CO2 pumps

DavyD_83

Just wondering if anybody has experience with these. I've been considering getting one, but don't know if their good or just a waste of money. Maybe I'm just being lazy, but they look like they might be handy if work as well as intended to.

This is the sort of thing i'm on about in case that wasn't very clear.:rolleyes:
http://www.stif.co.uk/gear/select_options.asp?productid=2040

Gavin

Apparently with new EU regulations, these pumps could be banned. They produce too much carbon.

ollietrex

I would not use one for general road riding but I carry one when I am mountain bike riding as the difference between filling your tire in 10 secs with one of these and a few minutes pumping a tire could be a good few places in a race.

TinyExplosions

They're great to get you home if you have a puncture, but the CO2 leaks out of the tube over time, so you'd still need to pump it up by hand after a while

blorg

Bottom line would be useful in a race but arguably unnecessary otherwise. Personally I take substantially longer to replace or patch a tube than to pump the thing back up again.

They do work perfectly well but obviously you have to get new cartridges. Another advantage over a pump is that they are smaller. Also, some people take issue with not being able to get up to an adaquate PSI with a hand pump.

Planet X

I'm looking to get one before the racing season starts. Cyclelogical have them I reckon?
Smaller, neater than a pump and quicker. will fit in a small saddle pack.

E@gle.

Planet X wrote: »

I'm looking to get one before the racing season starts. Cyclelogical have them I reckon?
Smaller, neater than a pump and quicker. will fit in a small saddle pack.

yeah co2 pumps are nice and small so u can put into saddle bag etc, and you can get the tyres up to about 110psi with them

rubadub

If you are not using them in a race you are just plain lazy, and foolish with your money. A lot of people cycle just to burn calories, in which case your arms can probably do with a workout too!

Chips Lovell

Don't ride with one myself but got to try one at Christmas. It will inflate the tyre a bit quicker than a pump but, as blorg said, you spend most of your time getting the new tube on.

Picked up a couple of these recently. They'll supposedly repair a tube and inflate it to around 90psi and are not much bigger than a CO2 cartridge. Just have to get a puncture now to see if it actually works. I've only had one in the past year, so I could be waiting a while.

joemc99

I use C02 when MTB XC racing, for marathon racing and general MTB spin, I bring both pump and C02. If you get a puncture, and than you get a slow, you are screwed.......get for racing though.

DavyD_83

rubadub wrote: »

If you are not using them in a race you are just plain lazy, and foolish with your money.

Yeh, thats what i was thinking originally. I've relied on pumps at petrol stations up to now, just got my new bike (giant fcr2, hybrid jobby) and it's got schrader valves so i guess i gotta learn about this stuff.

Bought myself a mini pump today which seems fairly effective, in no rush to test it properly. I might still get a co2 one next time i have spare cash (could be waiting a fair while).

Also, probably be a silly question, don't know much about this whole road bike thing. But if people complain that they can't get sufficient pressure in their tyres using a hand pump, what do you use instead?

TinyExplosions

DavyD_83 wrote: »

Yeh, thats what i was thinking originally. I've relied on pumps at petrol stations up to now, just got my new bike (giant fcr2, hybrid jobby) and it's got schrader valves so i guess i gotta learn about this stuff.

Also, probably be a silly question, don't know much about this whole road bike thing. But if people complain that they can't get sufficient pressure in their tyres using a hand pump, what do you use instead?

A couple of quid will get you a schrader to presta adaptor so you can still use garages!

Track pumps are just the job to get the higher pressures you need for a road bike

PeadarofAodh

My mum picked one up from Lidl about a couple of months back without realising it was a CO2 pump. When I screwed the cartridge in (Making sure it was going in dead straight as I don't like messing about with pressurised things!) it started hissing quietly, so being precautious I began to unscrew it...it exploded across the room and would've frozen my fingers into ice blocks if I hadn't let it go!

Chips Lovell

DavyD_83 wrote: »

Also, probably be a silly question, don't know much about this whole road bike thing. But if people complain that they can't get sufficient pressure in their tyres using a hand pump, what do you use instead?

Yep, a track pump. You'll never get road tyres up to full pressure with a hand pump. It's only good enough for getting you home and you have to make sure to avoid potholes and stones to avoid getting a pinch flat.