By: A Call to Mediocrity Nov 20, 08:21 AM |

If my name was Tamino and I was on the hunt for my ultimate and one true love, and if I were squired with a man named Papageno who though a little short on brains but big in heart was also searching for the love of his life, and we happened to be living in a fantastical sing song version of 18th century Austria then this magic flute would probably be the wrong magic flute. If I were being guided by the at once helpful and mischievous Queen of the Night towards a vile and evil foe, then I might have to look for something a little more musically oriented. It’s true, the Portland Design Works Magic Flute mini pump doesn’t expel operatic villains into an eternal and unforgiving light nor does it save heroes and heroines from trials of fire and water, but what it lacks as a LARP’ing sex symbol it will make up for the first time you are stuck in the middle of Egypt or some other unknown far away place with a flat tire.

I could go on about how this pump lets you use CO2 cartridges in addition to good old time tested arm power to inflate your tires. The PDW Magic Flute has a bamboo handle that uses hidden magnets to keep the handle snug to the pump body when not in use – but seriously that kind of talk can get to be a bit boring. The fact of the matter is that the great ideas these PDW guys have are not just focused on bicycle products.

Let me give you an example, Portland Oregon has the beautiful Willamette River flowing right through the heart of the city. This river is an environmental treasure trove and attracts literally dozens of swimmers each summer. Dan and Erik have dreams, and one of them is to own a cigarette boat that they can use as their daily commuter. What better way to concept parts and accessories for bicycles then by screaming up and down a recreational waterway in boat designed for running drugs across the Caribbean? Its this kind of fast-forward thinking that comes up with a hand pump at once universally functional and visually appealing. Now you may be thinking that the gas-guzzling, no-holds-barred rampant disregard for nature approach is diametrically opposed to everything that our sleepy, mid-sized, green, platinum rated, bike-loving, city represents. By nature I am not one to argue, but what I am here to tell you is that it took the threat of a communist sky, instigated by a flash point I like to call Sputnik, to get our American ass to the moon. I believe the analogy should be clear enough.

Take a look around at the PDW website, though they don’t have the top spot on a Google search yet, that number one belongs to the Wikipedia site dedicated to the other PDW or Personal Defense Weapon. I think that with the help of the Magic Flute, the 3wrencho, and an awesome soon to be released commuter light range it is only a matter of time our PDW will be all the personal defense weaponry you will ever need.