Originally Posted by slk
If your pump is ineffective, get a better pump! A pump is far better than CO2 in a lot of ways - for example, if you have a slow leak, you can pump it up to get home without losing the option to change the tube later if it gets worse.
I heartily agree. I had a problem that caused six flats within 50 or so miles. I ride with Armadilos so I was really upset. We never could find anything in the tire and I took it to the LBS and once they found nothing and the second time they said it was the rim tape that slipped. Well after two more flats they completely changed the rim tape and the problem was fixed.
The point is, if I had a CO2 I would have walked home a few times. With the pump, I could stop and top it off and make it home. INHO, CO2 is for racers who need to save time. A pump takes two or three minutes and air is free.
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION...There was a thread a few weeks ago in which CO2 users said that for whatever reason, after using the CO2, they found that it leaked or somehow disapated and they needed to use a pump the next day anyway. Fine if you are home every night, a bummer if you're on a multi-day ride w/o support.
EQUALLY IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION...The Topeak Road Morph is an excellent pump and if OCPers are looking at the pump and laughing, it's distracting them from my spandex clad butt.