Flat tires happen to all cyclists, it’s unavoidable. Dealing with flat tires is a part of cycling, and you should have the gear and know-how to get it fixed fast. Fixing a flat typically centers around air delivery. The system you choose can leave you stranded, or get you back on the road where you belong.
The Debate
The debate over compressed air and manual frame pumps has been around forever. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Choose the weapon of choice:
Co2 Pump Anatomy
The basic Co2 pump consists of a small nozzle. The nozzle fits on a disposable cylinder. When you need to air up a tire, attach the nozzle to the valve on the tube, and screw the cylinder on. You should feel a chunk, or a light whisper when the nozzle punctures the seal on the cylinder. When you make the connection, hit the trigger. It sounds simple, but there are variables that make it more complicated than it sounds.
The Nozzle
There are two types of nozzles; those that discharge air all at once, and those that control the flow of air. Controlled nozzles are the best choice. Open-discharge nozzles can’t be used to partially inflate the tube to get it back in the tire, and you have to use your cheeks to blow air into the tube before stuffing it back in the tire.
The Cartridge
Cartridges come in two varieties; threaded and non-threaded. The threaded cartridge is the better choice, it’s less likely to come off at the wrong time. Both varieties of cartridge come in different sizes, 12, 16 or 25-gram. The smaller ones are designed to inflate tires up to about 90 PSI. The larger ones are designed for filling tires up to about 120 PSI. Smaller cylinders are affordable at about 50 cents each. Larger cylinders can run several dollars each.
Frame Pump Anatomy
Frame pumps come in a plethora of sizes from mini to large. Some of them have two heads on the same nozzle, one for Schrader valves, and one for Presta valves. Most road bikes use Presta. Mini-pumps require more effort to pump up a tire, but they fit almost anywhere on the frame with small clamps. Larger frame pumps typically fit on the seat tube, or down tube of the bike. Some frame pumps have a short hose to make inflation easier, but the small hoses can leak if bent.
Speed Matters
If speed matters to you, the Co2 system can inflate a tire in 2 seconds. Frame pumps, depending on model, require somewhere between 3 and about 8 minutes to fill a tire. This is probably the single biggest advantage that Co2 has over the frame pump.
Clean Lines
If you’re concerned with your bikes finish, or the fact that a frame pump makes you look like a sissy, the Co2 system has the edge over the frame pump. Co2 nozzles and cylinders fit neatly in your underseat pack, leaving the clean, crisp geometry of your bike intact. However, they take up room in your pack that you need for tools and other gear, and rattle around unless secured.
Experience Required
Compressed air systems require some experience to use properly. If you get the cylinder crooked, cross-threaded or otherwise installed on the nozzle the wrong way, the cylinder can discharge it’s precious content into the air. There have also been incidences where the cylinder explodes the nozzle into pieces when installed improperly, always wear your glasses when using Co2 systems. If the tire is not properly installed on the rim, the instant pressure of the Co2, can cause the tube to expand out the side of the bead, and it explodes. If any of these thing happen, you’re walking home unless you have a frame pump or extra CO2 cartridges and tubes.
Dependability Issues
Frame pumps rarely fail, and are more reliable that Co2 systems, simply because you never run out of air. If you have multiple flats, and use up all your cylinders, your ride is over. Frame pumps offer the peace of mind that Co2 systems can’t match.
Tubeless Tires
Tubeless tires, aren’t typically mainstream, but if you do run them, frame pumps won’t work on them. Tubeless tires require the sudden blast of pressure that only a Co2 system can deliver, to seat the bead or the tire on the rim.
Environment and Travel
Co2 cyclinders should be discarded in a landfill. Leaving them beside the road is unacceptable. This means you have to pack the empties with you back home. Another fact: you can’t take cylinders with you on an airplane, it’s against the law. If you travel to a remote location with your bike, you might not be able to find any spare cylinders.
Air Versus Carbon Dioxide
Bike shops won’t likely tell you, but Co2 — carbon dioxide — won’t stay in your tires like good old-fashioned air from a frame pump. It’s scientific, but generally speaking, Co2 molecules tend to leak out, little by little. Expect your Co2 inflated tires to require more air the next day, just to keep them at their recommended pressure. It’s advisable to let all of the Co2 out, and replace it with real air when you get home after fixing a flat.
Racing Advantage
The differences between Co2 and frame pump systems boils down to speed, especially if you plan on racing bikes. Learn how to use a Co2 system, you won’t see to many racers without them.
Group Riding
No-drop group riding is another place where Co2 can get you back in the pack faster, and your companion riders won’t have to wait for you. Even if it’s one of your friends that flat, you can still use your Co2 system to get their tire fixed fast, and you’ll be a hero, always ready to help out.