Pump or CO2?
#51
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,549
Likes: 0
From: Go Ducks!
Why? two C02's for the first 2 flats, pump for subsequent flats and seating the tire prior to C02. Why not just the pump? It's way too slow. All those flats might be yours or they might be your friends' flats. i won't give a friend my last C02 cart, but i'll loan the pump. If I'm on a training ride, i don't care if I'm carrying a little extra weight. If I'm racing, none of that stuff is on the bike anyway, so it doesn't matter.
If your head unit is bulky you have the wrong one.
I carry 2 C02's, a really small inflator head, and a mini pump on the frame. Why not a full size pump? I think they are ugly, and I don't think it would fit on my tiny frame anyway. I don't put that stuff in my pockets because my pockets need to be available for other stuff.
If your head unit is bulky you have the wrong one.
I carry 2 C02's, a really small inflator head, and a mini pump on the frame. Why not a full size pump? I think they are ugly, and I don't think it would fit on my tiny frame anyway. I don't put that stuff in my pockets because my pockets need to be available for other stuff.
A pump and co2 do the same thing. Redundant. No way I'm carrying both.
#52
__________________
Originally Posted by HarveyD
I'm not sick but I'm not well.
#53
Thread Killer

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 13,140
Likes: 2,162
From: Ann Arbor, MI
Bikes: 15 Kinesis Racelight 4S, 76 Motebecane Gran Jubilée, 17 Dedacciai Gladiatore2, 12 Breezer Venturi, 09 Dahon Mariner, 12 Mercier Nano, 95 DeKerf Team SL, 19 Tern Rally, 21 Breezer Doppler Cafe+, 19 T-Lab X3, 91 Serotta CII, 23 3T Strada
Yeah this whole discussion is kind of like, "Let him who is without sin among you, be the first to throw a stone..." Who has done a cradle-to-grave ecological footprint analysis of CO2 cartridges? Who knows how they compare, on average, to using a pump? How many cartridges the average user will consume during the lifetime of one pump and what the difference in ecological stress that will represent? Is that amount of waste (assuming the CO2 is disadvantaged) significant compared to other lifestyle choices we make? This is all beyond ridiculous...just like the last 100 times it was discussed.
#54
Thread Killer

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 13,140
Likes: 2,162
From: Ann Arbor, MI
Bikes: 15 Kinesis Racelight 4S, 76 Motebecane Gran Jubilée, 17 Dedacciai Gladiatore2, 12 Breezer Venturi, 09 Dahon Mariner, 12 Mercier Nano, 95 DeKerf Team SL, 19 Tern Rally, 21 Breezer Doppler Cafe+, 19 T-Lab X3, 91 Serotta CII, 23 3T Strada
AHEM. CO2 cartridges are recyclable. I suppose the canister hater is a 70s steel touring retrogrouch with hemp shoes in old toe clips or something?
FAQ - Genuine Innovations
Laziness? What a joke. If using a canister instead of a pump is lazy then it's lazy for me to do a two hour ride on a wednesday instead of a 4 hour ride on a saturday... Seriously, just ride your bike and don't worry so much about how other people handle the technical aspects of getting themselves unstranded from the middle of nowhere.
FAQ - Genuine Innovations
Laziness? What a joke. If using a canister instead of a pump is lazy then it's lazy for me to do a two hour ride on a wednesday instead of a 4 hour ride on a saturday... Seriously, just ride your bike and don't worry so much about how other people handle the technical aspects of getting themselves unstranded from the middle of nowhere.
#55
Senior Member

Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 10,664
Likes: 7
From: Someplace trying to figure it out
Bikes: Cannondale EVO, CAAD9, Giant cross bike.
"Oh no, I have to sweat and make some effort for about 60 seconds before I can get back on my bike and sweat for another hour of riding. This is too much inconvenience for me."
I can see the benefit of CO2 in a race, TT, Tri or other event where an extra 60-90 seconds can make the world of difference. Even on a fast, no-wait group ride I'm sure it'd be worthwhile. But the day you have your (C+1)th puncture (where C=no of cartridges you're carrying) on, say, a century ride, you're going to wish you had a pump. And then next ride you're carrying a pump and cartridges.
I can see the benefit of CO2 in a race, TT, Tri or other event where an extra 60-90 seconds can make the world of difference. Even on a fast, no-wait group ride I'm sure it'd be worthwhile. But the day you have your (C+1)th puncture (where C=no of cartridges you're carrying) on, say, a century ride, you're going to wish you had a pump. And then next ride you're carrying a pump and cartridges.
At 9,000-10,000 milesish a year, I'm not too worried about exercise.
When I raced, it was about 25,000 miles per year.
Oh...1 puncture in the last year.
It's not a problem. But I am always open to informed advice.
#56
Tortoise Wins by a Hare!
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 7,393
Likes: 945
From: Looney Tunes, IL
Bikes: Wabi Special FG, Raleigh Roper, Nashbar AL-1, Miyata One Hundred, '70 Schwinn Lemonator and More!!
Again, the bar is very low. I'm not asking for you, me, or anyone else to be perfect, or even make a major concession, as hang-drying laundry would be (in terms of labor, time, lifestyle, etc). Using a pump is cheap, easy, fast, part of cycling tradition, and good for you, even. Choosing a pump over CO2 is not "a commitment", it's just not being a lazy, selfish F**k.
#57
#58
Thread Killer

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 13,140
Likes: 2,162
From: Ann Arbor, MI
Bikes: 15 Kinesis Racelight 4S, 76 Motebecane Gran Jubilée, 17 Dedacciai Gladiatore2, 12 Breezer Venturi, 09 Dahon Mariner, 12 Mercier Nano, 95 DeKerf Team SL, 19 Tern Rally, 21 Breezer Doppler Cafe+, 19 T-Lab X3, 91 Serotta CII, 23 3T Strada
Sure, I get that, but yet, this was an easy choice to make right (provided one doesn't elevate laziness as the prime criterion), and is one of those small things that just speaks volumes. Will using a pump bring back extinct species and create heaven on Earth? Of course not, but using CO2 still looks bad.
#59
Thread Killer

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 13,140
Likes: 2,162
From: Ann Arbor, MI
Bikes: 15 Kinesis Racelight 4S, 76 Motebecane Gran Jubilée, 17 Dedacciai Gladiatore2, 12 Breezer Venturi, 09 Dahon Mariner, 12 Mercier Nano, 95 DeKerf Team SL, 19 Tern Rally, 21 Breezer Doppler Cafe+, 19 T-Lab X3, 91 Serotta CII, 23 3T Strada
#60
__________________
Originally Posted by HarveyD
I'm not sick but I'm not well.
#61
Extra Medium Member

Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,880
Likes: 26
From: Erie, Co
Bikes: Fezzari Empire; State 6061 Allroad gravel; Scott Spark; Specialized Status 140
I forgot to mention in my previous post that I use the same saddle bag for both my road and mountain bikes, so it's an easy switch from saddle to saddle. So, by some accounts....I guess I'm SUPER lazy and not just practical.
__________________
Droping the hamer since '86
Droping the hamer since '86
#62
Sounds like work.
__________________
Originally Posted by HarveyD
I'm not sick but I'm not well.
#63
Extra Medium Member

Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,880
Likes: 26
From: Erie, Co
Bikes: Fezzari Empire; State 6061 Allroad gravel; Scott Spark; Specialized Status 140
#64
Senior Member

Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 10,664
Likes: 7
From: Someplace trying to figure it out
Bikes: Cannondale EVO, CAAD9, Giant cross bike.
#66
Extra Medium Member

Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,880
Likes: 26
From: Erie, Co
Bikes: Fezzari Empire; State 6061 Allroad gravel; Scott Spark; Specialized Status 140
__________________
Droping the hamer since '86
Droping the hamer since '86
#67
__________________
Originally Posted by HarveyD
I'm not sick but I'm not well.
#69
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
Bikes: C'Dale Synapse, Surly Disc Trucker, Giant Trance, Orbea Avant
Depends on the bike. For the road bike, I use CO2 because I hate trying to get up to 100 psi or so with a minipump. The other bikes have lower tire pressure, so i use pumps.
#70
I do recall repairing a flat one night, in freezing rain. It's hard to imagine someone begrudging me the time saved as laziness, not that you'd particularly care in that situation. I've used maybe three of them in the last 5 years so I'd say that it's only a small amount of laziness. Considering that I have probably expended more energy carrying them around (5500 - 7300 miles per year
@roadwarrior) than I have saved by not pumping by hand on the couple of flats.
#71
Speechless
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 8,842
Likes: 39
From: Central NY
Bikes: Felt Brougham, Lotus Prestige, Cinelli Xperience,
#72
Thread Killer

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 13,140
Likes: 2,162
From: Ann Arbor, MI
Bikes: 15 Kinesis Racelight 4S, 76 Motebecane Gran Jubilée, 17 Dedacciai Gladiatore2, 12 Breezer Venturi, 09 Dahon Mariner, 12 Mercier Nano, 95 DeKerf Team SL, 19 Tern Rally, 21 Breezer Doppler Cafe+, 19 T-Lab X3, 91 Serotta CII, 23 3T Strada
Oh, I'm not eco. I run a couple of vintage sports cars that burn up the dino juice at rates to rival the eco crowd's favorite scapegoats, SUVs. I am smug about not using CO2, though.
#73
#74
Senior Member

Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 28,682
Likes: 63
From: Houston, TX
Bikes: 1990 Romic Reynolds 531 custom build, Merlin Works CR Ti custom build, super light Workswell 066 custom build
#75
Thread Killer

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 13,140
Likes: 2,162
From: Ann Arbor, MI
Bikes: 15 Kinesis Racelight 4S, 76 Motebecane Gran Jubilée, 17 Dedacciai Gladiatore2, 12 Breezer Venturi, 09 Dahon Mariner, 12 Mercier Nano, 95 DeKerf Team SL, 19 Tern Rally, 21 Breezer Doppler Cafe+, 19 T-Lab X3, 91 Serotta CII, 23 3T Strada







