CO2 vs Pump

Peddle Up!

I've always assumed that riders carry CO2 injectors to get a tyre back up to pressure after a puncture repair quickly during, say, a race. Otherwise a decent pump will do the job just as well.

But I may be wrong, so I thought I'd ask.

robklancs

i think you answer your own question, you use co2 to get your tire back up after a puncture. The y have a few plus points over a pump, they are small, fit in saddle bags and jerseys (though not sure if they should be kept there in case you landed on it if you fell off), they are quick inflating tyres.

On the other hand, they are relativley expensive just to inflate a tyre once, they freeze your hand if you dont use a sleeve (terminator 2 style) and they can be fiddly with cold hands.

ollyridesfirst

are they as good as a pump at getting up to decent pressure? The last thing you want while 40 miles away from home is to have to ride back on 70psi

ste_

I'd say they'll happily over-inflate your tyres if anything.

Worth letting the C02 out when you get home and re-filling with air for your next ride - a C02 filled tube definitely loses pressure quicker than when filled with air.

Peddle Up!

Tell me there aren't helium cylinders for the truly weight-obsessive.

I bet they'd lose pressure pretty quickly.

cougie

They're handy if you're doing something like a triathlon thats going to take a while - or perhaps a 50 or 100m TT.

No use in road racing - they'd be away well before you've fixed it - the inflation would be irrelevant.

No use on road rides - what happens if you get two flats ?

Much easier having a decent minipump and cheaper in the long run.

andrewjoseph

I've got a co2 setup for my wife on her road bike, I have a pump on mine.

This is mainly so that when we are touring in heavy rain, we can get the tyre sorted as quick as possible.

Tonymufc

I carry both. Especially handy should you puncture on your way to/from work and its p1ssing it down. You do have to be careful though as pointed out they could easily over inflate your tyre. My opinion is that they're a cracking piece of kit but no substitution for a decent pump, hence I carry both.

Ollieda

cougie wrote:

No use on road rides - what happens if you get two flats ?

Don't know what sort of cheap gas canister you've been using but mine can easily do two tyres from one canister, and still enough left it to get a 3rd tyre to a reasonable level of inflation to make it home on. Also, 1 gas pump and 2 canisters is still considerably small and easy to carry (smaller than a large amount of normal bike pumps).

I've got one that is actually a normal bike pump but with an attachment at the end to take gas, best of both worlds!

pilot_pete

I've got a bottle mount that takes a mini pump and two cartridges (Bontrager). I have never needed to use the minipump to inflate a tyre on a ride, even on the one occasion when I got two flats...

I am contemplating getting an air chuck to replace the minipump and a bottle mount that just holds 4 cartridges. The air chuck would go in the saddle bag with the spare tubes (Conti Supersonics, which fold up tiny). That would cover every possibility other than an air chuck failure!

PP

tom22

i have seen tiny mine pumps with a co2 adapter so that if you do puncture more than once you could just use the mini pump... not sure where to get one though

ddraver

Topeak, SKS, PRO and blackburn all do the above - have a look on wiggle....

Craggers

I carry Co2 cartridges to get the tyre up to pressure quickly, but also a small pump in order to stick some air in the tube to easily find the hole (I usually patch cos I'm a tight b@stard!)

Bar Shaker

I think you would really struggle to get to much more than 70psi with a mini hand pump.

nferrar

I use CO2 in MTB races (not that I do many) but prefer a pump on the road bike (I don't race on the road). Just prefer the safety of having something reusable and a bit more control (I can easily get 110psi with a road morph). If people prefer CO2 though that's cool to

chiark

I'm giving up on the Genuine Innovations Second Wind CO2/pump thing I bought in Wiggle's sale. (It's wiggle's fault )

Sure it was under a tenner, but I trust a 5 year old mini pump on my MTB more now. I'll be looking for a decent replacement - am thinking of the Topeak Road Morph - as carrying the Second Wind is a waste of time IMHO.

jibberjim

cougie wrote:

No use on road rides - what happens if you get two flats ?

Is this a trick question? You use your 2nd CO2.

Of course at some point you're carrying less CO2 than punctures you get - but if you're getting that many punctures you should care more about your tyres / inflation pressures / riding style.

BBH

Had a P' on sat during a sportive 10 miles in, used a mates lezyne hand pump, tyre got to 100psi with some vigorous forearm action. Lasted the rest of the ride and checked on a track pump when got home.

Save the environment and use some good old fashioned arm strength!!

ste_

ste_ wrote:

I'd say they'll happily over-inflate your tyres if anything.

To confirm this, I blew a split in a brand new tube I'd just fitted on Sunday.

chiark

Just about to order a Topeak Road Morph G, as that seems to be about what I want... YMMV

meanredspider

jibberjim wrote:

cougie wrote:

No use on road rides - what happens if you get two flats ?

Is this a trick question? You use your 2nd CO2.
.

LMAO - my thoughts exactly. I use a micro inflator (Nano?) - it's great. I carry an Airstick too but, for what use it is, I think I only have it in case I meet the guy that designed it so I can insert it....

mike ives

Get one of these. Not particularly cheap but excellent in use. Think of it as a long term 'safe' investment.

Pumpkin Positive

I've only used a CO2 inflator once and I thought I'd over-inflated and burst the tube but when I took the tube out to have a look I saw that I had a star shaped hole in right opposite the valve. I assume that the cold CO2 rushing in through the valve 'froze' the tube rubber and fractured it. Is this likely or did I just over inflate?

pilot_pete

one of what?

PP