Mountain Biking - What size CO2 cartridges?

I know there are different sizes, so what size is the most appropriate and economical choice? Would a 12g cartridge work, or do I need a 16g?

whatever fits your bag best :) Either one will work fine

Sweet! Picked up a 15 pack of 12g's for $8 at Walmart. ;)

Be advised that it may take as many as 3 of those 12g cartridges to pump a mountain bike tire up to a decent pressure.

I use one 12g cartridge on a road bike tire and get about 90 psi out of it. On my mtb I figure three of the same cartridges will give me 45 psi or so. Maybe you could limp home on 2 cartridges worth of gas.

So even if I had 16g cartridges, I'd still need about 2 of those?

3? Jeez, when i was riding awhile ago i had a total flat, i put in a 12g cartridge of air and had plenty of air to make it back home, of course by the time i made it back it was totally flat again but oh well!

Ok found this on the Performance website:

Tire inflation capacities: 700x23-94PSI. 700x28- 90PSI. 26x1.5- 41PSI. 26x1.95- 32PSI. 26x2.125-28PSI.

So I guess we can limp home on one. :p

I trust my trusty pump.. Only use I'd have for co2 cartridge, as a spare to a spare.

If you do use CO2 Cartridges to fill your tire, when you get home be sure to deflate it, and re-inflate the tire with a regular tire pump. (CO2 apparently leaks much faster through the tube wall than regular air does). Go figure...

I used to think that way Cyclezealot then I picked up one on sale, I love them now :) I carry 4 Co2 cartridges with me, I figure that should get me home unlesss I have EXTREMELY bad luck.

Chi,

I pick up a box of 12gram cartridges now and then at Wally world for real cheap and use them in my CO2 pump. I've found that one will give the tire enough pressure to get home on. I usually ride with one in the pump and one to two in the seat bag with it. On longer rides, I carry a manual pump on the bike in case I run out.

-Moab

Thanks for the responses and tips everyone! Learn something new everyday. :D

The Innovations Big Air canister works well for mountain bikes, as it fills two 26" tires, so even if you have some problems, it ought to at least fill one completely. It is about the size of two 12 or 16 gram CO2 cartridges. It only works on threaded inflators though, so that might be an issue for some.

Originally posted by Cipher
If you do use CO2 Cartridges to fill your tire, when you get home be sure to deflate it, and re-inflate the tire with a regular tire pump. (CO2 apparently leaks much faster through the tube wall than regular air does).



Any scientific references for this?

Originally posted by Chi
I know there are different sizes, so what size is the most appropriate and economical choice? Would a 12g cartridge work, or do I need a 16g?


Depends on price.


One 16g canister fills my 700x28 tyre quite nicely, certainly enough for a safe journey home.

I take a second, just in case. But how often am I gonna get a flat? ;)

Just got a flat 2 days ago on a San Francisco Golden Gate ride. :mad: Couldn't commute this morning coz I didn't catch it till today ... had to drive. :mad:

FYI - kmart carries 12g carts by the case - I forget what I paid but it was like $.30 each (it's not on their website you have to go there)

I know I bought a 25 pack of them last time at wallmart for $12 for teh 12 gram Co2, not found any place that sells 16g by the case yet.

Originally posted by belfast-biker
Any scientific references for this?

Paraphrased from another post a guy made on another cycling website... (I have no personal experience with this. The one time I've used a CO2 cartridge to inflate a flat, I had to add some air with a pump when I got home because I was under inflated on one 12g. cartridge).

I use the 12 gram one because they're cheap and easily available.

12gram threadless are easy to find anywhere.. if you are out on the road bug a starbucks they even have them :)

Really?

Star bucks uses them for their whip cream can things.. not sure of exact name.. THey don't actualy sell them, but if desperate I'm sure they would give you one.

It's not CO2 but nitrous oxide I believe. It would still do essentially the same thing. Except you could inhale the nitrous and get a fuzzy head :o

:D