Frame pump or C02
 

I'm sure this question's been asked before, but my old frame pump gave out; So do I but a regular frame pump, or get one of the C02 pumps, or get the little one that does both?

Sorry to be a jackass, but that mostly depends on whether you want a frame pump or a CO2.

C02 is supplementary, you _must_ carry a frame pump or a mini pump regardless of whether you choose to go c02.

I agree with operator. Plus, with CO2 you always have to be buying the cartridges. Air is free. It's been my experience that you only get one fill out of a cartridge - even if it doesn't take all of it to fill the tire, by the time you need it again the cartridge has leaked empty and you need to use a fresh one. And too, you are producing more waste with CO2. (By the way, those of you who do use CO2, did you know the empty cartridges are recyclable - at lest in some places? Just toss them in with your pop cans.)

And if you haven't already tossed out your old frame pump, check with the manufacturer to see if you can get a rebuild kit for it. I did this a couple of years ago for my Blackburn Shorty mountain pump - they sent me a rebuild kit free for the asking.

I've been using the Inovations Second Wind pump. The mini pump can't get to a very high pressure on my commuter with 28c tires so it is only good for limping home if I run out of cylinders. Although it can use both threaded and unthreaded CO2s. Also the mini pump is nice to find the leak if you need to patch the tube and to inflate the tube a little when reinstalling it. I actual got three flats in the last week so I have road tested it. I do like my frame pump but this little guy fits in my bag under my saddle and I don't have to worry about velcro straps or poping it off the frame with my knee at a stop light.

You are not being a jackass. I should have mentioned that I know nothing about C02 pumps, and I wanted the opinion of people who have used both.

Why do you say that? I haven't used a frame pump or a mini pump in years.

Well I must go along with the pro-pump crowd. With a pump you never have to wonder if you have enough carts with you. I had 5 flats in one ride once, had I been using CO I would have been up a creek. So just because you never had more then one flat on a ride doesn't mean that someday you won't have more. With carts you have to remember to restock your seat bag or buy more before your next ride, you have to figure out what to do with the empties...most cyclist seem to throw them on the side of the road because I see those dam things everywhere I ride. If your going to use CO TAKE THE EMPTIES HOME!!!!!

Yup, there are a lot of things that I'm not prepared for happening on a ride. Having 5 flat tires is one of them. On the other hand, I'm typing this from home so obviously I've always found a way to get back. I don't have anything against pumps, I've got several of them. If I go out tomorrow on my Klein like I'm planning, it'll be with CO2 and no pump. If that's not enough, I can deal with it.

Mini pump.

Real men use mini pump.

Mini pump makes you a friendly person. When you see a newbie in trouble with flat tire, you are more lilely to help with your pump. If only you have is a few cartridges, you won't want to waste those for some stranger.

Nope. The last cartridge that I used was for a stranger's bike. I live in the Midwest so that might be part of it.

You can run out of CO2 but you can't run out of pump.

....but you can run out of arm strength. I prefer the belt-and-suspenders method of carrying them both. Use the pump whenever possible, but you'll be glad to have the CO2 when you get a flat after a very long and tiring ride....in the rain...

Both is ideal, but the pump is pretty much a surefire ride home, no misfires and no running out of cartridges.

for myself, I have a small pump that is a smaller than the large frame pump, but larger than the small mini pumps. I use the pump to pump up the tube a couple of pumps, set the tube into the wheel and tire, then use the co2 cartridge to fill up the rest of the way. To me, it's easier and more reliable than the co2 cartridge. I usually carry to co2 cartridges for just in case one is a bad one.

Frame pump. Frame pump for non-racing, and if your racing, you won't have an inflator with you anyway.

The solution is not to jerk off when you're biking... :D

I'm glad you're making progress on that...

I used to carry a Serfas mini frame pump, but gave up on it. The clamp that held the mini frame pump to the seat tube was flimsy. It allowed the pump to slip off the bike whenever I ran over the slightest bump. Also, the mini frame pump produced such a small volume of air that I could never inflate a tire hard enough to ride on. I now carry an Innovations CO2 inflator equipped with 2 CO2 cartridges in my seat bag. There is no more mini frame pump to clutter up my bike. The way I figure it, I have two "trys" at inflating a tire with the CO2 inflator. If all else fails, then I go to "plan c." I have my cell phone and will call for help.

I haven't used a pump in many years. I carry 2 cartridges and that has always been enough.

Go classic:

Silca Impero with a Campy head.

I'm grateful for all your responses. I think I will try the Innovations pump and if I have trouble, will go back to the standard frame pump.

I remember those old Silca frame pumps very well. They were not worth the plastic they were assembled with. The Silca frame pumps used to explode when you tried to pump up your tires with any real pressure. If you want a true classic frame pump that works, then the Zefal is the one you want.

That's the ticket. Have fun.

That's funny, mine works just fine. It's hard as hell to get to a high pressure because of its big diameter, but I seem to manage. Weighs nothing and looks sweet too.