Co2 Air Cartidges

[sawyer280769]

Are these recommended or is a pump better. I know its only a matter of time before I get a puncture and would like some advice regarding whether the Co2 cartriges or a pump is the best for on on the road repair.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

0-120 psi in two seconds.... Speak for themselves.
You can get combi pumps or as I have, the little valve only jobbie that attaches to he cartridge when needed and lives nicely in the saddle bag.

 

[numbnuts]

I'm old school so pump, I do have one of those Co2 thing but never used it

 

[sawyer280769]

Yes I was thinking of the space saving of the cartridges but was a bit dubious of the inflating capabilites. They be able to inflate my tyres to 105/110 psi?

 

[derrick]

One of each. the pump to start you off, the cartridge to finish it off,,

 

[Berties]

Co2 pump for on the road side punctures ,2 seconds and the wheel is hard always ensure tyre is on straight as the speed of inflate is very unforgiving,and a track pump for home

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Yes I was thinking of the space saving of the cartridges but was a bit dubious of the inflating capabilites. They be able to inflate my tyres to 105/110 psi?

16g cartridge will take a road tyre to 120 psi.
As NumbNuts said, check you're tyre is located properly before inflating, although this should be fine with lower profile tyres and good fitting technique.

 

[zacklaws]

Yes they are recomended as I use mine all the time when I need it, but its the carrying of cartridges and how many that is the problem especcially if you like to travel light, get unlucky and have a few punctures and run out of cartridges and the inflator is then worthless so I always carry a small pump as a backup. But if my bike was able to hold it securely, then my first and only choice would be my long high pressure frame pump as that only needs a reasonable amount of strokes to get up to 120lbs without any effort.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

As this is a beginners section I'll expand ( no pun intended)

although this should be fine with lower profile tyres and good fitting technique.

This is assuming normal, not tubeless.
When you put the new/repaired tub in, start the tyre at the valve the put the valve area on the ground and apply pressure with your foot pushing the rim toward the ground. This keeps the bead out of its groove in the I'm until re-fitting is complete.

Before inflating, push he valve stem back into the tyre so that the thick part of the tube at the base of the valve goes inside the tyre rather than topping the tyre from seating correctly.
Then pull the valve out a bit and if threaded, apply the ring-nut.
The tyre bead should sit nicely into the rim and te often found indicator line will align all the way round the tyre ON BOTH SIDES.
(if you ave one and the time, a couple of pumps with your backup mini pump will fill out the tyre)
You should be safe to inflate using Co2 now


On the question, does it make a difference?
Last year out on a very hilly 2-day 170 miler, I got a thorn flat 10 mile in.
Trying to save cartridges, I took the tyre up with a mini-pump and 5 mile on got a snakebite flat.
Another new tube and the Co2 sharp fixed that.

 

[ufkacbln]

There are certain mathematical rules which apply to cycling. The most common is the N+1 bike ownership theorem

Less known is the N-1 theorem where N is the number of cartridges you have and N-1 is the number you need.

 

[Dangermouse]

The cartidges seem cheap enough but how do you use them on the valve, do you need any sort of adapter, looks like a good way of saving some weight

 

[byegad]

I use them and they are a boon. Either to re-inflate after swapping the tube or to get a soft tyre home for a repair they are great.
They are light enough to carry along with a small pump, used only to inflate the tube before fitting the tyre. However I find CO2 fair leaks through rubber so I deflate the tyre after getting home and refill with my track pump.

 

[ufkacbln]

The cartidges seem cheap enough but how do you use them on the valve, do you need any sort of adapter, looks like a good way of saving some weight

Firstly there is a problem with the sudden decrease in temperature when a cylinder discharges. For this reason there are two main options

The first is a contained system:

Others either have a naked cylinder with a screw on top that also pierces the cyclinder:

Others have some form of insulation around the cylinder

Finally are the combination pumps such as this one where the hose unscrews from teh pump ad acts as the inflator for the cyclinder, or screws into the pump for normal pump use:

Take your choice, but be aware that all is not as easy as it seems ..... there are a variety of cyclinder sizes, both threaded and unthreaded (even the size of the thread) and compatibility issues exist

 

[Dangermouse]

I have googled them and can see the cartidges but not the holders and they do look like an essential piece of kit out in the countryside, any places where I could buy them would be greatly appreciated

 

[MontyVeda]

The cartidges seem cheap enough but how do you use them on the valve, do you need any sort of adapter, looks like a good way of saving some weight

bearing in mind that when the cartridge(s) run out, it's useless, so a back up mini pump will always be worth having. If weight is the issue, just take the mini pump