pumps

keogh777

Hi,

I am a newbie to the forum. I just got a new bike after been out of cycling for a long time. Just wondering do people still use normal pumps in case of a flat when out training or do you use these new co2 things.

Any recommendations for either

cheers

Lumen

CO2 inflators have a reputation for being unreliable.

There now exist hybrid inflators with both CO2 and a pump (for speed and reliability).

Personally, I use fairly puncture-resistant tyres (gatorskins) and carry a mini pump attached to the bottle boss and spare tubes + self-adhesive patches in a saddle bag. This is probably overkill.

Full size pumps apparently inflate faster (like 100 rather than 250 strokes).

Choose your weapons!

TinyExplosions

I use CO2 exclusively, and haven't had a problem yet -small, light to carry, and quick to inflate... perfect!

liamo

Lumen wrote: »

Personally, I use fairly puncture-resistant tyres (gatorskins) and carry a mini pump attached to the bottle boss and spare tubes + self-adhesive patches in a saddle bag. This is probably overkill.

Not overkill at all. I have all of the above plus my CO2 inflator + 2 cartridges.

Lumen

TinyExplosions wrote: »

I use CO2 exclusively, and haven't had a problem yet -small, light to carry, and quick to inflate... perfect!

How many cartridges do you carry?

Presumably you need the same number of cartridges as spare tubes, and there's no point in carrying spare patches since you'll run out of air first?

The obvious problem I see with an inflator and catridges is that you have to carry them (less space for snacks, tools etc).

How does a frame-attached pump score against a saddle bag in negative hipster/Euro points?

TinyExplosions

Lumen wrote: »

How many cartridges do you carry?

Presumably you need the same number of cartridges as spare tubes, and there's no point in carrying spare patches since you'll run out of air first?

The obvious problem I see with an inflator and catridges is that you have to carry them (less space for snacks, tools etc).

How does a frame-attached pump score against a saddle bag in negative hipster/Euro points?

Usually have one tube, a puncture repair kit and 3 or 4 cartridges in my pocket or saddle bag... the way I see it is that you're unlucky to get more than one puncture out on a spin, so the tube an cartridge covers that... if you're very unlucky, the 2 spare carts and repair kit cover that... hasn't let me down yet!

short circuit

If you end up deciding to go for a frame mounted pump ... I have one similar to this
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Topeak_Road_Morph_With_Gauge/5360036955/

Mine was a no name brand called YBK from Wiggle .. got it a few months back for a fiver ... It doesn't look as well manufactured and does not have a guage .. but still works.

Pros
1. Larger barrel ... hence fewer strokes
2. Attaches via a hose to the valve .. hence less chance of damaging the valve.
3. As it converts to a pseudo floor pump, you don't need arms like Popeye to get to a decent pressure .. I have surprised myself by actually going beyond 120psi while I struggled to get to around 70psi with other mini pumps. Once you puncture .. you don't feel as if your ride is over or cycle gingerly trying to aviod snake bites

Cons
1. A bit bigger than other mini pumps .. and obviously heavier
2. Big points lost on the style front ...

keogh777

cheers guys,

thanks for the replys, plenty of food for thought there

jimmycrackcorm

Where is good to get a co2 thingy? After getting my first puncture on the way to work and had no time to fix it.

TinyExplosions

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Where is good to get a co2 thingy? After getting my first puncture on the way to work and had no time to fix it.

Any Local Bike Shop (LBS) should have 'em -I got a cheap BBB one, and it's great

Bunnyhopper

Any recommendations for track pumps? I'm looking at the Topeak Joe Blow Sport or the SKS Airworx at the moment, but I'm open to suggestions (around the €30-35 mark, preferrably). Ta.

Lumen

Bunnyhopper wrote: »

Any recommendations for track pumps? I'm looking at the Topeak Joe Blow Sport or the SKS Airworx at the moment, but I'm open to suggestions (around the €30-35 mark, preferrably). Ta.

Just get one with a gauge. I seem to have the only gaugeless track pump in the world, and I have little idea what my pressures are (currently "quite hard" to one significant word). It seems standalone gauges died out sometime in the nineties, and no-one told me.

I saw a nice looking Park track pump in Cycle Surgery for €45.

Stark

Bunnyhopper wrote: »

Any recommendations for track pumps? I'm looking at the Topeak Joe Blow Sport or the SKS Airworx at the moment, but I'm open to suggestions (around the €30-35 mark, preferrably). Ta.

Won't go wrong with the Joe Blow Sport.

liamo

Lumen wrote: »

It seems standalone gauges died out sometime in the nineties, and no-one told me.

Not so. I couldn't find it on the site to link to but I got one in Cycle SuperStore a few months back for (I think) about €15.

It's small and neat and fits nicely into my toolbag.

Turbulent Bill

Halfrauds have a selection of stand-alone gauges for car tyres, though I'm not sure what pressure range they cater for. Not much use if you have Presta valves, though.

Plenty of people on here seem to use the Joe Blow range (have one myself).

Danbo!

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Where is good to get a co2 thingy? After getting my first puncture on the way to work and had no time to fix it.

Can the Co2 really save that much time though? Ok they may be handier than a pump, but the vast majority of time spent replacing a tube is tyre off, old tube out, check tyre, new tube in. Even with a handpump i'd spend less than a minute getting a decent pressure in.

I'd have thought the Co2 would inflate the tyre immediately, which could cause problems if the tube is pinched, which usually happens if you fit it with no air at all. I find one or two blast of the pump will give the tube shape and you can then ensure its fitted comfortably within the tyre before pumping to 100-110psi.

Not doubting their practicality, just wondering as I've never used them

TinyExplosions

noblestee wrote: »

Can the Co2 really save that much time though? Ok they may be handier than a pump, but the vast majority of time spent replacing a tube is tyre off, old tube out, check tyre, new tube in. Even with a handpump i'd spend less than a minute getting a decent pressure in.

I'd have thought the Co2 would inflate the tyre immediately, which could cause problems if the tube is pinched, which usually happens if you fit it with no air at all. I find one or two blast of the pump will give the tube shape and you can then ensure its fitted comfortably within the tyre before pumping to 100-110psi.

Not doubting their practicality, just wondering as I've never used them

Part of it depends on how much pressure you're trying to get into a tyre... if you're trying to get up to 100-120psi, it'll take a lot longer than a minute to get up to pressure with a mini pump, if it'll even get there (a lot struggle after 80psi or so), whereas a CO2 inflator will get you up to correct pressure in under 30 seconds.

Also, you can regulate how much goes in, so can use it to inflate the tyre a little, check for pinches etc, before inflating to full pressure.

At the end of the day, it's horses for courses, and use whatever you feel comfortable with!

blorg

The main benefit with the CO2 as Tiny says is the pressure, you will get a tyre ridable quickly enough with a hand pump but you could be a very long time indeed getting up to ~100PSI. Any time I have inflated with my hand pump, even if I spend a while at it and get it pretty hard, when I check at home with the track pump it is only at 60-80 PSI or so.

Raam

TinyExplosions wrote: »

I use CO2 exclusively, and haven't had a problem yet -small, light to carry, and quick to inflate... perfect!

Is it possible to refill the cartridges yourself?

TinyExplosions

Raam wrote: »

Is it possible to refill the cartridges yourself?

Don't think so, but they're only a couple of quid each, as cheap as a tube

Raam

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Don't think so, but they're only a couple of quid each, as cheap as a tube

At the rate I go through tubes, it doesn't look like an economically viable choice for me

Danbo!

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Part of it depends on how much pressure you're trying to get into a tyre... if you're trying to get up to 100-120psi, it'll take a lot longer than a minute to get up to pressure with a mini pump, if it'll even get there (a lot struggle after 80psi or so), whereas a CO2 inflator will get you up to correct pressure in under 30 seconds.

I use a mini telescopic pump and it takes maybe a 60 - 90 seconds to get circa 90-100psi, mainly because it's handle is hinged and flips into a T-shape, and the "telescopic-ness" means the pump extends to about 12 inches long (only the last 3 inches of 'push' being the most effective, if ya get me).

Having said that though, Ill only ever do it that fast in a hurry and it usually results in seeing spots in my eyes, chest pains, and striking pains in the left arm

Raam

noblestee wrote: »

I use a mini telescopic pump and it takes maybe a 60 - 90 seconds to get circa 90-100psi, mainly because it's handle is hinged and flips into a T-shape, and the "telescopic-ness" means the pump extends to about 12 inches long (only the last 3 inches of 'push' being the most effective, if ya get me).

Having said that though, Ill only ever do it that fast in a hurry and it usually results in seeing spots in my eyes, chest pains, and striking pains in the left arm

Which pump do you have? I'm on the look out for a new one, as my own is rubbish.

DirkVoodoo

Do the cartridges have a valve or are they a "one-shot" deal?

If you could get a valved cartridge Raam, then I'm sure you could get them refilled.

Might be worth having one for those times when you have a good way to go on a spin or conditions are pretty miserable, at least then you have the choice of the hand pump if its a case where you have time or are near home.

Danbo!

Raam wrote: »

Which pump do you have? I'm on the look out for a new one, as my own is rubbish.

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=136&idproduct=8994

Thats it, except the one I have only does Presta valves, that one seems to do both. And according to that link, it can do 144PSI, jaysus....

blorg

@noblestee- do you actually have verification that you are getting up to 100PSI in 90 seconds with it? I have a SKS hand pump rated to 144PSI too but these numbers are often inflated. As I said I pump until the tyre is hard but on further inflating at home with the track pump it is clear I am nowhere near 100PSI.

Danbo!

maybe not exactly 100psi in 90 secs, but ive never spent longer than that pumping, and when I check on the track pump at home i'd be about 85-95 psi. Ive used some shtty handpumps where the arms are hanging off you at 25 psi. The one I linked to is quite easy to use

blorg wrote: »

....but these numbers are often inflated....

Oi! less of that!

Gavin

blorg wrote: »

@noblestee- do you actually have verification that you are getting up to 100PSI in 90 seconds with it? I have a SKS hand pump rated to 144PSI too but these numbers are often inflated. As I said I pump until the tyre is hard but on further inflating at home with the track pump it is clear I am nowhere near 100PSI.

That's a bit of a let down alright. Bleedin manufacturers are full of hot air. They should probably be pressured into accurate measurements.

Danbo!

Verb wrote: »

That's a bit of a let down alright. Bleedin manufacturers are full of hot air. They should probably be pressured into accurate measurements.

Booo!!! hissssssssss!!

TinyExplosions

Verb wrote: »

That's a bit of a let down alright. Bleedin manufacturers are full of hot air. They should probably be pressured into accurate measurements.

But then how would we gauge those measurements? So long as we know they're inflated, it's ok

short circuit

blorg wrote: »

@noblestee- do you actually have verification that you are getting up to 100PSI in 90 seconds with it? I have a SKS hand pump rated to 144PSI too but these numbers are often inflated. As I said I pump until the tyre is hard but on further inflating at home with the track pump it is clear I am nowhere near 100PSI.

The one I have,

similar to http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/To...ge/5360036955/

does get me to over 120psi as verified by my track pump .. but in no where around 90secs ... I would say it takes me around around 3mins, but then I am too slow with taking the tyre off, changing the tube and getting it back on .. so not too worried at the 3mins .. I am sure someone faster could do it in under 2mins.