Counterpoint: if you're conscientious enough to bike commute, you're probably also conscientious about conserving in other parts of your life. But maybe not hyper-conserving to the extreme some go to...

It probably wouldn't but then again, my riding a bike all year versus driving the most huge, obnoxious SUV I could find doesn't really change anything either. But I try not to willfully create waste if there's a simple, reasonable and inexpensive alternative.

That said, our household of 4 people generates about 1 trash bag every 2 weeks on average. There are houses on our block that fill up two of the big wheelie bins every week, each of which would hold 4 or 5 of our bags, and I've seen them overflow two bins in a single week. One of the nice things about winter here is that I can go 3 or 4 weeks between garbage runs because the garbage doesn't spoil in the garage. We can make it 3 or sometimes even 4 weeks on a single black garbage bag.

Our household output is more than that of course, but the rest goes into the compost pile or into municipal recycling. The carts I assume could go into recycling as well.

I've never actually used CO2, just seeing the carts by the side of the road (which I stop, pick up, and put into recycling) made me assume that you use a cart and throw it away - do they actually hold for a week or three until you need more CO2? How many fills can you get from a cart over how much time?

No, not in my case.

I carry two cartridges, and really, that is heavy and kinda bulky with the nozzle and all. I have switched to a pump which is lighter being one piece (instead of 3), less clunky in my bag.

well after reading this thread yesterday and my experience last evening.... I am looking for a better pump to keep on my bike vs CO2. It only inflated a little and about froze my hands off.

Here's all the junk in my small saddle pack - two tubes in a sock, three CO2 carts, inflator, multi-tool, tire levers, quick link, and glueless patches.

Pumps and carts, chocolate and vanilla, Android and iPhone, Windows or Mac... it's all good. Fast repair is really the driving consideration for me.

They need to bring back the gonfleur for those who want convenience and a clear conscience about waste.

What would Al Gore have to say about using CO2. You know all that "global warming" and greenhouse gases leaking out of your bike inner tube.

I have a Hurricane HP micro, I also have a Road Morph but I carry the Hurricane now. I had a smaller mini pump once but it was ridiculous, it took a couple hundred pumps and more to get even a little road bike tire up to pressure. The Hurricane is pretty nice, though I've seen reviews that say they tend to break. Mine hasn't.

I also have a Zefal HPX frame pump. There's nothing else like it, and the frame position isn't bad but since I often want to hang stuff off my top tube, it just gets in the way. Also it's friggin huge, though not really heavy. Just depends on if it gets in your way or not.

I've heard Lezyne pumps are great. A little pricey, I've never owned one.

Does CO2 actually work for you guys? It seems that when I use it, I can usually get about 20 minutes of riding in before I get another flat. I’m probably getting pinch flats from not having enough air in there. CO2 always seems to let me down in the field, and if the first shot doesn’t fix it, I’m SOL. A slim Lenz pump has been much more reliable for me (and less bulky, and lighter).

Obviously CO2 has to be matched to your tire size, and given I am usually riding 28mm, 35mm or 47mm, or 54mm tires, I'm not up to having a case of different sized canisters.

There have been too many times when CO2 let me down - either from leading to a pinch flat, or getting something else stuck in the tire, finding my canister is not compatible, not fully inflating, or something that requires a second repair when I am out of canisters. Tire pump - works 100% of the time.

LOL, that looks almost exactly like my bag last week. You have good taste in tools! I added a fed-ex mail pouch to aid in sidewall repairs. ;-)

I bought a threadless cannister and found it really didnt fit the inflator (I have the one you have). That made me glad I had a pump!
Rather than taking 3 cannisters, I now have a pump and a single carterige.

The pump lets me pre-fill the tire a little so I can ensure it seats against the rim properly before giving it the shot, and provides a back up in case the canister doesn't fill the tire properly, or I need to refill it.

I can testify that the dollar bill boot really works... short term. I ran over some hunk of metal that destroyed the tire here.

I have never had CO2 not work - except once when I broke the valve on my tube... I think it was a defective tube. One 16g is enough for my 23mm road bike and one 16g is enough for my commute bike with 37mm tires to get me home, not ideal pressure though... less than 50 psi. You do have to be a little extra careful not to pinch the tube under the bead, but it's not hard.

The actual reason CO2 leaks out faster than air is that the CO2 is soluble in butyl rubber. The CO2 dissolves its way through the tube. Read details here.

This is the kind of stuff I love about this forum...

It all depends on your bike and what you feel comfortable carrying. For me, the Road Morph carries easily. It is attached to the rear of the seat tube between it and the rear tire. It is a no brainer on this bike and it has seen a lot of use. I don't have to put it in my bag. Co2 inflators work, but I am more comfortable with a pump since it doesn't need to be replenished. If I got two flats, no problem. Thankfully I haven't had many flats. I just went over 2,000 miles with no flats, then had two in a month. The nice think about the pump was that I could put in a little air, ride a short distance, then change it where it was safer. I then still had a way to pump up the tire.

C02 is a great little option for those who don't want, or cannot carry a pump for some reason. I consider them a second choice for me though.

Yes. The few times I've used CO2 in the field, it has worked a charm. One 16g cart to fill a 26 x 1.5 tire seems to work out well. I also demo CO2 use in a flat fix class I do, and I have yet to fumble a fill over dozens of classes. I was skeptical -- if CO2 had failed me even once, I'd have switched back to a pump in a heartbeat.

Fair enough. And I don't at all fault people for carrying pumps.

Touring bike = full sized frame pump under the top tube. Gets it up to 100 psi in no time.

Road bike, Mountain bike and commuter bike = Co2 x 3 each.

Pump too easily stolen on the commuter bike, so I keep 3 cartridges in my quick release seat bag. Much easier to carry around.
Pump gets full of water and mud on the mountain bike.
Can't mount a full sized frame pump on the top tube of my road bike (Cervelo). Those smaller ones are a lot of pumping and I don't like to mount it next to a water bottle.

Practice with the Co2 first.
Use your mouth to inflate the tube a bit to give it shape (presta).
Mount the new tube and tire carefully inspecting it thourghy. I never carry a spare tube that has a patch.
Give a squirt of Co2 from your inflator and inspect that the bead is seated properly.
Fill the rest of the way.

I ride off-road in winter a lot, although this reduces chance of a flat (snow and ice), not always. I had a Co2 inflator freeze onto the valve due to the the adiabatic expansion of the CO2. This causes any water to freeze. The other problem is the tire valve freezing open which immediately vents the gas after removing the inflator.

I had to breath/blow on the inflator for 15 minutes to get it unstuck.

CO2 will soon be banned because it's known to cause global warming and is a carcinogen in California. Don't invest too much in your CO2 inflator.

I have one that's very good, quickly gets pressure in the tires. I left it at my parents house a few days ago, but I shall check brand and model if there's any interest. Some of the small ones are actually good, not all, I know from first hand experience.

Stop exhaling, too...

I once got 4 flats in one day. The third one was 17 miles from home. Not really a problem since I had both spares and a patch kit and I use a pump.

It's not terribly unusual for me to get two in one day. Like, it happens once every couple of years. probably it's because I'm riding 23s and I'm currently using cheap tires. I'm going for better tires next time I run out.

That can happen when you miss something poking through the tire when you change the tube. If you miss it, you'll get another flat. And sometimes it can be easy to miss. Another reason a pump is nice insurance.

Damn. You are a more patient and tightwad rider than me. After the first couple of flats -- nevermind 4 in the same day -- the cheap 23s would have been swapped out for at least some 25s with flat protection...

I've got a pair of CO2 cartridges and an inflator I bought about 20 years ago for my motorcycle I've been carrying around for a few years now, but have never used them on a bicycle tire. The road morph g I got this year is reliable enough to make me think I don't need to carry the CO2 anymore, but I haven't taken it out yet.

Carry at least 2 cylinders.

I have one of these Blackburn AirSticks mounted on the bottle carrier of all my bikes- AIRSTIK 2STAGE MINI PUMP - Pumps

And also carry this inflater and 3 cartridges- OUTPOST CO2 INFLATOR

I practiced with the CO2 inflator when i first got it, let all the air out of my tires on my Seven Cafe Racer (700x34s). Worked great. I have the Kevlar/puncture resistant/self-healing tires on my bikes, and have not had a flat in years. Have never broken a chain either, but carry a chain tool and quick links anyway. Always nice to be prepared just in case. I usually end up doing more emergency repairs on other peoples bikes than on my own. On one of the paved trails we were riding a couple months ago, there was a young lady with a flat on her cruiser bike. I patched it, filled it with the inflator, could not find any more leaks, and sent her on her way. Worked great. Beat pumping it up manually. Also I put the used cartridges back in my bag and put them in the recycle bin when we get home. My kids pick up all the ones they see that others have thrown on the ground as well for recycling. Don't understand why idiots litter them.