Using CO2 cartridges and an inflator head has become a very popular alternative to bringing a small hand pump with you on long rides. A hand pump takes up more space than a CO2 cartridge and inflates a tube/tire at a much slower rate. A CO2 cartridge and inflator head can inflate a tube/tire in seconds and the combination of both is much lighter than a hand pump and the best part about using CO2 is that once you buy an inflator head, you only need to buy CO2 replacement cartridges. Here at JensonUSA, we have a wide selection of bike CO2 cartridges that you can use to support your rides.

CO2 cartridges come in multiple sizes. To inflate a road bike tube you typically need at least a 16-gram cartridge to reach the desired tire pressure, while to inflate a mountain bike tire you typically need at least a 20 to 25-gram cartridge. It is also a good idea to bring more than one cartridge with you on a ride just in case you accidentally release all the air out of the first cartridge when trying to screw on the inflator head. If this happens and you don’t have a backup cartridge, you will stay stranded on the side of the trail. Some inflator heads allow you to turn the flow of air on or off giving you easy flow control. If you are using an inflator head like this, make sure it is closed when you thread the cartridge in or else it will suddenly release all the air. This would also leave you stranded on the side of the trail and no ones like walking home with a flat tire.

CO2 cartridges and CO2 inflators are lightweight and easy to store in a seat bag, top tube bag, or a jersey pocket. These cartridges have either a threaded or non-threaded head with threaded CO2 cartridges being the most common type now.

Whether you’re looking to inflate your high pressure road bike tires, or need to inflate your tires on your mountain bike, CO2 cartridges are an excellent option. If you have any questions about bike CO2 cartridges, hop on a call or chat with one of our expert Gear Advisors today at 888-880-3811. They are always happy to help you with any questions you may have. Keep Pedaling!