CO2 Vs Hand Pump

chiefwigham

Hi,

Any opinions on carrying CO2 Vs a hand pump?

Thinking of going for a CO2 set up but unsure of the benefits (if any) - and if the general opinion is CO2 is better can anyone recommend a product to buy?

Thanks in Advance

Wirral_paul

I've got a Genuine Innovations Ultraflate Plus CO2 myself and love it. I use a track pump at home and for the rare occassions i get a puncture - find the CO2 to be ideal as it fits nicely into a small under-saddle wedge, along with a spare tube or two and another CO2 canister.

Finding a pocket size pump which will get me to 115psi would be nice though. Anyone??

Wirral_paul

I've got a Genuine Innovations Ultraflate Plus CO2 myself and love it. I use a track pump at home and for the rare occassions i get a puncture - find the CO2 to be ideal as it fits nicely into a small under-saddle wedge, along with a spare tube or two and another CO2 canister.

Finding a pocket size pump which will get me to 115psi would be nice though. Anyone??

warrerj

Hand pump slower and more work but can be lighter and is a 1 off cost.
CO2 is faster and much less work but can be heavier. You may want to carry a few CO2 cartridges and there is the on goign cost when you use them (but they can be bought in bulk to keep the cost down).

When is freezing cold and raining you'll wish you had a CO2 if you've got a hand pump

You can have both in 1 unit as well you want the security of always being bale to pupm up a tyre but still have the speed of CO2.
http://www.genuineinnovations.com/bicycle/commuter-touring/second-wind-road-aluminum-mini.html

dennisn

For me it's 6 of one and a half dozen of the other. I switch around for no real reason.
Although I'm always a little leery of heading out with only CO2. Not sure why. In any case if using CO2 I always pack a really small, very mini, pump. I hate being stranded.

crankycrank

Why not get one of the combo hand pump/CO2 gizmos. http://www.lezyne.com/products/co2/pressure-drive-cfh Personally I'm tired of lending my pump to strangers who have run out of CO2 and then manage to mangle my pump. My precious Zefal HPX pump, which served me for over 20yrs, has finally been put to rest after being broken for the umpteenth time by some ham fisted, cartridge pump carrying, stranded stranger that I loaned it to. :evil: But the CO2 is nice if you're in a hurry.

Monty Dog

Ever been on a ride that's turned into a puncture fest where everyone runs out of gas? Seen it happen a few times and there's only one pump to go round.
IME CO2 isn't 100% reliable and is worse in winter where you have problems with ice in the tyre valve / inflator freezing open.

Bar Shaker

I went for CO2 on the basis that riding with only 70-80psi from a hand pump would make another p******* more likely (especially pinches).

A CO2 will get you back to 110psi and in seconds.

The point about valves freezing would surely apply to both options but I don't tend to ride my road bike in sub zero/icy conditions.

If I were to get lots of p*******s on a ride, I would jack it in and phone a friend, ideally from a pub.

I would guess that not clearing the original cause (flint, thorn, nail) from the tyre would be the biggest cause of multiple stoppages.

desweller

Bar Shaker wrote:

The point about valves freezing would surely apply to both options but I don't tend to ride my road bike in sub zero/icy conditions.

The pressure change from the CO2 canister to the tyre pressure causes a big temperature drop. You get the opposite effect with a pump as you are raising the pressure from atmospheric by a factor of ~6 to 7, which causes heating.

I would go for a frame pump every time. The weight penalty is minimal and you can easily hit 120psi with a frame pump. I don't buy this 'get you home' nonsense, if I get a puncture 25 miles into a 120 mile ride then I want to complete the ride and only a frame pump will do that consistently.

Monty Dog

CO2 - been there, done that - decent pump like a Lezyne HP will give guaranteed results in the real world. I've got a box-full of inflators and mini-pumps that failed to live up to their makers claims.

cougie

+1. get a lezyne.

CO2 cost will add up - and what if you run out of the cartridges at home ? Will you remember to order some before your next ride ?

Seems silly to want to save a few seconds and some effort when you're out for a cycle. If you want to save effort - just drive ! Sorted.

avoidingmyphd

when did lezyne make their website impossible to look at without getting a headache?

anyway, for those who are asking I've have >100psi from a Lezyne Pressure Drive Mini.

ddraver

FYI, Topeak's race rockets are Lezyne pumps that look a tiny bit less special and are GBP10 less...

antonyfromoz

after a bad experience with CO2 where the tyre failed to fully inflate I have now started carrying a Lezyne pressure drive mini (weighs 90 grams) on the bike and one CO2 cartridge in under the saddle with a spare tube and some patches. Luckily I have not had need of either for a long while but this combination makes me pretty self sufficient - and that means that I don't have to cut short any bike rides due to flats.

I have not seen the Lezyne combination pump/CO2 before - is the pump different from the normal pressure drive or is it just a different connector?