Co2 canisters and pump

adammarlow85
adammarlow85 Posts: 38
in Road general
What are people’s preferences between a normal pump vs the co2 type?

I’ve not got the co2 but I’m considering it after seeing a mate use his on a ride and just how easy it was!

If anyone has got the co2 which one have you got?

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    It is easy and like all easy things, it tends to have catastrophic consequences on the environment.
    Aside from the huge amount of energy involved in pressurising CO2 into a sealed canister, there is the singe use cartridge issue as well. It can be recycled, but it's another energy inefficient process.
    On the other hand, a pump lasts for years and the act of pumping is almost carbon neutral.
    left the forum March 2023
  • ibr17xvii
    ibr17xvii Posts: 1,065
    Had both but far prefer the pump.
  • emanresu
    emanresu Posts: 320
    I carry both on most rides, I use the pump in dry weather and save the C02 for when it's cold and/or rainy.

    I picked up my CO2 from decathlon.
  • llanelwyewok
    llanelwyewok Posts: 7
    I use C02 exclusively these days but always carry 3 cartridges.
    I buy the cartridges in bulk every few years from www.co2cartridges.co.uk
    They sell the inflator kit too.
  • joe_totale-2
    joe_totale-2 Posts: 1,333
    edited July 2020
    I prefer a pump also for the reliability.

    For the off road bike I also take a CO2 canister in case the tubeless tyres unseat themselves in the event of a puncture.
  • Charlie_Croker
    Charlie_Croker Posts: 1,727
    I have both and have used both. The CO2 is quick, simple and effortless but if you run out of refills your stuffed. These days I’m tending to take the pump, cos its always ready to use and how hard is it to pump a tyre up. Not that I do it very often.

    Just one thing, if you do decide on CO2, please please take your used canisters home with you, I’ve seen no end of discarded empties along cycle tracks near me. The countryside doesn’t need our litter
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,715
    Charlie_Croker said:

    Just one thing, if you do decide on CO2, please please take your used canisters home with you, I’ve seen no end of discarded empties along cycle tracks near me. The countryside doesn’t need our litter

    I very much doubt they're CO2 canisters, they're far more likely to be nitrous oxide canisters, all the ones I see around here are.

    I just carry a pump. I'll carry a CO2 canister if I'm in an MTB race, but if it's just a normal ride, I don't want to incur the costs, financial or environmental.
  • Charlie_Croker
    Charlie_Croker Posts: 1,727
    whyamihere said:

    Charlie_Croker said:

    Just one thing, if you do decide on CO2, please please take your used canisters home with you, I’ve seen no end of discarded empties along cycle tracks near me. The countryside doesn’t need our litter

    I very much doubt they're CO2 canisters, they're far more likely to be nitrous oxide canisters, all the ones I see around here are.
    I understand what you’re saying but I’ve seen other evidence of bicycle puncher repairs being carried out in the same places.

    m/t N2O bottles should also be taken home :s
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,312
    Charlie_Croker said:



    m/t N2O bottles should also be taken home :s

    you're having a laugh...

    left the forum March 2023
  • davidof
    davidof Posts: 3,117
    Pump, when you are out of refills you are SOL.
    BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
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  • manglier
    manglier Posts: 1,276
    Best of both worlds with a Lezyne Pressure Drive. Both CO2 and hand pump.
  • pippi_langsamer-2
    pippi_langsamer-2 Posts: 1,470
    I've used CO2 for the past few years now, although I'm thinking of getting another pump. Generally always carry x2 cans, but after puncturing for the first time in a long time last week, I wondered "what if....".

    Also, if you do use CO2, be prepared to top it up after your ride, as I think it tends to lose pressure/ density (?), once it's discharged. Maybe got something to do with its initial zub zero temperature? I dunno. I'm sure someone else can explain...
  • Harry182
    Harry182 Posts: 1,170
    I was curious too - heard it had something to do with CO2 being less dense than air which didn't seem to make sense - so did some "research" and found this:

    Permeation by diffusion predicts gas leakage rates proportional to the inverse of the square root of their molecular weights. Using air as a reference the predicted leakage rates for common gases are: helium 2.7, air 1.0, nitrogen 1.02, oxygen 0.95, argon 0.85, carbon dioxide 0.81.

    It turns out however that the leakage rate of CO2 is huge, and the reason is that it is actually soluble in butyl rubber and is thus not constrained to normal permeation loss, it can transfer straight through the bulk rubber resulting in severe tire pressure loss on the order of a single day.
  • junglist_matty
    junglist_matty Posts: 1,731
    Always used pumps but after going tubeless I take a co2 pump with me.

    If a tyre were to go flat and unseat I would be stuck with a small pump so a co2 pump means I can reseat the tyre.... But I've not had to use it (yet) as tubeless is working flawlessly for me.

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