I learned a hard lesson the other day

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by pdonk

Having had a few C02 failures, I now carry both a pump and a CO2 set up.

This appears a common theme, based on the many combination pump/CO2 inflators that are available from multiple manufacturers.

[OtayBW]

Leyzine Road Drove mini pump and a couple of CO2 cartridges with just a simple, threaded inflator with no trigger....Easy peasy and effective.

[John H.]

I have had this happen to me a couple times over the last few years.
I attribute it to-
1.) With the advent of tubeless tires (and better tires) I rarely get flats.
This makes me forget about what is in my kit.
2.) Riding bike that I haven't ridden in ages.

Here are the things that have got me-
1.) Tubes. 1st time I flatted on my mtb, I discovered that my mtb tubes had shorter valves than what my rims needed. Even with mountain bike rims. Fortunately I was on a well traveled trail and one of my buddies came by with the appropriate tube.
Same thing happened this winter. Zipp 353, my tubes were not 100% long enough to get a pump in them.
Lesson- Have correct tubes and also have an old school thread on type valve adapter in your kit.
2.) Flatted and couldn't even get my EDC open. I use the same pump/tool/CO2 setup that someone earlier referenced. But for it to work, you need to be able to open it and use the contents inside. Mine had been ridden a bunch on the rain and never deployed. The rubber topcap was more or less fused to the pump body. Took a lot to get it open. Then the internal contents were quite funky and corroded.
Lesson- Check the EDC periodically. Lube as needed. Make sure everything works.

We get lazy and think our high tech gear is so cool- But then we get called to use it and may find out otherwise.

[paredown]

I think we all must have done this once, if only to remind us of the Scouts' motto "Be Prepared".

Mine was an early spring ride a few years ago. Had one flat--put in the spare tube. Had a second flat--the "spare" was leaking badly (bad patching job on my part). Stopped to patch one of the tubes, only to find that it had been long enough since I's done a roadside repair that the patch cement was a solid lump.

I was part-way home, walking my bike along a country road, and a guy who just arrived home asked me if I was OK, then offered me a ride home in the back of his pickup. Saved me a few miles of walking, and it was a real kindness on his part!

Now part of the spring routine is to check the patch kits BEFORE I get excited about the first spring ride!

(On a couple of the older bikes I have a full length frame pump; for the carbon bikes I take a Leyzye mini which I have yet had to use on the road... I also used those under saddle bags with the quick clip, so I can clip them on to whichever bike I'm taking out, and try to keep the same 'kit' in each bag.)

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by John H.

I have had this happen to me a couple times over the last few years.
I attribute it to-
1.) With the advent of tubeless tires (and better tires) I rarely get flats.
This makes me forget about what is in my kit.
2.) Riding bike that I haven't ridden in ages.

Here are the things that have got me-
1.) Tubes. 1st time I flatted on my mtb, I discovered that my mtb tubes had shorter valves than what my rims needed. Even with mountain bike rims. Fortunately I was on a well traveled trail and one of my buddies came by with the appropriate tube.
Same thing happened this winter. Zipp 353, my tubes were not 100% long enough to get a pump in them.
Lesson- Have correct tubes and also have an old school thread on type valve adapter in your kit.
2.) Flatted and couldn't even get my EDC open. I use the same pump/tool/CO2 setup that someone earlier referenced. But for it to work, you need to be able to open it and use the contents inside. Mine had been ridden a bunch on the rain and never deployed. The rubber topcap was more or less fused to the pump body. Took a lot to get it open. Then the internal contents were quite funky and corroded.
Lesson- Check the EDC periodically. Lube as needed. Make sure everything works.

We get lazy and think our high tech gear is so cool- But then we get called to use it and may find out otherwise.

#2 is why I'm going to keep that pump in a jersey pocket. Yeah, just road, and I don't ride in rain, but, that pump I bought is light and compact, but light means fragile and not too resistant to elements. You know that two or three years down the line, I'd reach for that thing and probably be disappointed, again

[Spaghetti Legs]

Mini pump in jersey pocket for me with a single CO2 to use for quick change in spots I want to get out of quickly (busy road, bad weather). I usually carry frame pump when I tour.

I have had a CO2 fail once when the little o ring seal on the valve stem had dry rotted or hardened up or something so that the gas just blew out everywhere instead of into the tube.

My hard lesson occurred years ago when I was new in town, showed up first timer to a local fast group ride, could tell from the get go not a friendly group. I realized about a mile in I’d forgotten saddlebag but told myself I’d borrow stuff if I flatted. Well I got dropped in the middle of nowhere and subsequently flatted. No phone service. I rode 10 miles on a front flat, including a very sketchy 1/2 mile steep downhill.