Pump vs cartridges (tools, tools, oh my)

[krisl6]

I'm not a big fan of the cartridges. You only have one chance to get it right with them and they're not very environmentally friendly.

[7rider]

I'm not a big fan of the cartridges. You only have one chance to get it right with them and they're not very environmentally friendly.

If your area recycles steel, you can recycle spent cartridges.
http://co2pros.blogspot.com/2008/08/...vironment.html

I used to be afraid of cartidges. Little bombs, they are. But I've started using them, and they are fine. Get's you on your way MUCH faster than a pump can ever hope to. My inflator has some measure of control so I can meter out the air going into the tube as I want and need it. I got a case of cartridges from Amazon for cheap. Still, I do keep a frame pump - for extra insurance and to shape the tube, as someone noted - on my road bikes. I don't have a pump on my commuter. That pump died and I haven't replaced it (yet?). I do carry 2 or 3 cartridges in my saddle bag at all times.

[krisl6]

Recycling aside there are still other ways cartridges impact the environment such as packaging and shipping. But that's just my personal opinion and I know a lot of people like cartridges. I'm perfectly happy with the frame-mounted pump I have. I also like the idea of just buying a pump once rather than spending $$$ on new cartridges every time I've used them up.

I also read somewhere that regular air lasts longer in the tires than CO2. So the cartridges are really only good as a quick fix to get you home.

[Bike Goddess]

Road morph pump, although a little cumbersome, is a great addition to your bike frame. I've got these pumps on both of my bikes, and when someone else in my riding group has a flat, we get out one of these gems. They have a gauge on them which is also nice.

Also, on recommendation of my bike buddies who have been riding many more years than me, I carry two tubes in my underseat bag, a multipurpose tool, and tire irons. To make changing a flat easier, put some (real) talcum powder on your spare tubes. Works for fitting them on the rim.

I also have a "bento box" bag on my top tube where I carry "shot bloks", cell phone, other stuff. The bento box idea came from some folks here on the forum a couple of years ago (maybe JoBob or Sadie Kate or Veronica- not sure who).

[Crankin]

Well, some of us can't put a pump on our frames. I used to have one, but now, just cartridges. They work fine. Ours came from an industrial supply place, in a brown box that was recycled. We throw them out at hazardous waste day. Of course, we only used one this year.

[nscrbug]

Well, some of us can't put a pump on our frames. I used to have one, but now, just cartridges. They work fine. Ours came from an industrial supply place, in a brown box that was recycled. We throw them out at hazardous waste day. Of course, we only used one this year.

+1 on this! I bought a Road Morph G, 2 years ago. Great little pump that used to fit my Trek 2100 WSD just fine. But now that I'm riding a Cervelo S2, the Road Morph simply will not fit on my frame. So, for the last season I've been carrying only C02 and an inflator. The Road Morph now lives permanently on my hubby's Lemond. I am, however, in the process of finding a smaller pump that will work with my frame. After lots of online searching, I think I may have found my new pump - a Lezyne Pressure Drive. It comes in a small and medium size, and I think the small one will just fit on my downtube, using the bottle cage mounts....I hope.