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C02 Inflators

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  • September 10, 2013 at 8:50 pm #19832
    dunnoh

    I had a puncture the other day – first in a years. Used my Co2 inflator and managed to get home. Since then I have had 4 punctures one after the other. I suppose the question is do you inflate the tyre with the CO2 and get home and then redo it properly with a pump? Ive done this tonight but I just wondered if this was standard practice to make sure pinch flats are alleviated. Failing that should I ditch the C02 and carry a pump. Ta

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  • September 12, 2013 at 11:19 am #756231
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    Simon E

    PJ McNally wrote:CO2 can

    PJ McNally wrote:
    CO2 can achieve 90psi? Maybe i need to reconsider it, after all. My mini pump will get me home, but i have to ride 50 psi on the way 🙁

    Though thankfully no p*nct*res all summer! Good tyres paid off.

    I’ve been running the Blizzards (£8 each) for over a year and none of those p-things so far. I think that riding on the part of the road where car tyres run instead of the gutter (where the sweepings end up), or glass-strewn shared paths, makes a big difference to the deflation frequency. It’s safer too.

    A decent mini pump should get you to 70 psi or so without your arms dropping off.

    September 12, 2013 at 10:52 am #756229
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    700c

    Some mini pumps rated to 120
    Some mini pumps rated to 120 psi…I have an Alu bontrager one which fits in saddle bag and has managed 100 before, with some effort.

    September 12, 2013 at 10:36 am #756227
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    Sadly Biggins

    I switched to CO2 for ease,
    I switched to CO2 for ease, ability to get to a decent pressure and size of the pump as others have said. Perhaps it was my cack-handedness but I always seemed to bend the valve when trying to inflate with a mini-pump.

    September 12, 2013 at 7:50 am #756225
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    PJ McNally

    CO2 can achieve 90psi? Maybe
    CO2 can achieve 90psi? Maybe i need to reconsider it, after all. My mini pump will get me home, but i have to ride 50 psi on the way 🙁

    Though thankfully no p*nct*res all summer! Good tyres paid off.

    September 12, 2013 at 7:15 am #756223
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    Colin Peyresourde

    Critchio wrote:I have a small

    Critchio wrote:
    I have a small pump on my bike frame but I also carry a co2 rig in a plastic dispenser. My CO2 rig inflates my tyre to over 90psi in 1.5 secs. It gets me home and its just so convenient I would not be without it. My small hand pump won’t take my tyre to 90psi, its gets hot and fails at around 75psi according to the pressure gauge on it and it would take several minutes of pumping like a maniac to get it to that. When you’re on the road side without track pump available, CO2 all the way. It does the job providing you have a the right size cannister. Im my experience anyway.

    What he said. Less time spent faffing, and unless you’ve spent a lot on your mini pump you’re not likely to be able to reach the right pressure anyway….and track pumps just don’t fit on my frame or in my pocket.

    September 12, 2013 at 7:00 am #756221
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    Critchio

    I have a small pump on my
    I have a small pump on my bike frame but I also carry a co2 rig in a plastic dispenser. My CO2 rig inflates my tyre to over 90psi in 1.5 secs. It gets me home and its just so convenient I would not be without it. My small hand pump won’t take my tyre to 90psi, its gets hot and fails at around 75psi according to the pressure gauge on it and it would take several minutes of pumping like a maniac to get it to that. When you’re on the road side without track pump available, CO2 all the way. It does the job providing you have a the right size cannister. Im my experience anyway.

    September 11, 2013 at 10:44 pm #756219
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    FMOAB

    Why do I carry CO2? I
    Why do I carry CO2? I remember the blisters I got when using an inefficient fame pump as a youngster – and I’m a lazy git.

    September 11, 2013 at 7:30 pm #756217
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    Some Fella

    bikeboy76 wrote:Some Fella

    bikeboy76 wrote:
    Some Fella wrote:
    I’m no physicist but CO2 does not have the same properties as air and is able to seep through innertubes.
    CO2 will get you home but you need to let it all out and replace it with good honest proper air which is thicker than CO2 – it has bigger atoms or something.
    I find good, northern air is much better than that stuff you get down south.

    You are no physicist indeed; CO2 is denser than air, hence dry ice (remember Top of the Pops floor.) Air is mostly N2 and O2 which are smaller molecules than CO2.

    :B

    September 11, 2013 at 4:42 pm #756215
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    oddbydefault

    PJ McNally wrote:why do

    PJ McNally wrote:
    why do people buy co2 canisters? not trolling, genuinely interested.

    I always thought they were a gimmick, until recently. I invest in good tyres with puncture resistance, so they’re a rare occurrence. But when you’re out in the middle of no-where in the rain and cold or at night (or even just riding with other people), the ability to inflate a tyre in a matter of seconds without faffing around screwing on valve heads, spending ages pumping up a tube etc, is unrivalled.

    Also, many presta valves (Conti I’m looking at YOU) have unscrewable cores which are a nightmare with mini pumps. Got so hacked off having reinflated the same tube 3 times and losing the core every time that it actually catalysed my CO2 investment.

    I always carry 2 cartridges and a tiny spring tensioned valve head. Compact, light, quick and easy B-)

    September 11, 2013 at 12:00 pm #756213
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    Sadly Biggins

    mattyb95 wrote:Anything still

    mattyb95 wrote:
    Anything still left in the tyre that is causing the repeat punctures, say a thorn?

    In addition to checking this, it’s also worth checking that rim tape is still on properly. Mrs Biggins had repeat punctures one day and when I checked it turned out that the rim tape had moved slightly to one side in one place exposing the spoke holes. I straightened the tape out and no p*******s since (touch wood).

    September 11, 2013 at 11:05 am #756211
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    gthornton101

    I carry a co2 if I know I’m
    I carry a co2 if I know I’m going to be in a hurry, or if the weather is bad (standing in the rain pumping up a tyre is a pretty dismal feeling).

    Other than that I carry a mini top peak pump that has a small hose so you don’t break off the valve (have lost a couple of good tubes that way with cheaper mini pumps that attach straight on). Either cable clips to frame or it also actually slips in back jersey pocket fairly unnoticeably.

    September 11, 2013 at 10:57 am #756209
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    PJ McNally

    Surely a really tiny pump is
    Surely a really tiny pump is a better bet?

    (I’m also a bit unhappy to use something disposable when there’s a good reusable option).

    I use a Phaart mini pump from Planet X, cost me £3, works well. It even fits in my tool bottle. Don’t see the need for anything else.

    September 11, 2013 at 10:28 am #756207
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    Yorkshie Whippet

    I carry and have used CO2 for
    I carry and have used CO2 for speed and ease more than anything. Inflation takes about 10 seconds as to pumping away for what seems minutes. Like others say, they are a “get me home quick” rather than a long term solution.

    I buy them because I’ve used a couple over the years.

    September 11, 2013 at 10:26 am #756205
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    dunnoh

    PJ McNally wrote:why do

    PJ McNally wrote:
    why do people buy co2 canisters? not trolling, genuinely interested.

    I have two tubes, a chain tool, patches, two co2, couple of quid, levers and gloves in a arundel pack that fits under the seat. Its always there and I would probably forget a pump!

    September 11, 2013 at 9:25 am #756203
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    Matt eaton

    PJ McNally wrote:why do

    PJ McNally wrote:
    why do people buy co2 canisters? not trolling, genuinely interested.

    I think that it’s because bike shops sell them, rather than any real need for them.

    Decent mini-pump gets my vote every time. CO2 is a little more compact I suppose.

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