Favorite trailside CO2 thingy

mattsrabbit

Member
Forgive me if this has been discussed...

I have 2 Pro Bike Tool CO2 inflators and they simply suck. The o-ring refuses to stay in and it never seals properly.

Do you use a hand pump, CO2 inflator, or both on trail rides? What do you recommend??


Also, jeez they are kinda expensive arent' they?
 

Big Dumb Animal

Hippo Nipples' #1 Fan
Forgive me if this has been discussed...

I have 2 Pro Bike Tool CO2 inflators and they simply suck. The o-ring refuses to stay in and it never seals properly.

Do you use a hand pump, CO2 inflator, or both on trail rides? What do you recommend??


Also, jeez they are kinda expensive arent' they?

I've had this one for 5 years and it's never let me down. Not the slimmest profile but it wraps up nicely with my tube on the frame.
 

The Kalmyk

Well-Known Member


Doubling down on Big Dumb Animal's reco. This would be a great choice if you are not an ultra weight weenie.
 

ekuhn

Well-Known Member
This.

Can use 20 and 16 gram CO tubes. You can use BBgun tubes that are normally like $1 a piece or less.
 

Soundguy

#SenditGuy
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Is this the one you’re using?
1608052402738.jpeg

mine has been in my pack for 3 years now and never let me down (inevitably going to fail now that I said that).

the co2’s I usually buy are for killing rodents or some shit. Bought a box of 16 for dirt cheap several years ago and still not through them all. Maybe you are getting too many flats.
 

Soundguy

#SenditGuy
Team MTBNJ Halter's
One day you'll run out of CO2, and from then on you'll always carry a pump. Ask me how I know.
Anyone doing 10hr long adventure rides like you should 100% carry a pump. Co2 is only meant to get you back to the car.

I also just learned that co2 reacts with stans and you need to replace sealant after use. Who knew?
 

mattsrabbit

Member
Is this the one you’re using?
View attachment 145358

mine has been in my pack for 3 years now and never let me down (inevitably going to fail now that I said that).

the co2’s I usually buy are for killing rodents or some shit. Bought a box of 16 for dirt cheap several years ago and still not through them all. Maybe you are getting too many flats.
That's the one I have 2 of that both have never worked for me. Strange!

Also... I had zero idea about the Stans thing. That super sucks!
 

mattsrabbit

Member
Ahhh found a velo news article about the issue with sealant and CO2

From Effetto Mariposa:
“Inflate and repair cartridges commonly contain liquid sealant and propane (or methane-propane mixes), a gas that turns to liquid at lower pressures (5 bar @ 0°C) compared to CO2 (around 35 bar @ 0°C). That’s why inflate and repair cartridges come in aluminum cans and CO2 comes in little steel cylinders; the internal stress the container has to endure is much less for propane. That’s also the reason why you get more inflating power from a small 16g CO2 cartridge than from a big 75ml inflate and repair cartridge, but I digress.

The expansion of a gas is an endothermic reaction (brutally said, it “sucks” heat) and the magnitude of the temperature drop is related to the initial gas pressure; because of its higher cartridge pressure, CO2 will “freeze” a lot more than inflate and repair cartridges like our Espresso.

The reason why latex sealants solidify when using CO2 cartridges is a physical one; it’s the big thermal shock, which often initiates the polymerization of the sealant. To avoid it, it’s normally sufficient to put the valve at 12-o’clock prior to inflation and let the sealant flow down to the 6-o’clock area, so that it won’t be directly hit by the cold gas. Also, reducing the inflation speed (most CO2 adapters allow it these days) will prevent dropping the temperature too much, good for the sealant … and good for your hands, if you’re not wearing gloves.
Inflate and repair cartridges, while sealant-safe from a physical standpoint, are dangerous for the sealant from a chemical standpoint, though. Besides physical shocks (thermal shocks, but also sudden evaporation — as in the case of a puncture), changes in the pH of the sealant can also trigger its polymerization. Using an inflate and repair cartridge, you’re mixing the sealant inside your tires with the sealant inside the cartridge. The mix is stable if both have the same pH (like our Espresso and Caffélatex, which have a similar formula for this very purpose); otherwise, the sealant will normally solidify in a matter of minutes or maximum a few days. This won’t prevent roadside repair, so the cartridge will serve its purpose, but you’d better wash away the sealant mix once at home and restore your liquid sealant of choice, for enduring protection.
— Alberto De Gioannini
Founder, Effetto Mariposa Sagl”

From Stan’s:
“We have not tested the Hutchinson FastAir that contains a liquid sealant. We have used the Propane Big Air and the Big Air works fine with our sealant. CO2 will get you out of the woods, but we found it reduced the life of the sealant.
— Peter Kastner
System Manager
Stan’s NOTUBES”

Also from Stan’s:
“I don’t think the propane will affect the sealant. Either way, he just needs to get home. Once home, he can remove one bead of the tire and inspect his sealant. Tubeless tires are not hard to dismount if you push one bead into the drop channel and remove this bead while leaving the second bead stretched on the tubeless bench. It’s harder to remove the tire once both beads are in the drop channel. But even then, a plastic lever can remove the first bead and the second will push off with your hand.
— Stan Koziatek
Stan’s NOTUBES”
 

Jmann

Never gonna let you down.
I have a Portland design works inflator that has worked well the couple times I used it. I had a plastic inflator grenade on me and will only use a metal inflator with a valve from now on. Generally the Co2 stays in the road saddle bag unless I’m running a hip pack on shorter rides, mini pump always in the camelback. Even on longer road rides I like to have a mini pump.
 

Karate Monkey

Well-Known Member
Either the Ultraflate from the beginning of you don't care about space/weight, or the Ultraflate Nano if you do.

The Nano is as close as you're gonna come to a caveman-level inflator. Zero moving parts, never fails (as long as you make sure it seals on your valves before you need it).
 

shrpshtr325

Infinite Source of Sarcasm
Team MTBNJ Halter's
i have a bontrager hand pump and i carry one of the geniune inovations c02inflators shown above (mine must be older bc its metal instead of plastic/rubber)

 

icebiker

JORBA: Morris Trails
JORBA.ORG
CO2 when the bugs are biting or the snow is flying. Gets you out of trouble faster so you don’t get eaten alive or frozen to death. I use an older Serfas that takes 12g and 16g. 12g cartridges are super cheap. Hand pump always though.
 
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jShort

2018 Fantasy Football Toilet Bowl Lead Technician
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Is there a carry pump that will do everything... shocks, forks, and tires? With an accurate gauge? That last requirement probably makes it impossible. But figured I’d ask.
 

jackx

Well-Known Member
Is there a carry pump that will do everything... shocks, forks, and tires? With an accurate gauge? That last requirement probably makes it impossible. But figured I’d ask.
Unless digital, likely doubtful, as the gauge could be hard to read to a single PSI if the gauge has to read from 0 to 350 psi for a rear shock. Not sure if a pump can do both low and high pressure.
 
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