[Closed] Whats People's Thoughts on CO2 Inflators?

I'd go tube or try track pump with core removed on valve, have you used plenty of soapy water?

I carry one when out and about, with a couple of cartridges - but for mounting I just bought a compressor...

I recently went across to them for last years race season and i'm sold on it.....you can get 10 cartridges from ebay for a tenner delivered too!

I use them alot for tubeless. If you have time then using a valve with a missing core + a track pump should work but I use CO2 for when I need to change tyres trail side (Downhill) and don't want to waste time. CO2 carts can be had for ~50p if you buy in a reasonable quantity.

I have one of the Innovations Second Wind MTB pumps and it has been pretty useful particularly over the Winter when you don't want to be stopped and getting cold.

However, unless anyone knows better and they can use other ones, the Innovations ones require their CO2 cartridges where can be more expensive.

tried the core removed with a track pump but still no success. they just aernt tight enough on the rim to stop air escaping even with soapy water.

thinking about a compressor but i cant justify the cost!

giantjason, try the following:

- stick an old tube in, inflate to seal beads (on tubeless or stans you'll hear the crack as they seat).

- Crack one bead, take tube out. reseat the bead.

- neat washing up liquid liberally all over the unsealed bead (helps more than soapy water). Just stick the bottle nozzle over the bead, rotate wheel while sqeezing liquid all the way around.

- press down lightly near the valve stem and pump like hell on a track pump.

This worked for me when I couldn't get my ice spikers to seal with any other method and no compressor in sight. (stans crest, yellow tape FWIW).

I'm very impressed, I bought one and 10 cartridges 6 months ago and haven't had a puncture since.

If you get an Innovations one, whatever you do DON'T over tighten the gas cartridge on the head. I nearly injured a couple of lads I was riding with when a 24g cartridge shot out of my hands like a rocket after I got a bit carried away!

I've since bought a lezyne one - all metal and very nice 🙂

I've tried a few different ones and I thought the cartridges were all the same fitting as long as you bought the screw on threaded type as opposed to non-threaded?

Wouldn't waste time trying to fit tubeless any other way now other than eventually buying a compressor.

[url= http://www.tyreinflators.co.uk/tyre-inflators/cat_23.html ]THESE GUYS[/url] are cheap but it's worth hunting around for deals as they seem to vary all the time.

Woody - would you recommend getting a 12g or 16g for inflating a 2.3 tubeless tyre?

I've always used 16g and that seems to be enough to get a 2.25 pretty solid for the initial seating of the bead, with a bit left over if you need it. Also worked on a 2.5 Weirwolf.

Never thought of trying other sizes TBH as 16g was what came with my inflator.

Whats People's Thoughts on CO2 Inflators?

Not very green.

That argument has been done before [url= http://forum.slowtwitch.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=1526555; ]HERE[/url]

great for road/trail side repairs. never had any experience of tubeless

Used them to seat tyres in the past, remember though that CO2 and latex sealant are not good bed fellows, causes the sealant to go lumpy/solidify for some reason

votchy - didn't realise that - thanks

I believe the CO2 coagulates the latex, and it's actually used for this purpose in some industrial process. So if you put sealant in and then use a CO2 cartridge to inflate you're just adding a load of pointless rubbery loose weight to your tyres.

As CO2 coagulates latex I wonder if the 'drying out' of sealant is actually coagulation from the CO2 in air?

I use an air chuck and have not found an issue unlike FBK with his placky one - you now get a rubber sleeve with the air chuck elite - easily fit it all in my roadies saddle pack 🙂

Most people in our club use them. We buy in bulk and then split the order (can't remember where from) works out at less than 50p a shot. I carry a pump too but when it's cold dark and wet it's better just to get a move on than mess around. They also let made it possible to inflate tubeless in the garage when the track pump wouldn't work.

They're great for trailside repairs and also make a good defence weapon against angry, snarling dogs that try to eat your bike 😉

For seating tubeless tyres in general I just use a track pump but leave the tyres in a bucket of hot water for 10 minutes before fitting - never had a problem getting 'em on this way.

I've found them to be great for sealing difficult tubeless tyres. Seal/seat them with CO2, deflate, remove the valve core, then add the sealant through the valve. You will need a syringe, but no problems with coagulation of the selant.

Also used a electric car pump to seat difficult tyres when a C02 cartridge didnt work

Air chuck user as well, all metal, does presta and schreader without adjusting anything. Also takes the Big Air canister, great for 24s as it'll inflate more than one tyre and still be able to top up a slow puncture. I use cheap ebay ones.