kfm

I recently bought a Lezyne Co2 cartridge thing. It is small, fast & gives me 130PSI. I just tried it out for the first time & it's a little tricky... I now have a frozen hand.

Anyway, I'm curious what people are using. Co2? Mini pumps better?

Scrodzilla

Co2 is much better, IMO. Just be sure not to hold the thing upside down (but it sounds like you may have already figured that out).

Build your own

I always have a bag with me on city rides ,so i carry a mini pump on those.With my road bike i carry CO2 in my saddlebag.

kfm

How come?

squeegeesunny 

I use a mini pump, because I am cheap.

hairnet

I use a Topeak Road Morph so I can inflate to 120psi on the road easy. CO2 is cool, but if you screw up your tube change or have multiple flats that ride then you're really limited by how many cartridges you have, and I usually see people carrying only two. Boy, there are many places around LA I would not want to get stuck with a flat tire and no way to inflate it!!

fuzz2050

CO2 on group rides, so you don't hold everyone up trying to get to 120 psi with a mini-pump. If I'm out by myself, or with just a friend or two, then a frame pump (remember those), again, because I'm cheap. And because I'm prone to getting several flats in a row. I have bad flat karma.

Build your own

The saddle bag is tiny and has only room for minimal tools,so CO2 is perfect.I've had the mini pump forever,so i just keep it in my Messbag instead of switching.

LoRoK

I used Co2 for a while, but it had some shortfalls. I have Stan's sealant in my tires, and Co2 just freezes it into a hard little ball so it doesn't work. Also, if you don't get the patch right the first time it sucks to waste a canister to find that out. Or, what happens often, is I'll pick up a puncture and get a slow leak. Then, I'll hit a bump and pinch flat. So I'll fix one hole, and wind up flat again in 10 minutes which is a super pisser. I now use a good road-pump. A lezyne pressure drive. It gets the job done without killing the Stans; which in turn has kept me from flatting more to begin with. Sure, pumping up on the side of the road in 100 degree heat blows, but so does winding up going through both my cartridges when I'm 50 miles from home.

Leukybear 

I agree C02 is very handy but it does have some short falls... such as it keeps you from helping fellow bicyclists with a flat, does not work well with latex tubes, price, the frozen hand because you weren't careful enough to not touch the actual canister

+1 have one myself and its a great mini pump; easily serviceable too with no special tools needed.

xkillemallx16

specialized armadillo + 2 co2 cartridges, patch kit, extra tube.

this plan has never failed

Retro Grouch 

There's two sides to every coin.

CO2 is a LOT faster to use. It also costs more and, if you run out or cartridges, you're also out of luck.
Pumps are more eco friendly and you never run out of air. A guy my age, however, might not have enough time left to use one of those teensy mini's. Everybody says how fast and easy their mini pumps get up to 120 psi. Hey - I'm from Missouri - don't tell me, show me.

So how often do you have a flat? If it's not too often it doesn't really matter. Just suck it up and use whatever you happen to have with you. On the other hand, after having a flat you're probably already unhappy. If that's the case, CO2 is better because it's so much faster - unless, of course, you screw it up and let all of your CO2 escape.

I carry CO2 on my tandem and a mini-pump on my single bike. On my fixed gear I don't carry anything with me but a positive attitude.

TejanoTrackie 

On most of my bikes I have either a full size frame pump or a mini pump in a seat bag. I only carry a CO2 inflator if I'm riding one of my bikes with very tough tires, where the chance of a flat is minimal.

Retro Grouch 

It definitely wouldn't stop me. You'd leave a fellow cyclist stranded by the side of the road because you didn't want to "waste" a $3.00 CO2 cartridge?

Squirrelli

Another vote for the mini pump, especially the Topeak Morph G.

cZa

What about the mini pumps with a co2 cartridge???? Anyone used them???? I use a mini pump but those things look amazing.

Leukybear 

Let's not jump to conclusions, I was talking in a general way.
I'm not talking about myself, but there are misers out there; it happened to me once when I left my saddle bag at home.
$3 is nothing to me considering the price of my roadie, which is usually when I carry C02 on me. Heck I'll give you a quick patch too.

But anyways now I always keep a road morph g in my messenger bags; why not since it weighs less and is smaller than an umbrella?