Anyone know what pressure a CO2 cartridge will inflate a 23mm tube up to?

Around 130 psi.

PV=nRT... good luck

Enough

... to limp home from a ride.

130

I say it's 120 psi, but apparently I'm in the minority.

Save money and get cheap 12g ones from Walmart....they are enough to limp back home on and cost well under a buck each.

Just the tube? Until it pops...

The point isn't to limp home, but to continue riding. From my experience it fills the tire up more than needed based on the feel of the tire. I usually let a little out after inflating because the tire feels rock hard.

It will vary, all 23 mm tires are not exactly the same, and the temperature will make a difference. At 20f they don't work unless you warm up the inflator under your coat and use it quickly.

This is a very rough estimate from Innovations.

https://www.genuineinnovations.com/im...on%20Chart.jpg

I am a klutz. I think I need the 25 gram cartridge just to hit 90 psi.

A 16g cartridge pumps my tire up at least as high as I pump it up normally. However it will diffuse out if you let it sit for a long time, e.g. overnight. If you fill up with CO2 and then come back the next day it will be low.

You are right, filled my 23 tire with 12g and it was fine to ride on however the next day the tire was soft.

Any time I use CO2, I completely deflate my tire and pump it up with normal air before the next ride.

+1

I tested four cartridges when I bought my inflator (Microflate Nano). Three Genuine Innovations and one Planet Bike, all threaded 16 gram. Tire was a 23mm Conti Ultra Race, it's actually 22.5 mm wide. Tube was empty to start, each time. I screwed up the first one (didn't push the inflator on all the way) and only got 70 psi, next three cartridges were done properly and all gave me exactly 100 psi. Measured it with this, which reads the same as my cheapo floor pump's gauge. Oh, and it was at room temperature.

So I'm gonna go ahead and say that you can reasonably expect 100 psi out of a 16 gram, and that the claimed 130 is overly optimistic. 100 psi is still more than enough to get home on, though. I had a chance to test a 12 gram, but I was too lazy to do it and don't have that inflator anymore.

A 16 gr CO2 has too much air for my 23 mm Michelin Pro2s and Pro3s. I usually like to have a pressure of 110 to 115 psi so I would guess the full cartridge would put 120 to 130 psi in the tire.

And, yes, umd and urbanknight are right. Once home deflate the tire and put some regular air in it.

I only pump my tires up to 100psi anyway, and I always orally inflate the tube first to seat it on the rim more easily. ymmv.

I save the oral stuff for when i get home.

I realize you are trying to make a joke, but seriously, if you blow in the tube first to give it shape, it is much easier to mount.

That's what she said

I've never seen a 16 gram CO2 cartridge inflate a 700cX23 tire over 110 psi.

Does this work in lieu of a mini hand pump? I'd go orally if it meant not having to take a mini pump in my jersey pocket...

Never thought about doing it orally but I carry a frame pump and always put enough air in the tube before mounting whether I finish with the pump or "get lazy" and break out a CO2.