I want a CO2 inflator - but threadless or threaded?

[Globalti]

I'm going to put this on my birthday pressie list for April but I'm not sure what to request; my biggest concern is that I might inflate a tyre and not realise that I've got the tube trapped outside the bead and blow it.

Threadless cylinders require a "container" which has a trigger, right? Can the flow of CO2 be controlled?

Threaded cylinders just have an angled head, which screws on, right? How do you control the flow of CO2?

I'm a big fan of Lezyne equipment, their mini frame pump is a superb little piece of kit so I will probably go for whatever they offer, as recommended by CC experts on here.

 

[fossyant]

I believe folk recommend those which you can control the flow. Not got one myself, but that's what's been recommended to me before !

 

[ianrauk]

I have one of these.

Which takes both threaded and thread-less cannisters. You can also control and lock off the C02.

 

[Lincov]

I haven't used it yet (fortunately), but I had the Bontrager air rush combined mini-pump and CO2 inflator for Christmas. You screw in the cannister with the pump valve closed, then place over inner tube valve, and slowly open the pump valve to control the air flow.

 

[Paul99]

+1 for the Ultraflate Plus.

 

[PpPete]

I was recommended the Genuine Innovations Air-Chuck Elite when I was looking a while ago.
Seriously tiny piece of kit.
It's not very "controllable" but you can part inflate with a pump and finish off getting to pressure with the CO2, with a bit of care making a cyclinder do two tubes.
I've no complaints - other than the fact that you can't buy the head on its own, it comes with cylinders, so mail-order/online purchase is a no no, and I wanted a second one to go in a bag mounted on another bike.

 

[jayonabike]

I have the same as Ian, works perfectly.

 

[youngoldbloke]

I have one of these http://www.lezyne.com/en/products/co2-systems/c02-inflators#!trigger-drive-co2. Bought it mainly because I liked the minimal design, and haven't had to use it much, but when I did it behaved well, controllable. The push on version may save you milliseconds I rather like the hose version too.

 

[Cuchilo]

I use one of these . Its just a small nozzle that screws onto the canister and allows you to stop and start the airflow .

 

[Roadrider48]

Can yo
U get them with a built in pressure gauge?

 

[ianrauk]

Can yo
U get them with a built in pressure gauge?

Never seen one.

 

[ColinJ]

I could see the point of them for MTB racing when you had to fix your own punctures and as fast as possible, but otherwise I don't.

A mate got himself a CO2 inflator. He didn't notice that he had trapped a tube when fixing a mid-ride flat so as soon as he put the gas in, the tube bulged out and exploded! In went his second spare tube, and he used his spare CO2 cyclinder on that.

Then the slow puncture in his front wheel made itself known ... He had to scrounge another tube off me and borrow my pump!

 

[Paul99]

I could see the point of them for MTB racing when you had to fix your own punctures and as fast as possible, but otherwise I don't.

A mate got himself a CO2 inflator. He didn't notice that he had trapped a tube when fixing a mid-ride flat so as soon as he put the gas in, the tube bulged out and exploded! In went his second spare tube, and he used his spare CO2 cyclinder on that.

Then the slow puncture in his front wheel made itself known ... He had to scrounge another tube off me and borrow my pump!

User error.

If you get a CO2 inflator that allows you to put a little gas in and then check that the tube is not trapped before inflating fully this won't happen.

 

[ColinJ]

User error.

If you get a CO2 inflator that allows you to put a little gas in and then check that the tube is not trapped before inflating fully this won't happen.

And the running out of CO2 issue ...?

 

[Cuchilo]

And the running out of CO2 issue ...?