pump or co2
skinnydog1973
Posts: 114
I have just got my first bike and are now getting equipment but there is so much choice i went to buy a pump ( a pocket rocket ) but then saw co2 ( which i had never even heard of) what does people use and which of these is the best option , i have a road bike by the way. I will carry spare inner tube with m so which of these would be the better option Cheers
0
Comments
-
Welcome to the wonderful world of buying shiney new gear!
If you havn't already got a pump, you will need one. co2 is great for filling a new tube quickly and carrying on your ride, but each cannister is a one hit, then buy a new one job, so works out expensive. Also, the co2 doesn't tend to hold tyre pressure for long so you would need a pump at home anyway. I always have a track pump with a good guage (e.g. Joe Blow) at hope for pre-ride which lets me fine tune my pressure, then a small handpump for when it all goes wrong on the road. So in sumary, either, have at least one pump and a new co2 cannister for every puncture or one or two good quality pumps.0 -
If you are going to carry CO2 then you are going to have to either carry lots of canisters or take a hand pump along. I have seen people change a tube or do a repair job then pump up using CO2 and then get another puncture and have no air left. Good thing about mini pumps are the air they use is free and not in short supply. Get an extension for the valve attachment and practice pumping up a tyre to around 80 90 psi. Its hard but achievable.0
-
-
Generally just carry 2 tubes and 2 gas cannisters, with a mobile phone to call for a lift as the final option. Never had to use it yet...0
-
Mini pumps are inexpensive, functional and compact. CO2 is mainly for racers and group riders. It's a consumable and therefore a bit wasteful if you're using it at your leisure. If you have good quality tyres and steer clear of nasties you shouldn't need to use it that often anyway...0
-
Pump is more versatile. Lezyne make good ones.0
-
Mini pumps are useful but it's pretty difficult to pump a tyre up to full pressure with one and also takes rather a long time. I have a a combined pump and CO2 inflator so I can quickly pump a tyre up to full pressure if I need to but if I'm unlucky and get two punctures, I can still manage.0
-
lotus49 wrote:Mini pumps are useful but it's pretty difficult to pump a tyre up to full pressure with one and also takes rather a long time. I have a a combined pump and CO2 inflator so I can quickly pump a tyre up to full pressure if I need to but if I'm unlucky and get two punctures, I can still manage.
Not necessarily. If you have a good minipump with one of those flexible things which extend onto the valve, it's an easy task.
Having said that, I only carry CO2 because I rarely puncture. Only punctured once last year and it was because I hit a pothole.0 -
TakeTurns wrote:Not necessarily. If you have a good minipump with one of those flexible things which extend onto the valve, it's an easy task.
A mini pump is never going to be as easy to use as a foot pump or a full size pump but you do make a good point about the "flexible thing" (I don't know what they are called either). I am much more careful (and slower) since I snapped a valve off a tube. I should get myself one.
[Edit]
Does anyone know what these are called or where I could get one? My pump works with Schrader and Presta valves but the valves themselves are Presta of course.0 -
I bought this one recently and I love it! To big for my frame but fits in neatly in my cycling backpack and inflates to 120psi with relative ease(for a mini pump)
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... 50000000000 -
First get a mini pump, so that you can sort yourself out on the road. The Lezyne ones are very good. I've got the very smallest one, which fits nicely into a jersey pocket and which is surprisingly effective. The hose makes it much easier to put some effort in without damaging the valve. For road tyres, make sure you get a high pressure one (HP) rather than a high volume one.
Then get a track pump to use at home. Even the best mini pump will be very slow and a lot of work compared to a decent track pump which will get a tyre from completely flat to 120psi in about 10 seconds.
Then think about CO2. Compared to a decent mini-pump it doesn't make a huge difference to the total time it takes to change a puncture, but if the weather's miserable, or you've got people waiting for you, it can be a handy option. I use one of these: http://www.co2cartridges.co.uk/index.ph ... tegory=314 £5 including two cartridges. It's tiny and works perfectly - no need to spend more.0 -
You need a track pump for home and either a mini pump or a couple of CO2 canisters for out & about. Instead of paying three or four quid each for co2 search online for leisure & catering supplies and buy the same things in bulk at about 30p a pop.0
-
Specialized S Works SL2 . Campagnolo Record 11spd. rolling on Campag Zonda wheels
http://app.strava.com/athletes/8812110 -
Its co2 for me. Mainly because if I get a puncture on the way back from work on a dark and rainy winters night I don't want to be spending ages re inflating my tyre. I also find co2 better on club rides as I don't have to keep the group waiting as long if I get a puncture. The other thing I've found is its quite easy to bend or even snap the valve stem when you're wrestling with a mini pump trying to get to a high enough pressure.0
-
It's either mini pump or mini pump and cartridges unless....
1) you are on a group ride and there are enough pumps and cartridges in the group for it not to be a bother.
2) you have a significant other or team car that is happy to potentially do a 100 mile round trip to retrieve you because you didn't want to carry a mini pump!
3) you don't mind long walks!
It's bad luck to have two punctures on a trip but it does happen. If I carried two cartridges, and no pump, and used both on one flat, I'd spend the rest of the ride worrying!Faster than a tent.......0 -
mini pump for me.
started off with CO2, had a run of punctures and it started getting expensive (plus I was nervy on the way home due to having run out of cannisters) and so I went for a small mini pump, never looked back. If I have a slow puncture I can pump it up and fix it at the end of my journey (has happened) and if you fess up the CO2 inflation and use up your CO2 without actually pumping up the tyre (ok, rare if you know what you're doing but still...) then you're a bit screwed.
But I have a Carradice saddlebag that I keep it and the kitchen sink in, so it may come down to what fits in whatever bag you carry.0 -
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/vision-air-i ... 08188.html
This plus patches, a couple of tubes and cartridges. I also carry a schraeder/ presta adapter in case i get really stuck and can then use a garage forecourt pump. I really am belt and braces I suppose.0 -
CookeeeMonster wrote:But I have a Carradice saddlebag that I keep it and the kitchen sink in,
Good call - you'll be laughing at those who've run out of spare tubes and need to find the puncture hole!
Faster than a tent.......0 -
CO2, Lezynee. One in the barrel two to carry. Just quicker and easier to deal with.0
-
Rolf F wrote:It's either mini pump or mini pump and cartridges unless....
1) you are on a group ride and there are enough pumps and cartridges in the group for it not to be a bother.
2) you have a significant other or team car that is happy to potentially do a 100 mile round trip to retrieve you because you didn't want to carry a mini pump!
3) you don't mind long walks!
It's bad luck to have two punctures on a trip but it does happen. If I carried two cartridges, and no pump, and used both on one flat, I'd spend the rest of the ride worrying!
The alternative is to carry enough money for your taxi fare home. I think if I had three punctures in a row I'd be ready to call it a day anyway.0 -
Well i have bought a pocket rocket pump and i will see once i get out on the road if thats ok, hopefully though i wont need to use it and then i will look into co2, i only bought my bike on tuesday but its unreal all the extras that im having to get lol0
-
I carry a Lezyne pump as well. Quality piece and very light. I also upgraded the flex hose to the one with the pressure gauge.
0 -
yes but get a lezyne one with a tube and CO2 - then you are covered all roundcougie wrote:Pump is more versatile. Lezyne make good ones.http://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR20 -
-
Both, 2 x canisters in the seat pack and a mini pump in the jersey pocket.0
-
I've got a Lezyne road drive, which does the job for me. I'm a very slight female, and I can get my road tyres up to their normal running pressures (around 80psi, in my case).
Knowing that I've got a pump that does the job, I don't bother with CO2, but I probably would if I wasn't confident that I could get high enough pressures with my pump.
(Also have a Joe Blow track pump at home.)0 -
A few have already mentioned it, and in my experience after damaging several valves with a minipump I finally saw the light and bought a mini pump with flexi hose, and my God what a difference. I got a Topeak Mini-Morph, the smallest of their flexi hose range. Because the hose comes out of the side of the pump body you can place the pump on the ground (and use a little foot peg to hold it) when pumping the last few psi into the tyre. Amazingly I managed a genuine 100psi, not something I could do with previous pumps (and I would bend the valve trying!). And weighs only 155g, I checked. The Lezyne looks very nice too and lighter but out of my budget.
I now have no fear of the p******* fairy.0
