Remember to air up those tires!

[ACG]

The compressor I have is the kind you can use for cars/nail guns, etc. I've used it before. I don't leave my tires unattended. I'll be looking at foot pumps today.

[mainerider]

I usually check my tires every couple of rides. I didn't check this morning because I had just put air in yesterday. I got a couple of miles down the road, climbed a hill, and said hmmm I hear alot of rubber. Pulled over, felt rear wheel, almost flat. Checked for any causes, didn't find any. I turned around and road back to work. I had about 20 lbs of air. I filled it, we'll see if there is any air left when I get out of work. I'm bummed because it is a new tire and new tube. I hate changing the rear tire because I have trouble getting the wheel back into place even after the lbs had a class on it.

Maureen

[CorsairMac]

I usually check my tires every couple of rides. I didn't check this morning because I had just put air in yesterday. I got a couple of miles down the road, climbed a hill, and said hmmm I hear alot of rubber. Pulled over, felt rear wheel, almost flat. Checked for any causes, didn't find any. I turned around and road back to work. I had about 20 lbs of air. I filled it, we'll see if there is any air left when I get out of work. I'm bummed because it is a new tire and new tube. I hate changing the rear tire because I have trouble getting the wheel back into place even after the lbs had a class on it.

Maureen

It could just be a pinch flat - especially since you said you just changed out your tube. Now that it's gone flat and you've reinflated it Should be OK. If you get home and it isn't, you can let the air out, rock the tire back and forth on the rim - you Don't need to take it off the rim, just try to get the pinches out of the tube - and reinflate.

Been wondering this about CO2 cartridges...
Does one cartridge fill up an entire tube? Road and MTB?
And if you just need to top off your air pressure, can you use CO2? Or is it a one-shot deal sort of thing...once you've punctured the cartridge, do you have to use it all at once?

Hate my teenytiny pump...very ineffective and it doesn't fit in my under-saddle pack, so I have have it strapped on the bottom of the pack with thick rubberbands...hehe ugly but it works. Don't like to carry things in my jersey pocket other than yummies and route sheets!

whew - lots of ??s here:

Does one cartridge fill up an entire tube? yes
Road and MTB? yes
And if you just need to top off your air pressure, can you use CO2? yes you could but if you're only talking about 20-30 lbs and you're home.....I just use the pump.
once you've punctured the cartridge, do you have to use it all at once? no - as a matter of fact I'm carrying a partial cartridge right now in it's "case" and an extra full one.


I don't even carry a pump on my road bikes - I only carry CO2 cartridges.

[SadieKate]

I don't even carry a pump on my road bikes - I only carry CO2 cartridges.

Not me!!! Sumthin' will happen in the boondocks and I won't be able to get home. Ask Mr. Jobob about his friend who had 3 cartridges and, yup, 4 flats.

[CorsairMac]

Not me!!! Sumthin' will happen in the boondocks and I won't be able to get home. Ask Mr. Jobob about his friend who had 3 cartridges and, yup, 4 flats.

ROFL - in that case I'll just sit down on the side of the road and start crying! who knows - maybe the next Ex Mr CMac will show up!!

[bikerchick68]

Hey biker chick?....why not just carry an extra cartridge? I always carry 1 cartridge in the housing and an extra one on the side. If I'm riding alone over very long distance - I pack 2 more in the camelback, that way I've got Plenty just in case!

well that would just totally make too much sense!

I carry a tool and a tube adn levers already so the one cartidge with dispenser is all I can fit in seat bag... if I do a century I carry an extra in my back pocket... I guess I could go get a bigger seatbag huh???

[bikerchick68]

[QUOTE=abarensfeld7 Hate my teenytiny pump...very ineffective and it doesn't fit in my under-saddle pack, so I have have it strapped on the bottom of the pack with thick rubberbands...hehe ugly but it works. Don't like to carry things in my jersey pocket other than yummies and route sheets![/QUOTE]

they make a little plastic piece that screws right into your bottle cages that will hold your pump! It costs maybe $5 and the pump is outta the way and always attached right to the bike...

[eofelis]

My SO John is a darn good bike mechanic and he takes care of my bikes, even airing up the tires before each ride. He has a cranky old Zefal floor pump that he likes but I don't get along with it. So I went out and got a $20 Serfas floor pump at REI. It has two holes on the head, one for presta, one for schrader, and a gauge too. It works great and now I can air up my own tires easily.

I air up at every ride, or every other day or so. I carry a small Zefal pump on my road bike, plus CO2. I also have a Topeak Roadmorph for touring and commuting.

[wabisabi]

About pumps....the first time I used a new one I realized that the part with the holes in it had to be pulled apart and the presta valve stem piece put into place (if that makes any sense); actually a fellow rider showed me.

I sometimes use a CO2 to top off my road bike tire. I have one of the holders that lets me control the amount going into the tire. The thing I noticed with CO2's is that you need to be sure to check the tire inflation because the CO2 gas seems to leak out (or something) after sitting even overnight. Friends have mentioned this phenomena also.

[bikerz]

OT: Wabisabi - I keep meaning to tell you that I love your Iris Murdoch line!

[Trek420]

wabisabi sez "the CO2 gas seems to leak out (or something) after sitting even overnight. Friends have mentioned this phenomena also."

My understanding is the CO2 is under pressure, like concentrated. Once outa the canister it deflates. So it's a fast efficient way to top off tires and I'm leaning towards getting one but you have to check the tires each day.

About the teeny tiny pumps, I use

http://www.torelli.com/parts/acces.html

6 1/2" long fits in the under seat bag and actually works. Yes it's quite the upperbody workout and frame pumps work best and co2 is faster but this mini pump does the job in a pinch.

[SadieKate]

Aren't CO2 molecules smaller than oxygen molecules? So, they slip through the tube faster? The english major just pondering and trying to remember what she learned in high school, but that was the last century.

[MomOnBike]

Aren't CO2 molecules smaller than oxygen molecules?

I don't think so. Oxygen is 2 oxygen atoms. CO2 adds a carbon to the 2 oxygen. Maybe there is something about the shape of the molecules/shape of the tube molecules that does it?

I've seen other people report that the CO2 leaks faster than dumb old air, but nobody can explain why.

Hmmm :thinking harder: Air is mostly nitrogen. Maybe the nitrogen molecules are bigger than the CO2 molecules?

I'll have to ask my daughter - the budding chemist.

[abarensfeld7]

The thing I noticed with CO2's is that you need to be sure to check the tire inflation because the CO2 gas seems to leak out (or something) after sitting even overnight.

Hmm this makes me think I'll stay away from CO2 -- why bother with a gas that doesn't even like to keep my tires pumped up?

Well...'spose I'd just be using it for roadside flats.
What do you all think about the cost aspect?

[CorsairMac]

I haven't had any issues with using C02 and leaking air. I had a front tire I inflated using CO2 and it was still inflated to max a week later. I'm wondering if it's more damage to the tube or a pinch flat than it is the CO2?