27
CO2 inflators are overrated. I went back to a frame pump after a weird blowout last month.
Tried using a CO2 cartridge on a trail near Boulder and the seal failed halfway through, left me stranded with a flat for 20 minutes. My old Zefal frame pump takes longer but has never let me down in 4 years of riding. Has anyone else had a CO2 regulator crap out mid-use like that?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
ray_williams23d ago
The same thing happened to me out near Moab a couple years back. The cartridge just dumped all the gas with a loud hiss and I was stuck pushing my bike for a mile. That's when I went back to a frame pump for good. CO2 is fine if you're racing or doing a quick top-off but for a real flat on a trail you can't beat something that just works every time. Grab a Topeak Road Morph if you want something that pumps faster than a regular frame pump but still won't crap out on you.
4
mianelson23d ago
Loud hiss" is exactly what I got too. Made me jump so bad I nearly threw the whole inflator into a bush. @ray_williams is right, frame pumps are the way to go for trail duty unless you enjoy feeling like you're wrestling a failed party balloon.
4