Good C02 inflator.

[Mr conners]

Off to ride the Baja divide in December and as an addition to the spares kit I thought that a C02 inflator might be handy in case I ever unseat a tyre. In on 3.0 maxxis chronicles and my better half 2.8s. I've never used one but I have had a valve core come out when removing a pump so would prefer a push on type. A friend has given me a ratty Leyzene trigger drive but its squirts out a feeble amount of air so has anybody someexperiencethey can share. Any help appreciated.
Ta

[whitestone]

I've a couple. No idea what make or model but they are push on rather than screw-on. They are also the type that you can partially use the cylinder rather than them being one-shot.

If you are using them to inflate tubeless tyres, typically after a burp, then set the valve at about the 12 o'clock position then leave the wheel a minute or so to let the sealant drain away from the valve area. Then when you start to inflate you don't get cold shock in the sealant.

[Pirahna]

I've got three or four Genuine Innovations Airchuck things that seem to gone up a bit, just googled and I didn't pay more than a fiver. Anyway, best inflater I've used, there's very little to them and they do what they're supposed to.

[Teaman]

I think I have an old genuine innovations one but newer ones from Aldi and Decathlon. Have only ever used them on tubes with the commuting bikes but all worked fine.
I assume you would need one of the bigger cartridges to try and seat a MTB tyre.

I also make tight sleeves for the CO2 cartridges from old inner tubes. This saves your fingers freezing when the cartridge goes very cold when emptying but also stops the metal against metal noise if you are carrying 2.

[Mr conners]

Cheers.
I like the look of the airchuck. I'll have to practice trying to pop the tyre onto the rim with one, once purchased.
Cheers

[redefined_cycles]

Dont forget that (apparently, never tested it myself) co2 and tubeless don't mix well. So you're supposed to top up with bog standard air once back home and all that. If that helps at all (not sure it does but it's the reason I don't bother with csrtidges for tuebelss tires).

[whitestone]

Dont forget that (apparently, never tested it myself) co2 and tubeless don't mix well. So you're supposed to top up with bog standard air once back home and all that. If that helps at all (not sure it does but it's the reason I don't bother with csrtidges for tuebelss tires).

Shaf - see the second paragraph of my first reply. It's not the CO2 itself but the rapid change in temperature "cold shock" when the gas in the cartridge expands that initiates the coagulation of the sealant. Turning the wheel so the valve is at 12 o'clock and letting the sealant drain away from the valve solves the problem.

[Alpinum]

More expedition friendly than a single use CO2 cartridge; the good old PET bottle lid valve trick.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EtmatxJG_zg

Used it myself on a not so easy 26 × 4.8" tyre in the Puna de Atacama. Worked bloody well. Weighs near to nothing.

A friend uses one at home to seat his tyres if they don't go up with a regular track pump.

[Teaman]

Appreciate that this will weigh next to nothing but assume you literally flattened the bottle for expedition carrying . I have heard they are rated to a very high psi but hadn't thought of taking them out on trails or expeditions due to the volume.

I suppose you could take it as an additional water bottle (wonder if a 1.25l bottle might work?) and then interchangeable lids i.e. one for inflation and one for drinking

[redefined_cycles]

Dont forget that (apparently, never tested it myself) co2 and tubeless don't mix well. So you're supposed to top up with bog standard air once back home and all that. If that helps at all (not sure it does but it's the reason I don't bother with csrtidges for tuebelss tires).

Shaf - see the second paragraph of my first reply. It's not the CO2 itself but the rapid change in temperature "cold shock" when the gas in the cartridge expands that initiates the coagulation of the sealant. Turning the wheel so the valve is at 12 o'clock and letting the sealant drain away from the valve solves the problem.

Aha. I see and didn't know/see that (though I just thought you were explaining how to clean the valve etc). CO2 canisters, here I come...

[redefined_cycles]

More expedition friendly than a single use CO2 cartridge; the good old PET bottle lid valve trick.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EtmatxJG_zg

Used it myself on a not so easy 26 × 4.8" tyre in the Puna de Atacama. Worked bloody well. Weighs near to nothing.

A friend uses one at home to seat his tyres if they don't go up with a regular track pump.

I've been using that bottle (last changed probably about 5 years ago) for about 12 years now (or just the point where tubeless came in and it was only Stans and his strips). Never actually thought to take it out on the trails with me as you're right about the weight.

I'd also considered buying/upgrading to a tubeless track pump but might instead just upgrade my bottle

One thing to be aware of is to ensure you have the gaffer/gorilla tape properly wrapped around the bottle. I've had one crack years ago and lately Boab had a little incident where it exploded. Bottles do become brittle over time (but that might be why you mention PET).

[Teaman]

Ref the bottle method for expeditions/away from home etc

I'm guessing the thing to do is to just take the lid and tube, as you can nearly always find somewhere selling 2 lite bottles of fizz.
If you can't find a track pump to use to inflate the bottle, are the following 2 options likely to be viable:

1) Use your small pump you are carrying with you. (I know it will be hard work but potentially okay)

2) Use a garage/petrol station car tyre inflator with a presta/schrader adaptor

My thoughts are that the above could work and hence the lid could be a vital bit of kit to carry. I would appreciate thoughts from more experienced folk than me.

Andy

[redefined_cycles]

Hi Andy (am sure more exp folks will be round shortly but) my thoughts are...

1. Are you gonna find a 2L bottle when you're deflated out by the kerbside or trail.... Will they be selling some gaffer tape with it and would you be bothered with all that faff... Though you'd have the lid already I suppose...

2. For road tubeless IME you can forget about a mini pump as the pressures you get upto are well over 100psi to then allow it to pop the bead/rim together. For mtb tubeless I reckon you'd be ok with a decent (read, 'big') trailside pump like the Topeak mtb one that's as long as an arm and about 7cm thick. You're only trying to get to pressurws of around 40 to 60 to pop the bead into place.

3. Using a garage petrol station, aside from them reporting you (if you happened to look very 'muzlamic') to the coppers, I reckon it would be more atress and faff than it's worth (IMO).

Key thing is the lid/valves, something strong to clamp it (I use car brake hose clamps, two of em) and a strong bottle as well as a good seal... One secret is to remove the valve core on the tubeless to get the air rushed in/tyre popped initially. Sorry if you know most of the above

[Cheeky Monkey]

Just carry a tube and sort the whole tubeless-failed-shenanigans out at a convenient and appropriate point in the "trip"? I don't know if the Baja Divide is somewhere that this approach could work.

CO2 inflators just seem a bit sh!te. Single use canisters (for people too lazy to use an average pump ). And when they don't work first time what do you do? Carry several cannisters (pack those fears!) or resort to the pump you're carrying anyway?

Tongue-in-cheek. HYOH. P&L

[Alpinum]

Ref the bottle method for expeditions/away from home etc

I'm guessing the thing to do is to just take the lid and tube, as you can nearly always find somewhere selling 2 lite bottles of fizz.
If you can't find a track pump to use to inflate the bottle, are the following 2 options likely to be viable:

1) Use your small pump you are carrying with you. (I know it will be hard work but potentially okay)

2) Use a garage/petrol station car tyre inflator with a presta/schrader adaptor

My thoughts are that the above could work and hence the lid could be a vital bit of kit to carry. I would appreciate thoughts from more experienced folk than me.

Andy

Since the TO was looking was an inflator for their trip in the Baja area, I posted my answer based on experience riding through a desert, which was my intended context. For day rides I use a self made, very simple and fool proof alu inflator, which will effectively hold pressure for 1 - 2 weeks of a partially used CO2 cartridge. I very rarely have serious issues in which cases I need to reinstall a tyre, so I simply use it when I have a puncture and am in a hurry or too hot to bother using the mini pump, which is like 1 - 2x a year. Thus, the PE bottle cap inflator only comes on exped style trips or multiday trips (trailbiking) with a basecamp.