CO2 pumps are rubbish.
CO2 pumps are rubbish.
At least they are if that's all you carry. Just had my worst ride ever, had to walk 6.5 miles home (in SPD shoes) after I couldn't fix a rear puncture.
I haven't had a look at it yet as I threw it straight in the shed when I got back, but I swapped the tube at the road side and inflated it with a Co2 canister but for some reason it didn't work. I don't carry a pump on that bike because I don't carry a bag big enough to carry one but I thought I was covered with the C02, tubes and repair kit.
Won't be relying on it again. Thoroughly hacked off
I haven't had a look at it yet as I threw it straight in the shed when I got back, but I swapped the tube at the road side and inflated it with a Co2 canister but for some reason it didn't work. I don't carry a pump on that bike because I don't carry a bag big enough to carry one but I thought I was covered with the C02, tubes and repair kit.
Won't be relying on it again. Thoroughly hacked off
Re: CO2 pumps are rubbish.
On a normal ride out and back to/from home, all I carry is two tubes and two CO2 bottles, plus tyre levers.
I've had punctures, and all I do is take off the tyre, fit a new tube, and inflate with CO2.
Job done.
Foolproof, simple and easy.
What went wrong with yours?
I've had punctures, and all I do is take off the tyre, fit a new tube, and inflate with CO2.
Job done.
Foolproof, simple and easy.
What went wrong with yours?
Mick F. Cornwall
Re: CO2 pumps are rubbish.
No idea Mick, I'm not really too interested in finding out at the minute either. I was cursing myself all the way back though for relying on it and not a pump.
Like you say, in theory they're fool proof but something obviously went wrong and once they're gone they're gone and then it's shanks's pony.
Like you say, in theory they're fool proof but something obviously went wrong and once they're gone they're gone and then it's shanks's pony.
Re: CO2 pumps are rubbish.
I tried one years ago, and when I went to use it for the first time I found all the gas had leaked out. I always carry a mini pump now, and it puts enough pressure in to get home.
Power to the pedals
Re: CO2 pumps are rubbish.
First part of my rant is about co2 pumps. Do you really need a tyre pumped up so quick that you dissregard the amount of waste that is caused by the manafaturing of these one use items?
I've had one puncture in 2 years (tempting fate?) so I don't bother carry a large pump anymore, just a mini pump. I think if you look where you are going and go round pot-holes instead of over them puntures are quite rare with modern tyres.
I've had one puncture in 2 years (tempting fate?) so I don't bother carry a large pump anymore, just a mini pump. I think if you look where you are going and go round pot-holes instead of over them puntures are quite rare with modern tyres.
Re: CO2 pumps are rubbish.
I've never ever used a CO2 cylinder (in truth I don't really know how they work. Do you just get 'one shot' from it? And what pressure do you get?) And after reading your tale of woe, I'm not about to start!
The real shame is, no passing cyclist (if there were any) - with pump - saw fit to stop and offer any assistance. I'm sure I would have done. When I am fixing a 'visit' by the roadside, I invariably get the odd one or two cyclists stop and ask if I need help.
The real shame is, no passing cyclist (if there were any) - with pump - saw fit to stop and offer any assistance. I'm sure I would have done. When I am fixing a 'visit' by the roadside, I invariably get the odd one or two cyclists stop and ask if I need help.
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Re: CO2 pumps are rubbish.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/genuine-innovat ... -inflator/
This one is mine.
It's just a unit that screws onto a new canister and punctures the seal. You fit it to the valve - Presta or Shreader - and as you press, the gas enters the tyre. One canister will do two of my tyres.
The tyres go rock hard in seconds. Make sure you re-inflate with normal air after getting home as CO2 tends to seep away through the tube walls. Something to do with chemistry.
This one is mine.
It's just a unit that screws onto a new canister and punctures the seal. You fit it to the valve - Presta or Shreader - and as you press, the gas enters the tyre. One canister will do two of my tyres.
The tyres go rock hard in seconds. Make sure you re-inflate with normal air after getting home as CO2 tends to seep away through the tube walls. Something to do with chemistry.
Mick F. Cornwall
Re: CO2 pumps are rubbish.
I had a puncture last year(three in total in 20013 in 5k miles) and was caught out as I always carry a (real)pump in my seat post bag but had decided to ride with a ikle seatpack and forgot to put the frame fit pump on the bike.
I stood by the side of the road for all of 15minutes before a chap on a road bike stopped for me after my asking for help,with a not too good(his admission not mine but I had to agree) mini pump it took a bit longer than usual to pump up my 700x37c tyre.
I thought about MickF's idea of carrying CO2 suppositories but decided against decided to either fit the frame fit pump on that bike,remember to change it over or buy another Minimorphe.
There's something final about CO2 that I don't like.Even a poor pump will always get enough air in a tyre to ride home.
I stood by the side of the road for all of 15minutes before a chap on a road bike stopped for me after my asking for help,with a not too good(his admission not mine but I had to agree) mini pump it took a bit longer than usual to pump up my 700x37c tyre.
I thought about MickF's idea of carrying CO2 suppositories but decided against decided to either fit the frame fit pump on that bike,remember to change it over or buy another Minimorphe.
There's something final about CO2 that I don't like.Even a poor pump will always get enough air in a tyre to ride home.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Re: CO2 pumps are rubbish.
661-Pete wrote:The real shame is, no passing cyclist (if there were any) - with pump - saw fit to stop and offer any assistance. I'm sure I would have done. When I am fixing a 'visit' by the roadside, I invariably get the odd one or two cyclists stop and ask if I need help.
Didn't see a single cyclist all day, even if I did it's mostly factory workers around here, riding the two or three streets to work and back on ropey old MTBs, highly unlikely any of them carry puncture kits/pumps.
I'm still not really sure what happened- I took out the flat tube and put in the replacement (not new but known to be good) fitted it all and zapped it with the Co2, it went up and then instantly went flat again.
Knowing I'd only got whatever was left in the canister and that I'd only get one go at it I removed the tube again, then found the hole on the original flat tube and fixed it with a patch, the hole looked in a good spot for a successful repair and I repaired it best I could, taking my time knowing that I'd only get one shot. Fitted it all and zapped it again and exactly the same happened, filled up and then went instantly flat
I probably spent most of my time checking the tyre for the offending item but I couldn't find it, I was happy I'd done all I could so just packed it all away and set off pushing it home. I suppose I have to be thankful that I only made it the 6.5 miles before I punctured and not 15
Re: CO2 pumps are rubbish.
Mick F wrote:http://www.wiggle.co.uk/genuine-innovations-air-chuck-elite-tyre-inflator/
This one is mine.
From Wiggle website:
So they have to extract CO2 from the ground (I presume that's what they mean by 'volcanic European source') to fill these wretched things?"All Innovations cartridges are filled with naturally occurring pure CO2 from a volcanic European source, ensuring the very highest quality for reliable use."
You'd have thought, there's enough CO2 floating around in the atmosphere already without them having to add to it. And what do they mean by 'highest quality'? CO2 is CO2. It's a simple chemical compound. I don't see how there can be any 'good quality' or 'bad quality' about it.
No thanks.
Mick F wrote:The tyres go rock hard in seconds. Make sure you re-inflate with normal air after getting home as CO2 tends to seep away through the tube walls. Something to do with chemistry.
I did chemistry 'A' level (admittedly, some years ago), and I don't remember anything about CO2 seeping through rubber. Are you sure you're not thinking of helium (used by some track racers)?
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Re: CO2 pumps are rubbish.
Last time I had a pump fail I tried stuffing the tyre with grass and anything else I could find in the hedge. It cushioned the ride for a bit but it does turn into a grass smoothie that spits out and covered everything in green slime. At which point I gave up stuffing and just rode home very slowly and carefully on the flat tyre (it was a rear so could still steer and brake OK). It was an inexpensive touring tyre and didn't seem any the worse for wear when I got home - but I would imagine doing similar on a skinny race tyre and carbon light weight rim could end up costing somewhat more than a taxi home!
Re: CO2 pumps are rubbish.
I've heard of that dodge but never tried it. Perhaps straw or hay would be better than fresh grass. If you're in a rural area try climbing a gate into a nearby field. There's a chance there'll be a bale of straw somewhere, and I'm sure the farmer won't mind you nicking a bit...Si wrote:Last time I had a pump fail I tried stuffing the tyre with grass and anything else I could find in the hedge.
Mind you, I hope I never have the need....
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Re: CO2 pumps are rubbish.
I have an old fashioned frame pump on each of my bikes and they are mostly used by club members who have problems with their various mini pumps.
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Re: CO2 pumps are rubbish.
fossala wrote: I think if you look where you are going and go round pot-holes instead of over them puntures are quite rare with modern tyres.
Goodness. Which particular Shangri-La do you live in? Presumably by linking potholes with punctures you're thinking of pinch punctures, which cause only a very small percentage of the punctures I experience. Over 80% are caused by tiny stone fragments, of which 93% are quartz.(One year I was so obsessed by this, I carefully kept all the perpetrators I'd removed from the tyre, and subsequently had them analyzed by a geologist friend). Tyre developments have made a huge improvement, but if you ride on wet rural lanes in areas with a lot of quartz in the bedrock (and hence in the soil), they'll still get through.
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Re: CO2 pumps are rubbish.
I have a Specialized mini-pump that has served me well for years. With a few minutes’ effort it gets tyres to about 110 PSI, and 70 PSI is reached in not much more than 30 seconds of vigorous pumping (which has the added advantage of warming you up after standing at the side of the road for a few minutes).
The only real problem with the pump is that it tends to bend valve stems if you aren’t careful to hold it at the right angle, since it doesn’t have a flexible hose at the end. Holding it at the right angle becomes difficult as you approach 100 PSI.
In addition to the disposable nature, cost, and environmental problems of using CO2 canisters, I have a couple of practical concerns with them:
• can they be used to inflate a tube to low pressure to help find a small puncture?
• can they add a little air to give a tube structure to aid with getting it into the tyre?
• if yes and yes, is there then enough gas left to inflate the tube to high pressure when you’re done?
The only real problem with the pump is that it tends to bend valve stems if you aren’t careful to hold it at the right angle, since it doesn’t have a flexible hose at the end. Holding it at the right angle becomes difficult as you approach 100 PSI.
In addition to the disposable nature, cost, and environmental problems of using CO2 canisters, I have a couple of practical concerns with them:
• can they be used to inflate a tube to low pressure to help find a small puncture?
• can they add a little air to give a tube structure to aid with getting it into the tyre?
• if yes and yes, is there then enough gas left to inflate the tube to high pressure when you’re done?