Pump or CO2 cartridge?
katozdad
Posts: 296 Member
I'm officially fed up. Got stranded tonight and it shouldn't have been the case. I had a puncture so whipped out the spare tube put it in only to find I had not properly fixed the previous flat. That I can stand, must be more diligent next time, but what really bugs me is that the pump I had (my third in as many years) was useless. I had better luck attaching a hose a blowing the damn tube up with my mouth... Yes, I was bl3£dy bored while I waited for my wife to come and pick me up. Anyway, apart from fixing the flat properly in the first place, has anyone got any good advice/ recommendations for bike pumps, I have a track pump both at work and at home, but I want something reliable for pumping the tyre up reliably in the middle of my ride. I've been thinking of the CO2 cartridge, but not sure if you get what you pay for out there..., and I here they are not to everybody's liking.
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Usually I carry 2 tubes and both a pump and 2 or 3 CO2 cartridges.
CO2 is nice, but pretty unforgiving. If you don't have it on the stem just right, it can be empty before you catch it.0 -
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Frame-mounted mini-pump in defiance of rule #30.0
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Copied from the news feed: 'CO2 is only a temporary fix while you're on the road; CO2 degrades the rubber in the inner tube if it is left for too long! You are supposed to deflate a CO2 filled tyre when you get home & re-inflate with good old fashioned air ;o)'pumps for Roadies are difficult to get enough PSI.
Agreed!0 -
i've got a combi-pump - it's a small, pocket sized pump, that'll get maybe the first 30psi into the tyre no sweat, just enough to seat the beads and be sure you've not nipped the tube. Then, you can screw a CO2 cartridge in and whammo - tyre's upto 120psi and you've frostburns on the hand holding the cylinder if you were dumb enough to forget your glove.
Cloggsys right about the CO2 being a temp-fix though - not only does it degrade the tube, but with latex tubes it'll be flat the next day - and it also "interacts" with some brands of tyre-sealant gunk iirc, leaving "clumps" of sealant in the tube rather than the free-flowing liquid, ready to do it's job...
http://www.genuineinnovations.com/bicycle/commuter-touring/second-wind-road-aluminum-mini.html
for my "old school" steel framed bikes though, I still believe that there's nothing to touch the old Zefal HPX frame fitting pump (and yes, rules is rules, but frankly, when I'm on my old bikes, I'm not out there pretending to be part of the pro-peleton "on a recovery day" like most of "the rules" are intended to make you look like...0 -
I carry a topeak race rocket mini pump - yes I disobey and mounted to the frame... it can give me 100-110 so often times I pump it up and off I go again. But the last few strokes is always a challenge.
Never tried co2 so cant comment on that.0 -
Alway use CO2 never have any trouble. Fix the flat and one shot and your gone. Long ride two tubes and patch kit and 3 CO2.0
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I use a Blackburn pump but also carry CO2 canisters in case I need to fix tubeless tyres on the MTB. I would always start off with the pump as I don't want to spend money on a canister if I don't have to. I also buy the canisters in bulk on the internet so the price is good compared to buying 2 or 3 from a shop - there are two types, threaded and non threaded.0
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I also use the Topeak (http://www.topeak.com/products/Pumps/RoadMorphG) pump along with CO2 - one key is that there is a flexible hose between the valve stem and the pump body (and the floor foot thing actually does work!) which keeps you from breaking the valve stem when pumping (and tell me you have never done that?) - TheBigYin does it the same way I do which is use both pump and CO2 (I have 700x28c tires) - I don't use the gauge on the pump hose but do the inflation by feel (you can use the other non-flat tire as a calibration if you need to for how a full tire should feel). However, I always want to find a good floor pump soon after so I can check and get the pressure right but the Topeak pump I have has been used many, many times on lots of people's bikes. I know there is extra weight by carrying this stuff but I take less of a racer view and more of a touring view in that I want to be able to handle problems as they arise and still complete the ride. I rarely (never?) have a team car following me with extra wheels or bikes!!0
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Did the CO2 thing for awhile but found that for a flat repair it was nice but I've come to the conclusion that it's too expensive and wasteful for my liking especially when considering how many flats I used to get. I have aTopeak Master Blaster Mini (I think) and it's gotten me out of many a jam. I would rock the frame pump in defiance of rule 30 as I am anything but pro (although I live by rules 9 & 5 near-religiously) but went with a smaller pump to fit in bags better. Once I start riding trails heavily again, I'll probably have both. Like anything though YMMV.0
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I have been using a Red Zeppelin Co2, I like that it threads onto the valve and has an adjustable flow control. once I have the new tube in and the tire on, I can open it a bit to seat the tire and then open it the rest of the way to inflate to 110 psi.
It is tiny and fits in my jersey pocket. As well I tent to carry 2 spare new tubes with me. I know I should patch but I never seem to have time to sit down and fix them.0 -
Alway use CO2 never have any trouble. Fix the flat and one shot and your gone. Long ride two tubes and patch kit and 3 CO2.
I bring a dad with me to fix my flats.
But seriously, I have to use Co2 because there is no way I could ever get enough air from a hand pump.0 -
*Knock on wood*
I've ridden over 2100 miles since May and have never had a flat.
I do carry Co2 cartridges and a spare tube though.0 -
Thanks all, had a blow out tonight partly on the count that the tyre cant have been seated properly on the wheel (I managed not to fall off, but it scared the *kitten* out of me). Saw there was a wobble on the tyre and thought I would take it easy and fix when I got home. Anyway, result was I got stranded again, but have bought three new tubes, 1 fitted and one 2 spare as well as a pump (for the back pocket... always) from ASDA. Hopefully that should help me to limp home (or to the nearest petrol station compressor) in case I have a similar problem in future, but definitely getting the CO2 cartridge at the weekend.0
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I've had good luck with Topeak pumps... both frame pumps and mini pumps. As someone said, getting 120psi with a mini pump can be a nightmare, but it's usually sufficient to get me home. I only carry CO2 when racing, and rarely carry pumps anymore on shorter rides (anything < 50 miles).
I've also stopped fixing flats... I toss the tube and use a new one... too many times patches fail or don't adhere properly or whatever else. At $3 a tube, it's good insurance IMO.0 -
I have several Topeak Mini Dual pumps http://www.topeak.com/products/Pumps/Mini and I like them very much, they work to get you home, they really don't work to get your tire back to 100% but more than good enough to NOT leave you stranded.
I put 3200 Km on my Mixer 8 hauling a trailer around the streets of Tokyo and (knock on wood) I have not had one flat this year. I also run the goop in the tubes so maybe that has something to do with it. I also carry extra tubes patches and glue on all my bikes. The pumps are all mounted on the bottle cages, and held in place by the stock strap, and two black ZipTies to keep someone from walking off with it easily. I have a small pen knife in the took kit of each bike too, to cut off the ZipTies if I need the pump. I don't really like the CO2 cartridges, but if I did use one, I'd do like Yin and use the pump to get the tyre back to say 50% then the CO2 to top it off.
Cheers!0 -
Spare tube w/ CO2 with spare cartridges.0
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I carry a pump that also takes CO2 cartridges, three cartridges and two spare tubes with a kit of pry bars and patch kit in a saddle bag.0
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I pull over and wait for the team car.
:laugh:0 -
I pull over and wait for the team car.
:laugh:
Thought you'd put the bike on your shoulder and run around to the pits - throw the bike at the monkeys to fix and wash and grab another bike for the next couple of laps...0
