Co2 Cartridge Inflator Test

[Bill10]

Every once in awhile I see someone ask a question about the effectiveness of Co2 cartridges for motorcycle tire inflators. A member of another thread was asking about BikeMaster’s Tire and Tube Flat Repair Kit. It seems that repair kits with Co2 inflators are becoming more popular. I think that’s good from the standpoint that people have more options to deal with a flat in an emergency.



However, as I got looking into it a little more, I was a little set back by some of the claims being made by the retailers. While BikeMaster actually didn’t make any claim about how many cartridges did what, popular retailers Pit Possee Motorsports said that each of three tubes in their kit fills an average front or rear motorcycle tire and Rocky Mountain ATV/MC/Tusk that only sold two tubes and an inflator, said that 1-1 ½ tubes would fill a motorcycle tire and 2 tubes would fill an ATV tire. I seriously doubted those claims.

I’m very familiar with Co2 cartridges and inflators because my family operates a bicycle repair and accessories business. We sell them (Planet Bike Air Kiss line) and we use them on our biking activities. Co2 inflators are becoming almost the standard in emergency bicycle tire repair. They don’t take up much room, they’re light and they’re fast.

They come in three popular sizes in terms of volume of air: 12g, 16g and 25g, where “g” refers to grams. For purposes of our bicycling business, we know from experience that the 12g will fill a small mountain bike tire, the 16g will fill a medium sized mountain bike tire and a 25g will fill a road tire, 700c or large 29r mountain bike tire. In some instances, such as in the case of a high pressure 700c, they’ll only inflate to a “usefulness” level that’ll hopefully get you someplace to fill to the proper pressure.

Now the question is what’s needed to fill a motorcycle tire?

I decided to waste 4 of our 16g cartridges (emulating the 4 cartridge BikeMaster Kit) and on the rear tire of the Versys 1000 (tubeless, 180/55-17, 42 psi):





We like the Air Kiss because it’s a good quality product. Once locked on the valve stem it stays there. Also, the Air Kiss has a cartridge cover that’s important (BikeMasters doesn’t have the cover). When the air discharges from the cartridge it becomes super cold. Some have said it gets cold enough to burn skin. I’m not putting that to the test. The way it works is once locked on the valve stem, the inflator barrel is slid backward along a track and held there to discharge the air. There’s a big woosh and the rest streams out over 8-10 seconds.



The first cartridge was quite a bit short of filling the tire



The second cartridge showed a one-pound improvement over the first.



The third and fourth cartridges were consistent with the first two. Note that the cartridges get all frosty.





So, the average psi per 16g cartridge was 5.5 psi and all four pumped the tire up to 22 psi. This is actually better than I expected.

Applying a little math to the information obtained, filling the tire to its 42 psi spec would require 8-16g cartridges, 10-12g cartridges or 5-25g cartridges. And this would seem to prove out my suspicions that Pit Posse’s and Rocky Mountain’s claims are totally exaggerated.

Your conclusions about whether Co2 cartridges are a good idea or not would be interesting to hear. There are certainly pros and cons. However, as part of an emergency kit with no less than 4 cartridges, I think it may be all one needs to get to the filling station after a flat repair and get a tire filled properly. However, I think I’ll continue to carry my Slime Powersport Air Compressor. 

[gharshman]

I've always carried these when I ride off-road, but dirt bike tires are a lot smaller and you can ride fine on 15psi.  I expect to use two cartrides if I have a flat, so I usually carry four.

For street bikes, I think it makes more sense to just carry a small compressor.

Thank you for doing the test though.  You confirmed my subjective feelings on the matter!

[saddlebag]

Originally Posted by Bill10

However, I think I’ll continue to carry my Slime Powersport Air Compressor. 

Ditto, though I'd patch before I'd Slime. Compressors don't even take up any more room than a pack of those CO2 cartridges.

I've actually been using Ride On and haven't bothered carrying patches or compressor. This particular slime not only balances the tire without the need of wheel weights, it also plugs any holes that may develop a couple of inches off center. From my understanding, plugging holes outside of this range is not something recommended anyway, so it'd probably be wise to pay the tow bill anyway.

[vagrant]

sure it will fill it. t least from 30 to 32 PSI.
carry a small compressor.
if you do use the cartridge then a restaurant supplier is the place to buy the tubes. they are used in a commercial whip cream maker and very cheap by the case.

[Tall Man]

Thanks so much for this test, Bill10. Yours is the style of real-world product testing that helps us to spend our money, or not spend it, wisely.

I have the CO2 cartridges for my mountain bike kit. I carry the following in my motorcycle road kits:
http://www.aerostich.com/aerostich-mini-compressor.html

 

[100milesaway]

Good subject this as we are all in danger of a puncture at any time. 
I always carry a full kit including 2 extra canisters, but also carry a small compressor just in case.
A word of warning regarding self repair kits, always check the glue that is used for sealing the plugs. I have found that after a couple of years the small tubes that are supplied with the kits just turn to solid .  Not nice if no one else in your group is  carrying any.

[Bayonet]

Whilst I was waiting for my running in service to be done I picked up a puncture repair kit hanging on the wall, read the blurb on the back and bought it. It was this sort. It's a non glue type.
https://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-420398/cargol-k004.html?gclid=COX1vJOaw8oCFSoEwwod-k8O7Q
I chucked it under the seat and forgot about it.

During the summer I was flying down the M11 and felt like a gust of wind was blowing me sideways. I stopped on the hard shoulder thinking I had a rear puncture. I was amazed to see it was a front puncture.

I dug the kit out and read the instructions for the first time (tiny writing).

I screwed one of the keys into the hole, then bent it till it snapped in half leaving the threaded plug in the puncture (no sign of a nail or anything to remove first) and used three of the gas cylinders. I was back on the road and riding home in about 5 minutes.

I've still got the tyre with the repair in it, so I've seen it from both sides, I won't worry about one coming out or leaking. I bought a box of gas cylinders to top the kit under the seat up again and a second complete kit for the car.

[Tall Man]

Originally Posted by Bayonet

it was a front puncture.

I've still got the tyre with the repair in it

The repaired tyre is still mounted on the motorcycle, and in active service? If so, you might consider having a new one fitted. Your sig line suggests that you're an experienced rider. I hope you'll agree with the conventional wisdom that using a damaged motorcycle tyre (repair notwithstanding) beyond the time necessary to have it replaced is false economy.

[saddlebag]

Originally Posted by Tall Man

The repaired tyre is still mounted on the motorcycle, and in active service? If so, you might consider having a new one fitted. Your sig line suggests that you're an experienced rider. I hope you'll agree with the conventional wisdom that using a damaged motorcycle tyre (repair notwithstanding) beyond the time necessary to have it replaced is false economy.

I've put a lot of miles on bikes over the years and have only had a handful of flats. Always the rear and always pluggable. I've wore every one I ever plugged until the tire was shot. By then, the plug and glue melds into the tire so well, you'd be hard pressed to know it was ever injured.

[2 Piece]

Thanks for the very nice review! I have always liked Genuine Innovations products for my road bicycling and they also make a repair kit for motorcycles with 45 gram cartridges not the 16 gram.
http://www.genuineinnovations.com/us/products/repair-inflation/motorcycle-emergency-tire-repair-kit.php