Just changed from a mini pump to a frame pump myself, same reason couldn't for the life of me get the tyre up to any decent pressure and ended up bending the valve before limping home slowly. I have used mini pumps on my mtb tyres with no problems but for the road bike, no chance, pumping away like a madwoman and got nowhere (why does it always happen in the dodgy areas where you really don't want to be hanging around?) . I went for a Zefal HPX which fits, just, in my 44cm compact frame. Which reminds me, I need to test it.....