CO2 canisters - why?!

rolf_f

I'm trying not to be my usual luddite self here

I need a new mini pump and whilst looking through various catalogues noticed the CO2 cannister things and I thought, as per first sentence, why not abandon my prejudices and consider them.

So, should I? TBH, I'm not sure I see the point. It appears as though they don't give enough pressure for road tyres anyway. Therefore, you probably need a mini pump as well. So you are carrying more weight around, all the time, in order to save a few pumps of the pump (and tyre pumping is, as far as I am concerned, free exercise!).

OK, my Truflo mini pump is so dreadful (it takes 457,329 strokes to pump a road tyre up with it - I counted) that anything that avoids that seems a pretty good ideabut I've heard that the Leyzne mini pumps are really good so really, I don't think I can see the point of CO2 cannisters, at least while road biking, other than that they are probably 'cool'!

Or am I wrong?!

amnezia

they are pretty much the only thing that can get road tires up to the required pressure without using a track pump.

UndercoverElephant

You are wrong. A 16g CO2 cannister pumps a road tyre up to 130 PSI in less than a second.

Beats having your arm fall off any day.

UndercoverElephant

Oh, and they are more than just cool - try using one without gloves, they're bloody freezing.

woodford2barbican

the top peak road morph is a great pump - abandoned my co2 canisters in favour of that.

alfablue

I was unconvinced, but I have one for use on my light road bike, but it is a combined pump/CO2 inflater (a Planet-X combi pump). It is small and light, I take 2 cyclinders, one sneakily contained in my FSA chainset hollow axle and one in a small seat pack. I used it once and it was certainly quick, and a 12g cylinder was plenty to inflate a 700x23 tyre. I would not, however, take just CO2, if I did run out the mini pump is fairly useless but it would do a "get me home" pressure.

On my touring, mtb and audax bikes, when I go further afield/for longer, I take a Topeak Turbo Morph, one of the few pumps genuinely capable of road tyre pressures, very ergonomic and a good guage (Lezyne make a similar style pump but I gather the gauge lacks accuracy).

So, for £10 on a PX combi, maybe have a go. I was pleasantly surprised, and it meets my minimalist needs on my road bike.

Wallace1492

I carry a mini pump and CO2. One may break, two is contingency.

MonkeyMonster

amnezia wrote:

they are pretty much the only thing that can get road tires up to the required pressure without using a track pump.

Try a zefal x3 on HP - less than 20 seconds for no cost bar calories...

Roastie

High Horse Warning

I sit firmly in the luddite camp on this one. *Touching wood* punctures are a fairly rare occurrence and the occasional need to inflate via my Spesh Airtool (Road) to "hard enough to ride" seems a lot more sensible than using a CO2 canister - esp given that fixing the puncture itself takes a bit of time.

To me it is just another modern convenience that really isn't necessary and simply contributes to the mountain of waste that modern living creates.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Roastie wrote:

High Horse Warning

I sit firmly in the luddite camp on this one. *Touching wood* punctures are a fairly rare occurrence and the occasional need to inflate via my Spesh Airtool (Road) to "hard enough to ride" seems a lot more sensible than using a CO2 canister - esp given that fixing the puncture itself takes a bit of time.

To me it is just another modern convenience that really isn't necessary and simply contributes to the mountain of waste that modern living creates.

But the cannisters can be recycled.

A bike pump can't.

MonkeyMonster

Greg66 wrote:

But the cannisters can be recycled.

A bike pump can't.

When mine breaks I shall turn into a greg66 hitting stick and bring it to the morpeth

rolf_f

Greg66 wrote:

A bike pump can't.

Can't it? Besides, unless you get an Aldi one I think pumps aren't meant to be single use

UndercoverElephant

Roastie wrote:

High Horse Warning

I sit firmly in the luddite camp on this one. *Touching wood* punctures are a fairly rare occurrence and the occasional need to inflate via my Spesh Airtool (Road) to "hard enough to ride" seems a lot more sensible than using a CO2 canister - esp given that fixing the puncture itself takes a bit of time.

To me it is just another modern convenience that really isn't necessary and simply contributes to the mountain of waste that modern living creates.

Whilst I almost agree, the cannisters are recyclable and getting my tyre up to a decent pressure means that I no longer wreck my spare tubes and rims as much.

Roastie

Greg66 wrote:

Roastie wrote:

High Horse Warning

I sit firmly in the luddite camp on this one. *Touching wood* punctures are a fairly rare occurrence and the occasional need to inflate via my Spesh Airtool (Road) to "hard enough to ride" seems a lot more sensible than using a CO2 canister - esp given that fixing the puncture itself takes a bit of time.

To me it is just another modern convenience that really isn't necessary and simply contributes to the mountain of waste that modern living creates.

But the cannisters can be recycled.

A bike pump can't.

Canisters first need to be made, which requires energy. Then they need to be recycled, which needs energy. And how many get recycled?

The pump? Depending what you buy, recycling is often not a problem. For example, many are predominantly aluminum - and the plastic heads are usuall also recyclable.

Aguila

Greg66 wrote:

Roastie wrote:

High Horse Warning

I sit firmly in the luddite camp on this one. *Touching wood* punctures are a fairly rare occurrence and the occasional need to inflate via my Spesh Airtool (Road) to "hard enough to ride" seems a lot more sensible than using a CO2 canister - esp given that fixing the puncture itself takes a bit of time.

To me it is just another modern convenience that really isn't necessary and simply contributes to the mountain of waste that modern living creates.

But the cannisters can be recycled.

A bike pump can't.

Greg66 in pro-green living statement shocker!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

Back on topic I just think a pump takes up too much room, I've used canisters for years and find them v good.

Cue comment from Greg about CO2 emissions from them.

itboffin

UndercoverElephant wrote:

You are wrong. A 16g CO2 cannister pumps a road tyre up to 130 PSI in less than a second.

Beats having your arm fall off any day.

Yup 130 psi which will explode most tubes/tyre combos esp if the crap tyre fitting technique catches the tube :evil:

Much safer to buy 12g and give the tyre a couple of pumps before you inflate

Aguila

itboffin wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

You are wrong. A 16g CO2 cannister pumps a road tyre up to 130 PSI in less than a second.

Beats having your arm fall off any day.

Yup 130 psi which will explode most tubes/tyre combos esp if the crap tyre fitting technique catches the tube :evil:

Much safer to buy 12g and give the tyre a couple of pumps before you inflate

Depending on what you buy you dont need to put the whole cannister in, I just pump it up till it feels about right then adjust with the track pump at home.

itboffin

Using a pump is all good fun once during a ride after two or three times the popeye the sailor man arms look gets a little boring.

greasygrinder

They're currently out of stock, but these people do 10 16gm cartridges for £5.50, which isn't bad

http://www.tyreinflators.co.uk/co2-cart ... d_240.html

I'd also recommend getting an inflator with a pressure guage: the CO2 goes in reeeeaally fast and you don't want to overdo it.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Aguila wrote:

Greg66 in pro-green living statement shocker!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

You're confusing green and prudence.

But sometimes it's fun just to let CO2 cannisters off for the hell of it. You know, just to keep the levels up a bit.

UndercoverElephant

itboffin wrote:

Yup 130 psi which will explode most tubes/tyre combos esp if the crap tyre fitting technique catches the tube :evil:

Much safer to buy 12g and give the tyre a couple of pumps before you inflate

My Rubino pros go up to 145 PSI, I'm more than happy to use 16g. They also have a minimum of 100 PSI, which is why I gave up on the mini pump.

roger_merriman

Roastie wrote:

High Horse Warning

I sit firmly in the luddite camp on this one. *Touching wood* punctures are a fairly rare occurrence and the occasional need to inflate via my Spesh Airtool (Road) to "hard enough to ride" seems a lot more sensible than using a CO2 canister - esp given that fixing the puncture itself takes a bit of time.

To me it is just another modern convenience that really isn't necessary and simply contributes to the mountain of waste that modern living creates.

my problem is that fairy spends all her time with Itboffin so by the time she does visit the mini pump has rusted from lack of use, and is useless where as the CO2 seems fairly simple and should last. and it all fits in the seatbag.

il_principe

I wouldn't be without them. Excellent in cold weather when you don't want to be hanging about, or when you're in a group and don't want to keep people waiting, or aiming for a good time on a sportive etc. Wonderful things. I always carry a mini pump as well of course.

lost_in_thought

Greg66 wrote:

Aguila wrote:

Greg66 in pro-green living statement shocker!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

You're confusing green and prudence.

But sometimes it's fun just to let CO2 cannisters off for the hell of it. You know, just to keep the levels up a bit.

No, no, no, Greg old bean, you've got it all wrong. CO2 canisters are ultra-super good for the environment because they're trapping dangerous co2 that would otherwise be up there in the sky killing the planet.

Also, CO2 is great. If you're not a total flid at fitting tubes (with the practice ITB gets you'd think he'd be good at it) it's excellent, inflates quickly and without hassle, and takes up barely any space in a saddlepack.

blu3cat

Surely the best reason to use CO2 cannisters is to reenact the ending from Jaws in minature with a pet fish?

rolf_f

blu3cat wrote:

Surely the best reason to use CO2 cannisters is to reenact the ending from Jaws in minature with a pet fish?

That's cruel. On the other hand, if there are any cats around......

itboffin

lost_in_thought wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

Aguila wrote:

Greg66 in pro-green living statement shocker!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

You're confusing green and prudence.

But sometimes it's fun just to let CO2 cannisters off for the hell of it. You know, just to keep the levels up a bit.

No, no, no, Greg old bean, you've got it all wrong. CO2 canisters are ultra-super good for the environment because they're trapping dangerous co2 that would otherwise be up there in the sky killing the planet.

Also, CO2 is great. If you're not a total flid at fitting tubes (with the practice ITB gets you'd think he'd be good at it) it's excellent, inflates quickly and without hassle, and takes up barely any space in a saddlepack.

I resent your labelling of me! i'm latex challenged