What pump/type? manual Vs co2

robertxxx

Hi all, i have a giant rapid 3 bike and I'm looking for a pump.

I was looking at http://www.wiggle.co.uk/genuine-innovations-air-chuck-elite-mini-co2-pump/#buyitem

and http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lezyne-pressure-drive-mini-pump-small/


The co2 pumps look like a good idea, are these any good? what happens if theres not enough air or problems getting air in?

The manual pump looks very well made and is neat but its not as neat as the co2 pump, but more reliable due to elbow grease.

What do you guys use.

Cheers

kincsem

The Lezyne because it was the pick in a survey in Cycling Plus this month (and it will probably be sold out immediately.)

cdaly_

I have both. The CO2 inflator is the only thing that will get my tyres up to pressure on the roadside. The pump will assist in finding a puncture to repair but takes a lot of effort to get the tyre up to pressure.

hardCopy

cdaly_ wrote: »

I have both. The CO2 inflator is the only thing that will get my tyres up to pressure on the roadside. The pump will assist in finding a puncture to repair but takes a lot of effort to get the tyre up to pressure.

Do you get enough gas in a canister to fully inflate the tyre or do you top up manually?

I have one in my repair kit but haven't needed it yet.

triggermortis

I use CO2 on the mountain bike as it's UST tyres/wheels but a normal pocket pump is grand for the road bike wile I'm out and about...

Wouldn't waste CO2 on a road tube as it's easy enough to pump up (prob not to 110 psi though...), need it to get UST inflateed

I've a cheap CO2 job and a crank bros pump on my Giant VT2 and a crap pocket pump fpr my Cube....

Lumen

I carry both CO2 and a mini pump. Both are get-you-home solutions, the pump is a last resort. CO2 canisters in bulk are very cheap.

You don't need to top off after CO2 (in fact that would be very difficult) but you do need to replace it with air at some point as it slowly migrates through the rubber (over a number of days).

TheBlaaMan

I use CO2 canisters and they will fully inflate a 23c road tyre no problem. However - in keeping with the 'greening' of our pursuit - I've noticed an increasing sense of use of CO2 now longer being acceptable as it adds to carbon footprints etc; so, if you want to be as green as your chosen hobby, a good pump is the way to go. Most small pumps in my experience will not push 110psi into a road tyre and the implications of only getting 70-80psi in are pinch punctures, so spend a bit on a good one! Just make sure that you adhere to Rule 30
Lumens point about replacing the CO2 with air never occurred to me:o

Lumen

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

However - in keeping with the 'greening' of our pursuit - I've noticed an increasing sense of use of CO2 now longer being acceptable as it adds to carbon footprints etc; so, if you want to be as green as your chosen hobby, a good pump is the way to go.

Where do you think the carbon dioxide in the canister comes from?

Also, there are something like 800 gigatonnes of carbon in the atmosphere, that's 800,000,000,000,000,000g. A 16g cartridge is somewhat insignificant.

cdaly_

And it gets pumped from the atmosphere into the cartridges...

MaroonTam

Lumen wrote: »

Where do you think the carbon dioxide in the canister comes from?

Also, there are something like 800 gigatonnes of carbon in the atmosphere, that's 800,000,000,000,000,000g. A 16g cartridge is somewhat insignificant.

Are empty cartriges recyclable or do they go to landfill?

Lumen

MaroonTam wrote: »

Are empty cartriges recyclable or do they go to landfill?

They're steel I think, so recyclable.

Jawgap

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

I use CO2 canisters and they will fully inflate a 23c road tyre no problem. However - in keeping with the 'greening' of our pursuit - I've noticed an increasing sense of use of CO2 now longer being acceptable as it adds to carbon footprints etc; so, if you want to be as green as your chosen hobby, a good pump is the way to go........

.......and don't forget to hold your breath while cycling and / or pumping tyres - to really minimise your carbon footprint:)

tomasrojo

There is no reason to be concerned about the carbon dioxide in these canisters. Even if it were derived from fossil fuels, the amount is tiny.

However, don't be taken in by anyone who tells you that total carbon dioxide emissions from man-made sources are dwarfed by natural sources and are thus irrelevant. Natural sources are indeed much bigger, but are balanced by natural sinks that are approximately equal in size. The carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels is large relevant to the disparity between the natural sources and natural sinks.

It's a fallacious argument I've heard a few times.

Dr.Millah

Well if you cycle more and use the car less you save alot of CO2, a car will burn well over 100g /Km. 32g per co2 can is very little in comparision.

blorg

CO2 is great but you MUST carry a manual pump as a backup. Once the CO2 is out of the cannister you don't get a second chance. Your backup can be a small (=crap) pump on the basis you hopefully won't need to use it much.

On tour I use a frame pump which is incomparably better than a mini pump. At home, get a track pump.

Super Freak

I have that Lezyne mini pump and it is excellent. Highly recommended.
Small,Light,very well designed&constructed, and the best I have seen for getting up to pressure.
I'm not sure what pressure you would get road tyres up to in real world circumstances but certianly passes my "thumb-press-test"

robertxxx

Super Freak wrote: »

I have that Lezyne mini pump and it is excellent. Highly recommended.
Small,Light,very well designed&constructed, and the best I have seen for getting up to pressure.
I'm not sure what pressure you would get road tyres up to in real world circumstances but certianly passes my "thumb-press-test"

Might have to get that pump after all, as wiggle dont sell co2 to customers outside of UK and irish shops are worse than useless for stock.

Went into wheel worx and was told everybody who buys co2 pumps get's the one i mentioned, but they dont have any in stock!! WHAT??? no stock of the best selling co2 pump. joke.

Super Freak

The bbb co2 pump is quite good, an wheelworks et all stock them. It's basically a right angled connector with a valve to allow inflation. I've used mine a few times now and it's still fine.

Cheap as chips, 2*16g threaded cartridges included. Can be a bit of a b*tch to pierce the cartridge though.

Edit. This one

cdaly_

robertxxx wrote: »

Might have to get that pump after all, as wiggle dont sell co2 to customers outside of UK and irish shops are worse than useless for stock.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=64865309

robertxxx

Got the co2 pump from cycleways, nice amount of stock and good range.

Diarmuid

blorg wrote: »

CO2 is great but you MUST carry a manual pump as a backup.

Depends on where you are riding.

I have been riding with only one CO2 cannister for the past 3 years (10k km/year). I have never been caught out.

Yes, it's possible that you might get a puncture (a rare occurrence) and then the the CO2 fails to inflate the replaced tube (rare occurrence x race occurrence). If you do, then deal with it. Either call home or flag down a local or a passing cyclist.

Obviously this applies to people riding in Dublin/Ireland/Europe. If you are doing a trip across China, you might have to carry a pump......

blorg

I've gone with CO2 only in races but I have also had experiences where the CO2 didn't work. Either faffed inflation or after inflation missed the problem and repunctured. Point is, when it is gone, it is gone.

Riding to China I brought a frame pump (Zefal HP-X.) I was actually weighing up before I went whether the 250g was worth it but boy I am glad I brought it, I think I would have given up by now otherwise!