CO2 cartridges can be a quick and convenient way to get back on the road after a flat, but there are a few things to look out for to make sure you don’t accidentally get stranded.
Make sure you know how to use your specific CO2 inflator. There are many different CO2 inflator designs that work in very different ways. Some of them have a trigger that lets you release a little bit of CO2 at a time. Some of them are spring loaded so they can stop and go, and a few of them only give you one shot to get things right, because all the CO2 comes out at once. Try yours out at least once at home so that you understand how it works. If someone lends you one during a ride, it isn’t foolish to ask how that specific device works before you try to fill up your tire.
Make sure your tube is fully inside the tire and not sticking out from the rim somewhere. There’s nothing worse than fixing a flat, adding CO2 and then giving yourself another instant flat by pinching the tube between the rim and the tire bead.
Make sure you have the right kind of CO2 cartridge to match your inflator. There are threaded and non threaded cartridges. If you accidentally buy the wrong kind that doesn’t match your inflator and don’t notice until you have a flat, you could be out of luck.
If you are riding tubeless with sealant, put the valve up at 12 o’clock as you inflate. The ultra cold CO2 that comes from the cartridge can cause the latex to coagulate so that you won’t have any left to seal the tire. If the valve is at the top, then the sealant will pool at the bottom of the tire and you’re less likely to have this problem.
When you get home, deflate the tire and pump up with a regular pump. CO2 seeps out of latex and butyl tubes faster than air does. So if you forget to do this, you’ll probably notice before your next ride that the tire seems much lower than usual. It’s not necessarily because you didn’t fix the flat correctly — it’s because the CO2 seeped out.
Readers, what other CO2 problems should riders look out for?
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And….Make sure the relative humidity is low. High humidity will cause Co2 bottles freeze and clog the puncture hole. I live in southeast Georgia Co2 is not viable during the summer months. Get a good pump, maintain it and you’ll been rewarded with many happy and stress free miles.
CO2 cartridges are compact and quick. But being a belt & suspenders type A person I carry a small hand pump for when I run out of cartridges for what ever reason. I also use the pump initially to make sure tube is completely repaired before sacrificing a cartridge.
Gee, your technique is mine exactly. I’ve never ran out of cartridges and, luckily for me, I haven’t had a flat in the last 7,200 miles. In fact, I’ve given out more cartridges than I’ve used for the last several years.
Same here! I always have one nicely wrapped with tire levers and a new tube. Haven’t had a flat in years. I seem to give them away more often than using them myself. Somewhere out there on the trail is a box with some money to say thanks to the stranger that bailed them out… right!!??
Some inflators are just a head that screws onto the cartridge threads, with no tube to contain cartridge.. If you have one of those, use a glove to grip the bare cartridge. Otherwise, when the gas expands into the tube and suddenly cools, you can get a nasty freeze-burn on your skin where it contacts the metal. Ask me how I know . . .
use an old tube (cut to size) to fit the co2 cartridge. this will save your hand from freeze burn and also stop the cartridge from jingling around in your saddlebag
good idea….thanks
All very good suggestions
I wrap my spare tube in the toe portion of an old sock. Not only does the sock protect the tube, holding the CO2 cartridge with the sock saves freezer burned fingers.
Carry two CO2 cartridges.
I buy the 12g non-threaded ones (the same ones paint ballers and pellet guns use) for 50 cents a piece in a box of 25 or 50 at Walmart. They are enough for a 23mm road tire.
The 20 gram threaded type cost $2 at the bike shop.
I haven’t carried a pump in probably 12+ years & haven’t missed having one. I use a Genuine Innovations Ultraflate. Thes inflator will work with any 12 or 16 gram threaded or nonthreaded cartridge. It has a trigger which allows for gradual, bursts, slow release or all in one shot release. I buy CO2 cartridges whenever & whever they’re the least expensive. I ran in to trouble once when I flatted onn the road. I discovered the cartridges I bought were too short & the pin in the inflator wouldn’t pierce them. To solve the problem I found a very small stone, dropped in in the inflator, then inserted the cartridge & ta-da…worked perfectly. Ever since then I carry a dime that serves the same purpose as the rock. If the cartridge is too short I drop the dime in & the problem is solved.
An unused cartridge can also be stored upside down in the inflator which saves a little space in your bag for extras.
I carried a CO2 cartridge for several years. When I finally had a flat I discovered the cartridge was empty. Now I carry a hand pump that will easily give me 50# and get me home.
If you fly/travel with your bike, don’t take CO2 cartridges. According to the TSA website, CO2 cartridges are listed as a banned item for both carry-on and checked bags. I generally take a small carry pump with me, or or you can bring the CO2 head and get cartridges at your destination.
Don’t puncture the cartridge until you’re ready to inflate. I’ve watched a rider puncture the cartridge in his inflator before even removing the wheel. It slowly hissed itself empty while he was changing the tube and remounting the wheel.
Thirty years ago I took up cycling because I had some running issues. Never looked back! But in those first years, as I was learning about needs and getting my “stuff” together, I found CO2 inflators. With no flats in my history, I set off on a 200 mile charity ride with two gas cylinders, a patch kit and maybe a spare. Hey, bubba…when you are outta gas you are up the creek! When I got home I bought a nice big frame pump and never used gas again. At some point I did go to the smaller frame pump, but I still look at gas as a convenience to augment my pump on the front end. If the gas gets me home…fine. But I will never be without air if I have a pump.
If you a running tubeless and go flat away from home there is probably have a big hole in the tyre or not enough sealant left in the tyre to be effective. If you attempt to pump it back up with a CO2 cartridge there is a good chance it will deflate again. Hopefully you are carrying a spare tube so I’d install that and then inflate you tyre with your CO2 cartridge or plan on a long walk home.
If you are riding the larger profile tires common these days, one CO2 cartridge may not give you full inflation. You could try to top off with a mini-pump, but that is laborious and difficult. Much better to START with the mini pump, say up to an easy 20-30 psi, then top off with the CO2.
For years I have been using what is now called the Zefal EZ CONTROL inflator. It allows me to regulate the flow of the CO2 into the tube. Always, always inflate the tube with the valve at the 12 o’clock position so that no liquid CO2 flows into the tube .It screws onto a Presta or Schrader valve and seals with an O ring so no gas is lost. I wrap the cartridges with a few inches of duct tape in case I need to boot a tire or secure something on the bike. I carry CO2 exclusively because my bike has a 62 cm top tube and it’s too long to fit a frame pump.
I always pack a small frame pump in order to inflate enough air into the tube to seat the tire. I have on a couple of occasions had more than one flat on a ride and run out of co2 cartridges’. For what it’s worth, the Genuine Inflations cartridge’s will only work with the Genuine Inflations co2 inflator. The G.I. cartridges are threaded differently. I found out the hard way. You can buy 12g or 16g for cheap on Amazon.com.