Mountain Bike equipmentC

[djs134]

It's spring here in Central PA. Joane and I have brought the bikes out ......

Anyhow, I was looking over my equipment this year and trying to decide if I want to replace my old double action pump with a CO2 Inflater. Haven't run across any cartridge systems that will fill a mountain bike tire up completely, usually only to about 40psi.

Anyone have any experience with these and have any words of wisdom to impart?

I stopped carrying a patch kit a couple of years ago when we ran across a guy with a punctured tire and the kit wouldn't work for shit. Now we each just carry an extra tube and a double action Blackburn pump.....

 

[mwilson788]

I've never been a big fan of the CO2 pumps. No more air than is required I just use a small double action. I suppose if you shopped around in the $100 plus range you might find something suitable but for that kind of money I could hire Tattoo from "Fantasy Island" to ride on my back and inflate my tires for me.

 

[tobby4]

I dont like them, but that is just from people that I know that have used em.. I dont know enough about to give a personal opinion

 

[Greg]

I could hire Tattoo from "Fantasy Island" to ride on my back and inflate my tires for me.

Ha...he was a cool little fella, eh....There was a James Bond movie, can't remember which, but he played a bad guy...absolutely hillarious.

I think I'd hire Webster though....

Oh, and I'd just go with the pump.

 

[djs134]

I've never been a big fan of the CO2 pumps. No more air than is required I just use a small double action. I suppose if you shopped around in the $100 plus range you might find something suitable but for that kind of money I could hire Tattoo from "Fantasy Island" to ride on my back and inflate my tires for me.

$100!! Damn, I'm looking at 16gr cartridge systems for $20. The pump just seems to take forever to bring pressure up to 60 psi.... my tires are max 80psi.....

 

[djs134]

Ha...he was a cool little fella, eh....There was a James Bond movie, can't remember which, but he played a bad guy...absolutely hillarious.

Man With The Golden Gun

 

[mwilson788]

$100!! Damn, I'm looking at 16gr cartridge systems for $20. The pump just seems to take forever to bring pressure up to 60 psi.... my tires are max 80psi.....

The point I was making is that you might find a specialty pump that costs a fortune that can do a good job. But the typical CO2 pumps I've used have been pure SHIITE.

 

[djs134]

LOL. Yeah, I gathered that.... seems to be the basic consensus.

The other stuff I've been looking at is that green goo that goes into the tire to self seal small punctures (Acorns, small rocks, etc). I would think that it would unbalance the tires....

 

[tobby4]

LOL. Yeah, I gathered that.... seems to be the basic consensus.

The other stuff I've been looking at is that green goo that goes into the tire to self seal small punctures (Acorns, small rocks, etc). I would think that it would unbalance the tires....

That is like the fix a flat stuff that you can use for your car and it makes the tire uneven and it will get bumpy and not true on a bike..

 

[mwilson788]

I have used the goo. Makes a big mess but it does actually work. Actually I bought tires with the goo already in them. I've never tried to add it to them. Dunno how that would go over.

 

[tobby4]

Well then again last time we used it was on a road bike so i dont know

 

[mwilson788]

I don't think I'd try it with a road bike. I agree it would probably make it wobble. With a Mountain bike if you're riding it where you should be a little wobble won't be noticeable. :thumbsup:

 

[djs134]

I have used the goo. Makes a big mess but it does actually work. Actually I bought tires with the goo already in them. I've never tried to add it to them. Dunno how that would go over.

Add much weight? What about "untrueing" the tires?

 

[mwilson788]

Weight isn't noticeable while riding. You can barely even tell it when you pick up the wheel. Like I said before you don't really notice any wobble on the tires or uneven wear due to the terrain you're usually on. However; with a road bike I can see this being an issue.

 

[tobby4]

I have just never used it... but seeing as though i bought my first bike in 4 years last week it has been awhile since I have had to fix somthing

 

[djs134]

Thanks for the input and info! I think I'll just stick with the hand pump and give the "Slime' a miss..... for now anyhow....

 

[Halon]

Man With The Golden Gun

Scaramanga! Or something like that.

Anyways, I've used the Slime stuff and it's a mess to deal with. It's easier to just put a new tube on. Never tried the CO2 pumps, but I am pretty skeptical about them. Seems like most are marketed as providing you with enough air to ride to somewhere that has a regular pump.
$0.02


TYLER

 

[AZsteelman]

Well, just getting into the mountain bike stuff, here's my opinion and some info from the local bike shop.

The slime doesn't add enough weight to make a difference on a mountain bike and it's worth the little extra it does add. We're talking a couple of ounces here. My first week with my new bike brought me a flat. I was smart, I had a bag containing 2 extra tubes strapped on, but I pinched the tube during installation of the new one, so I just pushed it home. Since I'm riding the canals and have more than ample opportunity for more flats, I'm now damn near flat proof. I have the Kevlar reinforced tires, with an inner liner, with thorn resistant tubes, and the slime added to that. I won't get a lot of flats...push that sucker home 5 miles and it will make a believer out of you!

As for the pump, I have a dual action Specialized that works really well....pretty small without being too small to work. It only cost about $30 or so...