Need advise on a reputable CO2 inflator head please...
 

What's a good brand or two to go with, what should I stay away from? Want something to fit a small or med seat bag. thanks!

Genuine Innovations air chuck,

I've seen other inflators with the plastic cases and regulator fail. I've been using this for years and never had a problem other than frost bite on my finger once. Canister gets very cold when used.

i got the GI one with the plastic case. This gives me the option of using non-threaded cartridges with the case and threaded without the case. I keep 2 threaded cartridges in the bag and lease the case at home.

Me too. Simple and reliable. Gotta wear your gloves, though.

Cut a piece of a spent inner tube to slide around the CO2 cartridge. It should help to insulate and prevent frostbite, plus prevents rattling together. http://www.cyclingactive.com/wp-cont...huck-Elite.jpg

they all work, who cares. buy it and use it as needed.

I also have this one. Works good, small, light. Wear gloves and/or put something around the cartridge as previously suggested. Watched a friend change a flat on a wet ride. Froze the cartridge to his hand. Like licking a flagpole in the middle of winter. I actually felt bad because I was laughing so hard...

Threaded Co2 is too expensive. I use the airgun threadless ones because they are super cheap.

I use the Air Chuck. All metal and light weight. Threaded CO2 I have found for $1.80 each online.

I've gone the other way - no more inflator. Maybe the CO2 inflator never fails for you, but I had a few mishaps - usually associated with freezing and breaking the tube or losing a lot of the CO2 with an incomplete seal to the valve. Maybe I'm an oaf, but I'm an honest oaf. I carry a Topeak minimorph pump in my jersey pocket. It takes a little longer, but it weighs no more, and it never fails.

If I'm on a ride alone, the difference in time is trivial.

If I'm on a ride with a group, and they are going to wait for me, the difference is just a couple of minutes. I'd estimate that the time to change a tire is usually about 10 minutes, and the pumping up time is not the biggest part of this (together, getting the tire on and off, researching the cause of the flat when it's not obvious, etc. take more time)

If I'm on a ride with a group, and they aren't going to wait for me, then the time savings for the CO2 inflator isn't going to matter, I'm still not going to catch them.

I have an ultraflate AND a tech drive ultra pump in my under-seat bag:

http://i.imgur.com/o0u803M.jpg

It gives me convenience and a backup.

The ultraflate gives you the option of using threaded or non-threaded.

I prefer the PDW Shiny Object (Robot Check) for exactly that reason. Inflation is done via a controllable valve, so you can inflate slowly. This allows you to check the basic stuff without using a ton of CO2. The valve seals quite tightly, just make sure its closed before screwing on a cartridge. I left a used cartridge in my saddle bag with the valve closed, two months later it still had pressure.

The screw valve is worthless for seating tubeless tires though. Its difficult to get the sudden burst of air required to seat the bead.

I found one of those on the road, and it worked well until the cap loosened and stripped out. It left me stranded 15 miles from the nearest gas station.

DO NOT BUY THIS WORTHLESS PIECE OF CRAP.