CO2 Inflators - not lasting - what am I doing wrong?
10-13-21, 11:07 PM
#26
Me duelen las nalgas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,513
Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4559 Post(s)
Liked 2,802 Times
in
1,800 Posts
I have a Genuine Innovations AirChuck and Planet Bike Red Zeppelin. Never used either. I always use a mini pump unless it's a fast club ride and I don't want to keep anyone waiting. But I haven't ridden with any of the fast clubs in a couple of years. My other groups don't mind waiting so I've only needed the mini pump.
I've helped one fellow with a flat repair after his only CO2 cartridge blew into the atmosphere. At first we thought it was a seal leak, but it turned out the same debris that caused the first flat was still inside the tire and punctured his spare tube. So we ended up using my mini pump and patch kit.
If bike CO2 kits are like the many CO2 airguns I've used the cartridges will hold gas for many years, no problem. And about 10% of the time a seal will fail no matter how careful we air. Even when the seals are good it takes only a slight misalignment for a leak.
If I didn't carry a mini pump I'd carry at least two and preferably more CO2 cartridges. Might as well carry a mini pump that doesn't weigh much more or take up much more room than 3 or 4 cartridges.
It's possible the seals fail on some inflators, especially if the inflator has been stored in a saddle bag for years through exposure to heat, ozone, etc. Seal failure was pretty uncommon years ago with CO2 airguns and similar devices because they specced high quality O-rings. But quality control varies wildly now with materials from China, so it's feasible a seal could deteriorate. That's certainly true of many counterfeit products including batteries.
I've helped one fellow with a flat repair after his only CO2 cartridge blew into the atmosphere. At first we thought it was a seal leak, but it turned out the same debris that caused the first flat was still inside the tire and punctured his spare tube. So we ended up using my mini pump and patch kit.
If bike CO2 kits are like the many CO2 airguns I've used the cartridges will hold gas for many years, no problem. And about 10% of the time a seal will fail no matter how careful we air. Even when the seals are good it takes only a slight misalignment for a leak.
If I didn't carry a mini pump I'd carry at least two and preferably more CO2 cartridges. Might as well carry a mini pump that doesn't weigh much more or take up much more room than 3 or 4 cartridges.
It's possible the seals fail on some inflators, especially if the inflator has been stored in a saddle bag for years through exposure to heat, ozone, etc. Seal failure was pretty uncommon years ago with CO2 airguns and similar devices because they specced high quality O-rings. But quality control varies wildly now with materials from China, so it's feasible a seal could deteriorate. That's certainly true of many counterfeit products including batteries.
10-14-21, 01:11 AM
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Minas Ithil
Posts: 9,173
Mentioned: 66 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2432 Post(s)
Liked 638 Times
in
395 Posts
I had one fail a couple of weeks ago but thankfully I only had a mile and a half walk home. Get an SKS SuperShort mini pump, mount it on your bottle cage and call it a day.
10-18-21, 11:48 AM
#28
Newbie
I've used several different models of CO2 inflators (Genuine Innovations, Blackburn, etc.) and have never had a problem using any of them. I use the small, chuck style inflator with threaded cartridges. Just used one last week that is at least 10 years old and worked no problem. As other said, regardless of the style, don't attach the cartridge to the inflator until you need to use it. Also, practice at home to see what you might be doing wrong.
10-18-21, 01:47 PM
#29
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,984
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 51 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6191 Post(s)
Liked 4,807 Times
in
3,316 Posts
The CO2 inflator I have is one that just screws on the top of the CO2 cartridge. No lever or any valve. You just screw it on fully to puncture the cartridge then unscrew it a tad to let the CO2 flow. Screw it back in when the tire is inflated enough and you'll have some CO2 left to top off the tire if you make a lousy patch job and it leaks. Last time I used it it was a slow leak, so I just kept topping off the tire without patching it till I got home.
I got it at Walmart or Academy Sports eight or so years ago. It worked on March or April of 2020 when I needed it. And for times before that. And I expect it'll work whenever that time in the future comes. It's the Genuine Innovations Nano. You can still get it for less than 10 bucks. You can even get one from this Home Brew Beer supply store online.....
https://www.homebrewing.org/Microfla...caAi3rEALw_wcB
As for putting silicone grease on the o-ring, I don't see where that would hurt. But make sure which you use. I don't know that all silicone grease is made the same. Some might actually be made with bases that harm o-rings. I'd think that silicone grease for plumbing applications would be okay.
I got it at Walmart or Academy Sports eight or so years ago. It worked on March or April of 2020 when I needed it. And for times before that. And I expect it'll work whenever that time in the future comes. It's the Genuine Innovations Nano. You can still get it for less than 10 bucks. You can even get one from this Home Brew Beer supply store online.....
https://www.homebrewing.org/Microfla...caAi3rEALw_wcB
As for putting silicone grease on the o-ring, I don't see where that would hurt. But make sure which you use. I don't know that all silicone grease is made the same. Some might actually be made with bases that harm o-rings. I'd think that silicone grease for plumbing applications would be okay.
Last edited by Iride01; 10-18-21 at 01:51 PM.
10-18-21, 02:35 PM
#30
Junior Member
First - yes I use a pump when I can. But sometimes I prefer to use CO2, and I take the cartridges home and put them in recycling. There.
Second - every single brand of inflator I've tried - PDW Shiny Object, Blackburn Wayside, Genuine Innovation Microflate Nano - have all eventually failed to work correctly.
Typically since going to tubeless on most of my bikes I have less than a flat per year that I have to fix on the road/trail. In some cases these inflators go unused for months. And then when I go to use them either they leak CO2, or the mechanism by which you release CO2 no longer works correctly (each of the three I listed works slightly differently - one with a knob to open the valve, one you just press the head down, and one you twist the cart to open).
Should I be using some kind of silicone lubricant on the seals? Keeping it in a ziplock in my bike bag? Or is there a brand you've found particularly reliable and long lasting?
Second - every single brand of inflator I've tried - PDW Shiny Object, Blackburn Wayside, Genuine Innovation Microflate Nano - have all eventually failed to work correctly.
Typically since going to tubeless on most of my bikes I have less than a flat per year that I have to fix on the road/trail. In some cases these inflators go unused for months. And then when I go to use them either they leak CO2, or the mechanism by which you release CO2 no longer works correctly (each of the three I listed works slightly differently - one with a knob to open the valve, one you just press the head down, and one you twist the cart to open).
Should I be using some kind of silicone lubricant on the seals? Keeping it in a ziplock in my bike bag? Or is there a brand you've found particularly reliable and long lasting?
I’ve only used threaded cartridges/inflators. I when was originally shopping, i thought thread-less inflators seemed huge compared to a threaded inflators. The threaded co2 inflator devices that i own (3 of them) are about the size of a single earbud where as thread-less inflators are about the size of a small hand pump. Additionally, threaded inflators accept pretty much any size threaded cartridge. Conversely, thread-less inflators accept a much smaller set of sizes. I’ve never had any difficulties with threaded co2 cartridges leaking or use. I don’t get many flats so most of my cartridges are several years old. Note, i NEVER leave a cartridge attached to the inflator.
10-18-21, 02:35 PM
#31
Sprockets away!
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Sidney, BC, Canada
Posts: 83
Bikes: 2021 Prior Prime 105 Disc, 2015 Cannondale Synapse 105 Disc, 1996 Brodie Quantum, 1984 Norco Monterey (SRAM automatix two-speed), 198x Cramerotti Campagnolo Chorus (restored)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 36 Post(s)
Liked 15 Times
in
12 Posts
I wish I knew which manufacturer made my inflator head, because i've had it so long I don't know anymore. It screws onto the top of a CO2 cartridge, and has a red knob that you open to let the gas flow. The brass-coloured outlet screws onto either Presta or Schraeder.
I always used it just as others have suggested - One time use. CO2 cartridge fills punctured road tire to about 80psi, and that's about all it's good for so it gets disconnected again. Recently a friend put me on to the slightly larger CO2 cartridges, so I grabbed a couple. I fixed a fellow rider's flat on one ride, filled their tire until it was probably 95psi, then closed the valve and put it back in my bike. A week later I noticed my tire was low on a ride, and pulled it out on a whim to see if it would work... It did, and still had enough air to bring me up from ~50 to ~90 psi. I was amazed it hadn't leaked out in the week between. I don't carry a pump anymore.
I always used it just as others have suggested - One time use. CO2 cartridge fills punctured road tire to about 80psi, and that's about all it's good for so it gets disconnected again. Recently a friend put me on to the slightly larger CO2 cartridges, so I grabbed a couple. I fixed a fellow rider's flat on one ride, filled their tire until it was probably 95psi, then closed the valve and put it back in my bike. A week later I noticed my tire was low on a ride, and pulled it out on a whim to see if it would work... It did, and still had enough air to bring me up from ~50 to ~90 psi. I was amazed it hadn't leaked out in the week between. I don't carry a pump anymore.
10-18-21, 04:42 PM
#32
padawan
I had the same problem. I went through 4 or 5 different inflators before I found one that worked reliably. The Lezyne CO2 Flex Hose. It's totally different than any other inflator I've used.
https://www.backcountry.com/lezyne-c...IgRmxleCBIb3Nl
https://www.backcountry.com/lezyne-c...IgRmxleCBIb3Nl
10-18-21, 06:04 PM
#33
Newbie
Bike Pro Tool
I've had good luck with Bike Pro Tool's inflator and carry them on several bikes. They deal with the problem of unintended release while attaching the cartridge and unintended release while attaching to the valve on the bike.
https://www.probiketool.com/us/produ...rage-canister/
I buy generic cartridges on Amazon in boxes of 30 for a little over $1 each. Someone has studied the probabilities of bad cartridges and claims that if you weigh them you can determine if they're empty. Fun to think about, but I just carry one in the chamber (upside down) and two in the pack and have not been stranded anywhere (yet).
https://www.probiketool.com/us/produ...rage-canister/
I buy generic cartridges on Amazon in boxes of 30 for a little over $1 each. Someone has studied the probabilities of bad cartridges and claims that if you weigh them you can determine if they're empty. Fun to think about, but I just carry one in the chamber (upside down) and two in the pack and have not been stranded anywhere (yet).
10-19-21, 10:57 AM
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,851
Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 759 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 810 Times
in
471 Posts
I had one years ago..never needed it until one day I did. The seals in the inflator..well..didn't. Cost me a $60 cab ride home.
Got another one..latest and greatest...used it once and got a marginal fill. Made it home, but I wasn't far away anyhow.
Went for a more robust, error/problem-free solution... A good mini-pump. Lighter than the CO2 setup with 1 or 2 cylinders(certainly no heavier), depending on ride length.
(For me..) CO2 setups are a nice concept, but mostly an ASWCS product..a solution to a problem that already has a very good solution.
Got another one..latest and greatest...used it once and got a marginal fill. Made it home, but I wasn't far away anyhow.
Went for a more robust, error/problem-free solution... A good mini-pump. Lighter than the CO2 setup with 1 or 2 cylinders(certainly no heavier), depending on ride length.
(For me..) CO2 setups are a nice concept, but mostly an ASWCS product..a solution to a problem that already has a very good solution.
Likes For fishboat:
