Comments on: Regression : Condensed Air

By: Brian Backus

Brian Backus — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 03:32:40 +0000

No Bike shops aren’t ripping you off. Last year for some reason and I don’t know why, the price of threaded C02 cartridges went up a lot. I recieved a few today from QBP one of the industrys biggest suppliers and for me to sell them and make a fair profit I have to charge $9.99 for a box of two. I agree that is ridiculus. Do I use C02? Hell no, I’m way too cheap for that. I use a Topeak Road Morph w/Gauge frame pump. By the way, paintball C02 cartridges are only 12 oz and will not fully inflate a MTB or Road bike. 16 oz is the proper size… If you insist on using C02 and want to save a few bucks, make sure you buy a NON THREADED CO2 unit. Instead of buying them from Innovations, buy the bulk ones. Packaging for Innovations brand boxes of 2 drives up the cost to like $6.99/box. You can buy the single ones with no special name brand for about $2 or $3 each…

By: Andrew Kreps

Andrew Kreps — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:47:01 +0000

I haven’t had a flat in 7 years. It might be a coincidence, but that’s exactly when I started using Specialized Armadillos on my road bike. I can’t say enough about the Armadillo Elites, they’re a fantastic tire for all of the conditions I ride in as a year-round commuter.

By: scott silvers

scott silvers — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:22:17 +0000

A buddy of mine works at an airport. The CO2’s that inflate the life preservers on the planes must be discarded/replaced at regular intervals - they’re still good though!

I get a handful of these for free now and then, and they’re IDENTICAL to the ones you’d spend $$$ on….and they inflate your tire very nicely indeed.

Perhaps this is an angle you could pursue…

By: Kerbouchaud

Kerbouchaud — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:46:56 +0000

I bought the Co2 kit shortly after I started biking and luckily have never had to use it in the 800+ Miles that I’ve ridden in the last year. I ride some pretty extreme stuff, but I try to keep track of my line as much as possible so that I don’t run anything over. I also run with high PSI to help avoid the dreaded pinch flat. Recently I was riding Markham park in Ft. Lauderdale with some friends and one of my buddies got a pinch flat and had to do the patch thing and then used a hand pump. little while later he did it again (tiki will run over anything for and adreneline rush) Luckily he had the hand pump and was able to get everything squared away. I was thinking how bad it would suck to be out on the trail with only one or 2 Co2 bottle and have 1 more incident than bottles! I promplty ordered a small frame pump that still has yet to be used. I usually ride with 1 C02 bottle and the frame pump that way I’m covered either way.

By: Art

Art — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:41:31 +0000

Hey Joe
I don’t like co2 no mo.
It does not make me smile.
N20 is better fo’ you.
but Helium makes your bike lighter
and you can have a funny voice.

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:56:21 +0000

I don’t like CO2. If I wanted things to be fast, easy and wasteful, I wouldn’t be riding a bicycle.

By: Richàrd-o

Richàrd-o — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:53:02 +0000

Not sure where you live Quinn, but obviously Satan’s Spawn, Goatheads, haven’t been introduced into your environment. Say a prayer of thanks, and pray again they never show up near your trails!

Some fine pictures of the evil can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribulus_terrestris

By: Quinn

Quinn — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:47:56 +0000

I use threaded Innoflation (?) basically basically for the size factor, nozzle/head and the tank, can’t get much smaller.

IM personally wondering how you guys get all the flats, I have ridden my Jake 1500 miles without a flat, and I “bulldoze” my XXIX with the highest psi being Min. Rec. psi, and I have probably gone 1,000 miles on those tires, without a flat.

By: Richàrd-o

Richàrd-o — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:32:33 +0000

I was given a CO2 inflator and carried it around in my hydration pack along with a few spare cartridges (Box of like 25 for $10 at SfufMart). I used it a few times, and couldn’t figure out why in the world my tire would be flat two or three days later–Until I heard some news story on NPR about CO2 and how it can pass through inner tubes by osmosis faster than regular air (The point of the news article had nothing to do with cycling, I think it had to do with exotic gasses being used in tires to increase fuel efficiency or something like that…)

You can read more about CO2 leakage here:
http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-154847.html

The bottom line is, I never quit carrying my manual pump, with it’s Free, Unrestricted supply of, Air. Also I don’t need to carry and buy cartridges, let alone wonder what to do with all the metal trash after they have been expended.

So I threw the CO2 inflator in my 11-year old’s hydration pack. He feels pretty important carrying around the “Hi-Tech” pump. I continue to carry a trusty hand operated, manual, tried and true, pump.

By: Greg L

Greg L — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:34:27 +0000

I have just started to use Co2. I am a cheapie so I’ve had the inflater for a year before I finally bought some cartridges. I found a good deal on a 3 pack of threaded cartridges from Niagara Cycle Works so I bought two packs. So far I’ve used 1 cartridge in about 2 months worth of riding, mtn and road.

I still generally carry my small crankbros pump on longer mtn bike rides. It sure does wear me out though when I have to use it.

I agree it is wasteful unless the cartridges can be recycled somewhere. I need to get a inflater that uses the threadless style so I can get in on the cheap ones. I have 5 threaded ones left though so I should be good for a while.