When are CO2 inflators worthy of carrying? Is it just a matter of preference or is there a benefit to the CO2? I have a lezyne road pump and love it, have used it once on somebody else's tire. I just bought a compact CO2 inflator by Genuine Innovations. It's just an air chuck and two canisters....also, how much does it take to pump a road tire (I run 23 mm)?

Thank you,

I always carry either 2 CO2 cartridges or 1 cartridge and a pump. Longer rides I will have 2 cartridges and a pump. Usually, a 16oz CO2 cartridge will suffice a 23mm.

Cartridges AND a pump? Why?

i carry a frame mount pump (first coice) on my main bike. My winter bike I stuff a co2 cartridge and a inflator thingie into my bag, because I don't want to deal with moving the pump over and buying two pumps seems silly. But I much prefer the pump. The cartridges/head unit are heavy, bulky, and are a one-shot deal with no control over final psi. Plus, it's very possible to botch a tire repair such that the first inflation attempt fails. Pumps rule.

I prefer a 2-in-one option:

https://www.ridepdw.com/goods/inflation/ninja-pump

I use Co2 and have only used it twice on the road. Both times were 23mm tire and the small size cylinder did the job no problem. I do carry 2 cylinders in case need them. My longests rides always tend to be group rides and there is always someone with a pump if for some reason my 2 cylinders are not enough. I like the compact size of C02 vs pump.

I carry at least 3, unthreaded, 12 g cartridges for 23 mm tires. One unpunctured in the device and two extra on the side. One usually suffices. The rest are for multiple incidents. No pump. Even the best of are unpleasant (to me) to use. I go back to the days of Silca pumps and the better ones that succeeded it in the full size frame-mounted genre, then the mini- and micro-ones we have today. None of them comes close to CO2 for convenience and speed.

No right or wrong answer. There are tons of threads on this that go over pros/cons ad nauseum. Use "advanced search" which works great, the basic search sucks.

If you do group rides, co2 may be better so you don't keep your friends waiting.

CO2 is for the vain and lazy, or the physically handicapped.

Racers, where money, contracts, and/or points are on the line, get an exemption.

I also give an exemption to those fleeing attackers.

Every other CO2 user is vain, lazy, or physically handicapped. This covers the vast majority of users.

So you don't keep your vain, selfish friends waiting, maybe?

Disgusting.

I do CO2 now, but it took me a while to get to that. I also had the "I don't want to get stuck without a pump" mindset. What changed my mind was the failure of my pump (a pretty nice Blackburn one too) while fixing a flat. I like to ride while I'm out, not take my pump apart and try to fix it. Also, I have a phone, lot's of friends and family. And I rarely am anywhere that I don't have cell coverage, even in the mountains. Turns out that having the pump riding on the frame subjects it to all the elements. This, over time, caused the o-ring seal for the plunger and the rubber grommet in the pumphead to deteriorate. That equaled a useless pump.

A CO2 is small and compact (2 cylinders fit right in my saddle bag) and I don't have something attached to my downtube or sticking out of my jersey pocket. Those are two things that I like, and life is too short to do crap you don't like! If I'm on a group ride, I worry about it even less!! IMHO, for those who see CO2 as a waste of money, I will put my paycheck on a LOT people (not all of course) buy a cup of coffee nearly everyday at a place like Starbucks rather than taking five minutes to make a pot of good coffee at home. I bought TWO CO2 cylinders in all of last year, and I never even used them (5000 miles..Conti tires are sweet!). Pretty sure I know where more money is being wasted.

Anyway....to the OP, the "benefit" of CO2 is simply that you can inflate your tire really fast and then get on with your ride. And yes, a 12gram cylinder will get your 23 up and running. Leyzene makes some very nice equipment, and if you don't mind carrying it, great! It really does go all the way down to preference. The most important thing of all is.....just enjoy your ride.

I almost always ride alone. I don't keep my vain, selfish self waiting.

I have not been on a group ride in modern recollection where at least the other riders in close proximity didn't stop to help out. Last incident we had looked more like a NASCAR pit stop....

I stopped carrying mini-pumps when I moved into the country. Now I ride clean roads, my last flat was probably 6-7000 miles ago, so it's Co2 for me. If I ever decide to start carrying a pump again I'll get a full frame pump. As in a Park PMP-5 mounted under the top tube, not a mini pump. Couldn't care less what it may look like. Never found a mini-pump that would ever get as much air in as I wanted and pumping 100 times sucks.

It depends upon the group. Most I ride with move at a quick pace once everyone is warmed up. Stopping for someone to fix a flat, even for yourself, takes away the momentum and can be dangerous depending on where you flat.

I also carry a mini pump in my jersey.

On subject I really miss my old under tube mounted "full" size pump. Unfortunate that modern road frames don't hold them.

I carry two 16g threadless CO2 cartridges/inflator. Nice to have a little extra if the first shot doesn't get in. I prefer not to carry a pump in my jersey or bike.

Pump co2 is Eco wast

They do hold them.

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.

Only some CO2 cartridges because I can always mooch off my buddies or hitch a ride with a rancher back home if my tire axplodes.

have both, but usually pack a small pump

make sure to practice using CO2 at least once, nothing worst that blowing out two carts and still a flat tire due to leaks

This^^^^

Good grief.

Congrats to the numbskull post du jour.

BTW...those little one hour plus one lap races most on here participate in.....you get a flat you are done for the day.

LOL.

Actually, think of all the C02 sequestered in the saddle bags of millions of cyclists. Sure you release some of it into the atomsphere when you use it, but the amount sequestered decreases atmospheric greenhouse gasses.

or you take your free lap, and jump back in with a new wheel.