Ultraflate and other brands of CO2 cartridge
 

Been carrying an Ultraflate for a year or more. I had the chance to use it a few weeks ago, and it worked great. Then yesterday, I found out the hard way that unthreaded Planet Bike 16g CO2 cartridges don't work with it. Duh moment for me, I guess, presuming that all CO2 cartridges are created equal when such is not the case.

I've been reading on BikeForums, and I now know that I can use any brand of threaded cartridges, which are more expensive.

Are Genuine Innovations 16g cartridges the only brand of unthreaded 16g cartridge that can be used with Ultraflate?

I snagged a multi pack of threaded ones off amazon.....they run like a buck each, I got 12 gram but I see 16 gram out there too.

There are 2 types of CO2 cartridges your come across for bikes, threaded or threadless, the Ultraflate will accept both types, thinking there was a user error here which caused the failure.

Having used an Ultraflate, I just bought the cheapest CO2 cartridges I could get, threaded/threadless, didn't mater, as long as they were 16g.. The only time I used the Genuine Innovations branded ones, was when I used the ones supplied with the device.

They will work fine with the cheap 12g non-threaded cartridges too. Just have to drop a dime or something under the cartridge to take up some space.
Ultraflate2 workaround | South Bay Riders
Not sure why you had a problem with the 16g one. Should have worked without any trickery.

I've used off-branded 16-gram CO2 cartridges with my GI Ultraflate and Proflate for several years now. Never a problem with either inflator. Never noticed a difference between CO2 cartridge brands in use.

I've been using 12g cartridges (Crosman, et. al.) in an Ultraflate w/o problem and w/o spacers for years. I believe the spacer is needed in the Ultraflate2, not the Ultraflate Plus. Here's some confirmation:

Genuine Innovations UltraFlate Plus CO2 Tire Inflator - REI.com

12g CO2 is ~55 cents/cartridge at WallyMart, etc.

I snagged a 40 pack of the crosman's from Amazon for only $12 a while ago ($20 now). Should last a long time. I prefer to use the floor pump when I can because the pressure holds longer and since the pump has a gauge I can get the pressure just right. On the road however co2 is great.

If you are planning on using threaded cartridges consider the Innovations Microflate, smaller than the Ultraflate and has no moveable parts to break or wear out. Inflation rate is easily controlled by turning the cartridge.

This is exactly what i have been using. I bought 12 gm CO2 cartridges from Walmart in a box of 25 for less than $.50 each. For repairing flats with 700-23 tires, I use a mini-pump to get to 20 PSI or so to be sure the tire and tube are seated evenly and the tube holds air. Then a 12 gm cartridge gets me to about 100 psi.

Scratching my head
 

Now I'm really curious what's going on.

I got the unthreaded CO2 cartridge in the UltraFlate, but I had to push it. Wasn't able to get the threads of the UltraFlate together. It was as though the cartridge were too long. Checked it to be sure, and it is a 16g cartridge.

Another rider is a retired engineer, so I defer to him on things mechanical. He tried as well, and he concluded the same thing. Cartridge is a bit too long.

Maybe Mercury is in retrograde for me. I've had 4 flats and a pinch flat tube explosion in the last 5 weeks.

Agree. This is just a great design: very small, dead simple to use. I wish I'd bought that type first. I have 3-4 CO2 inflators, and this is my favorite.

Maybe the Ultraflate was made for 12 gm unthreaded cartridges. Mine all are.

Picked up a 16g Genuine Innovations CO2 cartridge today
 

The PB cartridge is few millimeters longer and the silhouette is a little different.

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