Topeak Ninja CO2+

Topeak's Ninja range generally centres on hiding tools discretely away in your frame, but the Ninja CO2+ puts your emergency puncture fix on proud display, under the incorporated bottle cage.

It's a funny-looking set-up. I didn't like it at all when I first laid eyes on it. That chunky black plastic isn't the kind of thing I want near my Sunday best bike. The lumpy aesthetics are made worse by the integrated tyre levers that clip to the side of the bottle cage. However, I fitted it to my all-steel, purple-to-black-fade tourer/shopper/winter sacrificial bike and, once in place, I had to admit it looked a lot better; even more so once there was a bottle in it, which hides quite a bit of the item's mass. As a bottle cage, I couldn't fault it. It's made from very strong, flexible plastic and the grip is excellent. The mounting slots are long, which allows for plenty of positional freedom. You need to supply your own mounting bolts.

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Secured underneath by a tidy Torx bolt is the inflator kit holder, complete with two 16g CO2 cartridges and Topeak's own 'Micro AirBooster' inflator. This is a neatly-machined aluminium piece, finished in a fetching anodised pink. The big end screws easily onto the CO2 can thread until the end of the cartridge is pierced. Then the inflator head is either pushed (presta) or screwed (Schrader) onto the valve. The inflator is spring-loaded, so a firm push down is all that's needed to release the gas. As soon as you relax the pressure, the flow is cut off. It works very well.

I like the way the tool mounts into the bracket, pushing into a clip and then secured by a knurled alloy knob which threads into the inflator head to keep it from falling out. The CO2 cannisters are gripped around the neck by a clip, then snap down into the mounts, where they never rattled or threatened to fall out.

Even the skinny-looking tyre levers were up to the job. They attach to the side of the cage mount by hooking over a plastic pin and slotting down to lock them in place. In use, the hooked end becomes a spoke hook and they made easy work of shifting the tyres I tried them on.

It all just leaves the question of what problem Topeak are trying to solve with this product. I've always carried my CO2 inflator in my pocket or tool pack and, in putting it on show under the bottle cage leaves open the possibility of theft when your bike is parked in a public place. But if you don't like carrying things in your pockets or using a saddle pack, it's a viable third way.

Verdict

Good bottle cage with integrated C02 Inflator tool and cartridges for people who can't bear to put them in their pockets