Co2 inflator

[Tim Hall]

When sorrows come, they come not single spies. But in battalions.

If you get one puncture, it seems that the chance of getting a second increases, there's always the chance that you don't effectively clear out the offending sharp, and get another, or you don't seat the tyre properly and get a pinch puncture, or you knacker the innertube through some other kind of roadside stupidity and clumsiness, or you don't inflate it properly, hit a pothole and get a snake-bite, or it may just be that the puncture gods have it in for you.

Just don't go cycling with any random Prince of Denmark. You'll end up getting stabbed behind the arras (or worse).

 

[Apollonius]

While we are on the subject of CO2, does anybody know why. Why CO2, that is? Surely compressed air would be just as easily carried and used, and you don't have the seepage problems you get with CO2. (I understand this is because butyl rubber is soluble in CO2, and affects its permeability adversely.) Why was CO2 chosen as the portable gas of choice?

 

[RichardB]

I would guess that it was because the primary market for those cylinders is the soft drinks market and similar, where CO2 is necessary. The tyre inflation market isn't big enough to justify a separate product with pure air. Just a guess.

 

[winjim]

I would think it's cheaper and easier to compress to a liquid.

 

[stevevw]

It fits well with a nice bike

View attachment 111100

(Another unashamed gratuitous pic of the VN)

Ian
yep that pump will look great when you get a nice bike.

 

[ianrauk]

Ian
yep that pump will look great when you get a nice bike.

Oi.. you.... enough of that... that hurt

 

[Milkfloat]

CO2 is a cheap byproduct of other industries, it is relatively inert (compared to oxygen), but crucially you can squeeze a lot more into a cartridge compared to compressed air.

 

[Apollonius]

Good reasoning guys. Thanks.

 

[andrew_s]

CO2 liquefies at a relatively modest pressure, so you can get a decent amount of gas in a small and light cylinder. Compressed air in a similar volume would have to be at around 3500 psi, and a cylinder strong enough to hold that would be very heavy by comparison.

 

[RichardB]

I've learned something tonight. Thanks!

 

[Andywinds]

I was always told it was because it does not oxygenate fires. Air is cheaper.

 

[Sbudge]

I've wondered the same and assumed someone would be marketing nitrogen canisters by now, they try to sell it to you at Kwik Fit for your car so why not? We buy enough over-priced/marketed things for marginal benefit already.

Only one I've seen so far is "Stayfill" which seems very expensive (of course) and I don't think on sale in UK.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Some interesting notes here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottled_gas basically bearing out what @andrew_s says. CO2 is easier to package cos of physics.