co2 tyre inflators - worth it or not?

accrington guy

got £40 in vouchers to spend at my LBS and wasnt sure on what to get but what did catch my eye were these co2 packs that come in various sizes - like a complete puncture repair kit with a co2 cannister in a pouch or a tube that fits into your bottle holder..
my question is this - has anyone used these before and are they worth the cash or am I better sticking with the good old fashioned pump and kit..

thanks..

Aldo001

If they only have enough CO2 for one pump up then it is not worth it at all.

M1llh0use

Depends on how much cash you've got to burn and how lazy you are!

Failing that are you racing?


Think you probably get the gist...

(and for the record yes I use them and yes I'm lazy )

ride_whenever

not worth it unless you're racing.

A tyre reinflated with CO2 goes down pretty quickly because CO2 is very soluble in butyl rubber so inner tubes leak the co2 rapidly. You need to re-inflate when you get home with air from a pump.

I'd spend it on a tubeless kit.

nicklouse

ride_whenever wrote:

not worth it unless you're racing.

A tyre reinflated with CO2 goes down pretty quickly because CO2 is very soluble in butyl rubber so inner tubes leak the co2 rapidly. You need to re-inflate when you get home with air from a pump.

I'd spend it on a tubeless kit.

TBH i think this is more myth than fact. But if true then your tyres should regularly deflate by 0.04% all the time but they do self deflate to a much higher level.

But again I have no tests to back this up.

I have a few CO2 dispensers and use them as needed I also have a mini pump in my camel back as standard.

BorisSpencer

CO2 when it's pissing with rain, blowing a gale, and you're so cold you can't feel your fingers.

dynastarg9

If you've got sealant in your tyres, then the CO2 makes the sealant go off. If you're using tubes, then it's no problem.

ride_whenever

BorisSpencer wrote:

CO2 when it's pissing with rain, blowing a gale, and you're so cold you can't feel your fingers.

This is another time it is good to have CO2.

Northwind

A good pump takes very little time to inflate a tyre anyway, I know a lot of people think they should carry around something the size of a tube of smarties then complain when it turns out to be as good at inflating tyres as a tube of smarties, but a sensible pump like a Truflo Evolution or similiar can inflate a tube in a very reasonable time, even with big tyres.

bails87

Northwind
+1
My Topeak Mountain Morph is a godsend!

flowpro

CO2.

Great for racing, tubless tyres oh and lazy Boys.

Get some.