with great enthusiasm. I retrieved some old bike parts from my father and I visited various markets. My friends and customers gave me some wonderful racing bikes as well as some that required plenty of restoration work. Together with Herbert Bauer, I restored them back to their original condition to the best of my knowledge. My collection has now grown to include 60 bikes. As an expansion of my business became inevitable due to a lack of space, I hit upon the idea to create a cycling museum. The museum includes images and bikes from former international cycling greats as well as previous domestic cyclists.«The exhibition also includes an SKS RENNKOMPRESSOR with a 40 mm tube that was used in Mr Peter’s own workshop over the course of many years.
The king is rocking in Burkina Faso! Not an air guitar, however, but rather an air pump. To be more precise: the RENNKOMPRESSOR, which ensures high spirits in the African cycling sport school and is supported by SKS GERMANY. The bicycle is one of the most important forms of transportation in Burkina Faso, and is lovingly called a “little queen” by residents there.
An annual highlight in this West African nation is the Tour de Faso. It’s the largest stage race in Africa, traversing 1,350 km across the country. SKS sponsors a team from Germany to compete in this spectacular race. What they always have at their side: the RENNKOMPRESSOR, just in case their “little queen” runs out of air.
A phenomenon: In the Dutch “bike village” St. Willebrord, so called because of the many famous road cyclists, behind each door you find a road bike and a steel track pump. That at least Hubert van Hoydonk claims, who helped many cyclists in his bicycle shop with the RENNKOMPRESSOR – whether prominent or not.
Without ever having thought about that fact, Hubert von Hoydonk has never owned another track pump. For him, the RENNKOMPRESSOR is a best seller. Meanwhile he has got a full collection. “In the 70s, there were plastic pumps, but they were worth nothing”, Hubert von Hoydonk remembers, “it had to be a steel pump, only then it was fine. So it was and it still is.” Just a real phenomenon.
… to use my SKS-RENNKOMPRESSOR over a period which must now be over 26 years«, writes Nick Thearle from Liverpool. He bought the pump sometime in the 1980s and at the time he referred to it as an ‚SKS track pump‘, being unaware of the term ‚RENNKOMPRESSOR‘ until much later. »It bears the sticker ‚Made in Western Germany‘, which dates it to before 1990. It has been reliable and the only replacement parts I have ever needed were new washers for the push-on head.«
.. Ernst Stielemann from Bielefeld thought, as he had the opportunity to swap his old RENNKOMPRESSOR against the 50 year anniversary model on the SKS stand at the German Bike Festival in Willingen. “The old pump from 1987 has been always on board his estate car, as he was facing the challenge to conquer all mountain passes with his bike”, the avid cyclist, who has participated in the Tour de France from 1998 to 2005 as an amateur, remembers.
“Also as a non-license cyclist I was looking for a reliable pump which helps me to inflate the tyres easily to the desired pressure only in few strokes on every morning before the race started. Despite the tough service the RENNKOMPRESSOR never failed.”
For his red anniversary model the man from Bielefeld has extra set up now an easily accessible place in his workshop. “The new model will provide same good service to me as well as to other roadies.” Ernst Stielemann is absolutely sure about that.
…were all Patrik Rovers could take with him after is divorce seven years ago. »It could have been worse”« says the Dutchman while he examines the new anniversary RENNKOMPRESSOR in his bike shop Fixabike in Rennesse. Howerver, Patrik Rovers cannot brings himself to adopt from his old Rennkompressor. The loyal pump has gone through many times with him – good as well as bad ones.
Unfortunately, for the nearly 80-years-old Emile Peeren from Belgium the love for his old RENNKOMPRESSOR has gone a little bit. The reason is that he fell in love with a younger pump in spite of his advanced age. The new jewel is called Airmenius and decorates the workshop in the Belgian Rijwielhuis now. Emile thinks that his best-before date is still far from running off. »I have experienced a lot of things yet and I will experience even more in the future« the 80-years-old shop owner says with a smile.
Björn Schefer proudly presents the RENNKOMPRESSOR anniversary shirt, which he has won in the SKS facebook competition. With his great picture he took during a bike tour, he won the first place. So the Rennkompressor, which is mapped on the shirt, should not be missed on the photo.
…the RENNKOMPRESSOR is not, indeed, but nevertheless it is already used in the bike shop Giel Caris since 1991. The owner of the shop just had to change the rubber cup seal once. Afterwards the pump ran like a clockwork again.
It is now 25 years since the Dutchman Wibo de Jong bought a SKS RENNKKOMPRESSOR together with his brother Jeroen. And it still works without any problems! Jeroen used to be an amateur cyclist then. “The time when I cycled with my brother through France was one of my greatest!” Wibo de Jong told enthusiastically. As the picture proves, he could be a doppelganger of the Dutch cyclist Tom Dumoulin.
Wigald Boning has risen to a special challenge. In June the well-known German comedian took part in his very first folding bike world cup, which took place in the course of a mountain bike marathon in Pfronten. »I want to make it whatever it cots!« After seven bikers finishing before, Wigald Boning finished the 6 km course within 52 minutes and 30 seconds, too. »It’s an overwhelming feeling! The whole course was accessible without any problems,« Wigald told at the end. He was surprised that it was quite easy to push the bike along the course. Moreover, he was lucky, too: right in the finish the grip of his handlebar fell off.
Sourece: das alläu.de
The scene of the crime: ZEG show in Cologne. The prime suspects: the SKS sales reps Frank Schaber and Jörg Reich. The weapon: An orange RENNKOMPRESSOR with fingerprints of the black-dressed suspects. Definitely a case for the investigating chief commissar Freddy Schenk alias Dietmar Bär. The actor, who is known as the boofy police officer in the German series “Tatort”, tarried accidentally at the spot and proved his criminological flair. Without further ado he confiscated the RENNKOMPRESSOR and gave his autograph card with the significant dedication “Thank you SKS!” as to the two prime suspects as a warning.
»The SKS RENKOMPRESSOR No. 195 proves again and again that new and old harmonize with each other very well«, Thomas Marschall from Mainaschaf explains enthusiastically. “Especially when I pump up my new Cervelo P 3 with Swith Side wheels for the Ironman, the old pump does good services.« Thomas Marschall inherited the pump – it’s the forerunner of the RENNKOMPRESSOR by the way – from his neighbor. »A unique product – made for eternity«, Thomas Marschall sums up.
»He handed me the RENNKOMPRESSOR with saying that I could let it stand in my parents garage so far and he would say something if he need it.« Later David Vervaecke was proud owner of a Vespa and also for this vehicle the RENNKOMNPRESSOR was doing his work very well. Time passed. »Some years later my generous neighbour died«, remembers David Vervaecke. »But the RENNKOMPRESSOR is still alive« he adds.
When SKS GERMANY asked us to design the anniversary model of RENNKOMPRESSOR we felt honoured. During various conversations with the SKS-TEAM we noticed quickly how much of corporate history is bound to product and how strong the identification with the product of the employees is. Therefore, we worked on the project with an appropriate respect for this beloved pump. By using traditional materials, surfaces and colours as well as by avoiding modern materials as far as possible, we interpreted the long tradition of the RENNKOMPRESSOR in a new way with nice design elements. Especially small design details like the revised dial or the non-painted handle are very important for that. By building this traditional look of the anniversary edition we are emphasize the high quality and longevity of the product. So that the Rennkompressor can get a special place at his new owner’s we created a special leather anniversary sleeve together with SKS, which can be used as a wall bracket. Of course it is something really special to work on a limited edition as the product gets a special value for us as the designers as well.
We wish all costumers of SKS GERMANY much fun with this high-end product.
Didi Senft propably is the most famous bike designer in the world. In 1993 the ingenious Brandenburgian joined the tour de France with his witty tandem the first time. On this three meter long »tour de France racer« Didi determines the direction. The clueless second rider iss sitting backwards on this unique bike and pushes the pedal backwards. With this and many more bike constructions Didi not only became one of the favourites in media, he became world-famous.During the bicycle event »Mecklenburger Seerunde« Didi Senft visited the SKS-Team and he has one´s pictures taken with trident, RENNKOMPRESSOR and a diabolic smile.
»Your message was surprising and I was very happy about it« writes Raimund Sudhoff, one winner of our RENNKOMPRESSOR story competition. »Meanwhile the pump has arrived and it is a real treat for the eyes. As I don´t have to use it at the moment the pump has gotten a suitable place. It is standing in our clock box in our hall and pulls all glances on itself. Again a big thanks for your successful campaign whose reports I read with high attention. You have got some nice stories.«
In 1928 Harrie Fransen opened a bike store in Veldhoven. Harrie junior, his son, took over the store in 1965. He bought the Rennkompressor at that time and since then the pump stands in the workshop, because it works always. This can be simply confirmed by Harvey, who is leading the family company now in fourth generation.
That is how Piet Vonk from Delft/NL calls the RENNKOMPRESSOR. He needs to know what he is talking about, not just because he is driving a Porsche but because he sees many pumps coming and going. »Porsche is the car manufacturer with the most cars that are still driving since new purchase. And it is the same with the RENNKOMPRESSOR«, explains Piet Vonk his absolutely comprehensible comparison.
Jan Hermes has owned his RENNKOMPRESSOR for more than 25 years now. He used to use the pump at bicycle races. Today it is still present in his workshop.
Rody van der Linden got his RENNKOMPRESSOR gratis, when he took over his bike shop from Kees Jonkers. The pump has stood there for about 35 years and is in use in the new bike store, the Wielerstudio in Barendrecht / Netherlands. By the way, you do not have to ask where the restroom is. The picture on the door says more than thousand words.
… Maartie Antonis immediately knew when the Dutch SKS GERMANY sales rep showed him the anniversary model of RENNKOMPRESSOR. Maartie is very sportive and needs a pump that works perfectly. For us is just left to say: Good choice, Maartie!
…Marcel Smelt, key account manager of Continental, thought. No sooner said than done. The team of Continental joined the biggest bike event of the Netherlands, the “Limburgs Mooiste”, just like many other cyclists and teams. All in all there were more than 15000 competitors. The Continental-team did not come without their pimped RENNKOMPRESSOR in Continental design, of course.
»Everybody of us has one and everybody is using it: the RENNKOMPRESSOR«, the professional cyclists of Team Sauerland NRW p/b Henley & Partners tell. Already long before the foundation of the team the cyclists and the guardians inflated their tires with it: Wolfgang Oschwald, state coach of the NRW cycling foundation, is not 50 years old yet but he is still using his first Rennkompressor. The pump and the coach are doing a good job until today.
Jörg Scherf, manager and ex professional cyclist for the Team Gerolsteiner, has gotten his Rennkompressor from his former girlfriend which is now his wife for his 21st birthday. 19 years later the two – the wife and the pump – are still keeping it tight!
