Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - frame pump,mini pump or co2 which one do you prefer?

what do you carry on long rides? trying to decide what to carry.

I carry a full length frame pump on all rides.
Just one pump, one system, on all bikes.....always the same.

Co2 is so much more convenient that I always carry it. I do have a mini-pump for "just in case" though.

Minipump CO2 combo with two cartridges. I wouldn't rely on CO2 alone.
I rarely get flats on long rides, generally its glass filled city streets that do the damage, usually slow leaks. If I got a lot of punctures I would probably carry a frame pump.

Used to carry a full-size frame fit pump (and on a 65 cm frame that's FULL-size). They worked well enough to limp home but not much more. Tried a couple mini-pumps and found them completely usesless, even for 35psi mtb tires. Never bothered with CO2 - the environmental issues of the empty cartridges were a bit much. Now I use a Topeak Road Morph. This is without question the best frame pump I have ever used. True, it looks a bit dorky on the bike, but when it comes down to inflating a tire, the only pump I've found to work better is a Silca Pista floor pump. 100+psi? No sweat. Literally. And, when you're in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night on a 600-1200k brevet, the "limping home on a soft tire" approach just is not an option. As stated above, it's somewhat aesthetically challenged, and weighs more than a Silca Impero, but if you want to get your tire up to full pressure reliably and with minimal effort and zero environmental impact, the Road Morph is the way to go.

SP

Used to carry a full-size frame fit pump (and on a 65 cm frame that's FULL-size). They worked well enough to limp home but not much more.

Perhaps your particular pump wasn't working as good as it should have been....?? I can get 100psi on either my Zefal or Blackburn frame pump, although they require much more muscle power than the Road Morph.

+1 for the Road Morph. I have the Road Morph G with the cheesy built-in pressure gauge. It's not the greatest gauge in the world, but it's just (barely) good enough that it saves me the trouble of getting out the real gauge.

I use the Topeak Road Morph. It won't fit into my front or rear bags, so I mounted in on the cage nuts under the down tube. This exposes it to front wheel crud. I used a 1-1/2 inch piece of clear shrink wrap packaging film, heat sealed the pump into the film, and secured it to the mount using the Velcro tie. In 3,500 miles of long distance riding on Ruffy Tuffy tires, I have yet to use the pump but it's there if I need it.

Mini-pump & CO2.

I've had occassion to give away my CO2 to a fellow cyclist who needed it. It was good peace of mind to know I still had the pump if I needed it.

You can make it home with a minipump, but they do require an awful lot of pumping, and unless you're Hercules, you won't be riding home at your usual tire pressure, that's for sure. CO2 is convenient, but I don't think cyclists should be adding to more disposal of unnecessary garbage. My favourite pump was a Zefal HPX. All that being said, I carry a Blackburn Airstick minipump for my around town riding. The Airstik has always gotten me home. I always loved the look of a traditional Silca, but you really don't want to be forced to use a pump with a head that doesn't lock onto the valve.

Personally, I think that if you "commute" by bike, it's a little hypocritical to be using CO2 cartridges for pumping tires.

I just use a mini-pump but always take a schrader/presta converter with me (they are only tiny) so I can fill up to max pressure at a gas station if need be.

Another +1 for the Road Morph.

Fits nicely in the side pocket of my h'bar bag, or the elastic loops under my seat wedge when I don't need the front bag.

I looked at the road morph, but it was too big for the bag I was using at the time, so I got the mini morph instead. I'm a big fan. On my commuter it goes in the pannier with everything else, and on my road bike I have it mounted on the bottom of the down tube, like sringlee mentioned above, with a bag rubber-banded over the top to keep out water and crud.

It's not totally ideal for the commuter, because a 26x1.6 tire holds enough air that it takes a lot of strokes. It's not too difficult, but it gets old. For the road bike, though, with 700x23c tires, it works great. Many things pissed me off about getting a flat this weekend in cold, driving rain when I'd ditched my jacket because I thought the rain was over, but the pump was a bright spot. Got up to full pressure with very little work.

frame pump - i don't trust CO2 cartridges (e.g. they'll run out), plus they'd generate more trash than i'm willing to deal with.

Perhaps your particular pump wasn't working as good as it should have been....?? I can get 100psi on either my Zefal or Blackburn frame pump, although they require much more muscle power than the Road Morph.
Don't know the Road Morph on this side of the Atlantic. Use a Zefal high pressure full size pump.

+1 on the Topeak Road Morph G

On my 52cm Long Haul Trucker, it fits nicely in the unused space between my seat post and my rear wheel.

http://www.geocities.com/skyler_wa/photos/skyler_52cm_lht_winter_config.jpg

Co2 is so much more convenient that I always carry it. I do have a mini-pump for "just in case" though.

Same for me. I often ride in groups and CO2 means the wait for everybody else is shorter. b

Exactly. But at least in my neighborhood, the average rider will spend ten minutes on the side of the road just fiddling with tire levers, inspecting the tire, and examining the tube with a microscope before even beginning to pump it back up.

So I guess if you don't give a **** about the other people in your group, a frame pump is just fine. :p

I'm amazed at the complaints about a mini pump and the time to inflat. I can get about 70 lbs of pressure in two minutes and well over 90 lbs in five.

My road bikes are both sleek looking and I hate the look of pumps cluttering up the design. I also carry a couple CO2 cartridges when I flat with a group and need to fix the flat quickly

Guess I'm ADD, but five minutes is a PITA as far as I'm concerned -- especially when Co2 gets the same results in about 5 seconds. And I don't have to wear out my wimpy bike rider arms!

Each to his own, of course.

I have been using a Zorin Postpump for the last month or so. I like it a lot. It is a seatpost with a pump inside it. It inflates faster than my road morph. Only downside is you have to remove the seatpost to use it, but that adds no more than a minute to the whole operation.

Topeak Road Morph +1

blackburn frame pump AND co2........does the job no matter what!

Don't know the Road Morph on this side of the Atlantic. Use a Zefal high pressure full size pump.

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productcatalogue=TOPEPUMM600

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/prodimg/TOPEPUMM600_1_large.jpg

what do you carry on long rides? trying to decide what to carry.

Originally started with a CO2, it worked, however would not be sufficient in all situations. One cartridge would only get the tires to about 85-90 lbs on 700c wheels, I like to have them around 110-115.

Also tried mini pump, would have to work my but off to get the tires to the pressure I wanted.

I switched to a frame pump (Topeak Road Morph G), never looked back CO2 system and mini pump, now sit on a shelf collecting dust.

Another +1 for the Road Morph. It goes over 100 psi easily, and has a gauge.

On long rides I also carry two tubes, two patch kits (glued and glueless), tire boots (the Park sticky patches) and a spare tire. On shorter rides I still carry the same stuff because I am too lazy to sort stuff out.

I rarely get flats. Carrying all of this **** ensures that. :D

I really like this pump (http://www.velo-orange.com/quickerpropump.html)

It fits perfectly in the back of a jersey pocket, along with a tube, patchkit, my phone, debit card and keys. Also, it works extremely well and doesn't get especially hard to pump with higher pressures.

Use the Mt.Morph: a bit shorter/lighter than road version. Same inflating rate: 100 pump strokes = 100 lbs. Will go up to 120 lbs easily.
*Almost* a pleasure to have a flat!

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productcatalogue=TOPEPUMM600

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/prodimg/TOPEPUMM600_1_large.jpg
Thanks Falchoon, looks like it is available on the UK side of the Channel :):D

Almost always a HPX. It is really hard to wallop a dog or car with a minipump...

Originally started with a CO2, it worked, however would not be sufficient in all situations. One cartridge would only get the tires to about 85-90 lbs on 700c wheels, I like to have them around 110-115.


Do you use 16g cartridges? They inflate 700c x 26 for me just fine.

I use 40mm tires@70 psi, which overwhelms even the 16 gram cartridges. The solution is to first put in 15 pounds with the mini pump, then use the cartridge.

Do you use 16g cartridges? They inflate 700c x 26 for me just fine.

Yep, 16g cartridges. The tires are 700c x 25. Majority of the time I was only getting 85-90 lbs. Occasionally, I would get around 110 but that was not the norm.