Went for a ride with my friend for 50 miles.

We had about 34 miles and stopped to refuel at a rest stop in the park. We were about ready to take off riding and my friend noticed his tire was flat. He just got a new wheel set on Thursday, so he was pissed. He never had to inflate a tire with the co2 and either have I. So he screwed the nozzle on and put it on the tire. It didn't inflate the tire. He went to unscrew the co2 canister and bam, he had it pointed close to me and it flew right by my head. Scared the crap out of me.

Ended up having to call his gf because he couldn't figure out my canister either.

Anyways how do you inflate tires using those co2 cartridges? Do you put the nozzle on the tire first then screw the cartridge in?

RTFM.

Depending on the type, once you pierce the canister by screwing it into the nozzle, you can't 'unpierce' it. Google the directions.

hrm, can i suggest the topeak road morph pump? best pump i ever bought... mounts on the frame, forgeta bout it!

I don't. Road Morph. No ballistic projectiles, and you don't run out of air.

Give me a link to a good price? And does it weigh a lot?

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=4361 ~$40, weighs 220 grams.

It'll get you to 110 psi without any problem, never uses cartridges, and I've used mine to inflate tires ~50 times, about 1/3 of them for people who ran out of cartridge before they ran out of flat.

The lesson: when buying something new and you don't know how to use it, figure it out at home rather than using it for the first time when you're stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Road Morph FTW.

Wow! That incident is a comedy writer's dream come true. If the BBC's "Top Gear" had a bicycle version of the show, you could sell the script for few quid.

It sounds like the presta valve was still screwed down and locked.

I have used my CO2 inflater exactly once. I did it on the road, it worked flawlessly. I had read the instructions before throwing it into my tool bag.

Use a manual pump. CO2 cartridges are a waste of resources. You crass consumer roadies will always think of a wasteful way to be hip.

+1. This also applies to a lot of other things in life as well.

Az

different models work differently so it really depends on what kind it is....on mine I screw in the cartridge put it on the valve and then it slides forward to release the CO2....if you didn't know how it works it might be take a bit to figure it out....$10 or so and it works great.

Glad you survived but if you're on a 50 mile ride and dependent on your equipment, you'd better know how to use it.

fwiw, on my CO2 inflator you screw the cap onto the canister tight, this punctures the canister, then you put the cap on the valve and slightly unscrew the canister, releasing the CO2 at high pressure.

There are many threads on pump recommendations, here's one recent one:
https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/406349-those-carry-pump.html

I have one of these
https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=4362

screw in the CO2 cartridge, then put it on the stem, and slowly twist the co2 cartridge to loosen, it should fill pretty quickly

One more thing. When CO2 is released from the cartridge, it will cool down dramatically. If you're not careful, you could get freezer burns on your hands. Be sure to wear your gloves (or have one of those fancy pump thingees).

Thank God you chose cycling as a hobby instead of hunting.

To each his own, but I dont want to pump by hand unless I have to. I carry one very Similar to this
Similar to this.
https://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...3A%20Inflators

It uses Co2, but has a manual backup. I have one on my wife and both kids bikes.
I had a real bad day once and had 3 flats over 70 miles or so. The hand portion came in handy as I was out of new tubes, so I was able to pump up the old tube, find the leak and patch it.

That is the only time I will patch a tube. but I still carry a small patch kit just in case.

That's it. I'm selling my bike and buying a Rivendell with pegs for a monstrous frame pump.

Holy schmoly! How did it not occur to either of you that it would be totally insane to unscrew the only thing holding highly pressurized gas at bay?

Even for people with mechanical aptitude and common sense, it is a good idea to read instructions even if it is not essential. However, it appears that neither you nor your buddy has either of these characteristics, so in the future, RTFM.

Just FYI, here is a short list of things that should always be treated with respect:

1. Flammable liquids/gases
2. Compressed gases
3. Electricity
4. Power tools
5. Especially sharp objects
6. Things that are very hot
7. Coiled springs

Guys:

The pump vs. CO2 argument is not as clearcut as you make it sound.

A pump and CO2 both have their places. I use CO2 on short rides and a Topeak Road Morph for longer rides, both serve their purpose.

Another advantage of a pump is when you see someone who needs a hand, you don't have to worry about using up your CO2 on someone else and not having it in case you need it.

The only one of those I've ever used had you screw the cartridge on, then unscrew it maybe a quarter turn. It worked like a charm.

...you should know this..
Violins

And on the internet, someone will always think of a way to be crass and insulting when there's no need.

Don't forget!!!

* Firearms