So I’m looking into outfitting the bike for long courses (HIM and IM) and after seeing Chrissie Wellington’s CO2 cartridge luck this year at Kona (and I don’t have that kind of bike leg in me) I was thinking about doing a frame pump - I know, how “unaero” - instead of a CO2 cartridge inflator set up. Yes the CO2 is fast, but once you’re out of CO2, that’s it (unless Keat rides by). I was thinking of something I could be really sure of, that had gotten good reviews, the Topeak Turbo Morph G. It’s a mini floor pump with a tiny gauge that’s somewhat accurate. I figure, for 280g, it might be worth it, for the security of not worrying about malfunctioning CO2 or a Stadler-esque second flat.
I sometimes carry a mini-pump for long training rides, but for racing it’s C02 only. 1 cartridge for HIM or less and 2 for IM.
Why not both? CO2 for speed on the first flat, pump as a back up and to get you home with multiple flats.
I have one that puts the CO2 behind the water bottle on the seat tube… it fits under the bottle cage and the cartriges hide behind the bottle.
Also Xlab seems to hide things pretty well using the Xnut and rotating it so that they are verticle. Handy for storing the air chuck too.
I use the NeverReach, so I might sneak a small underseat bag in front of it, or use a CageRocket to carry whatever flat stuff I need. I currently race on Tufo Clincher-Tubulars - the C Elite Ride (23 front, 25 rear), so I need to carry a full tire (like tubulars) as opposed to a tube, and they take up more space than tubulars. So far they have been bomb proof, but if I ever make it to Kona, I might switch to standard clinchers just to keep things lighter and simpler. I only pressurize to 100-120 psi, depending on the course conditions (potholes, etc.), so I was thinking the pump might be the way to go. It’s surefire, you can’t misfire it, and you know how much you’ve got in the tire.
When I race I carry c02 and a sub40 pump as a backup. Sub 40 is small and light, and can get decent pressure with it in case I have a c02 disaster. Institute this approach after flatting 500m out of T1 in a half, doing a chrissie with my c02 (user error on cartridge 1 and wrong cartridge type on c02 no. two) and having to run my bike back to transition and using my floor pump on a valve I had mangled with bad cO2 skills. Had a quick T1 time but left the second time about 20 minutes later 
After this I practiced flats every day for a week with sub40 pump on even days and a c02 cartridge on odds. No super confident with both and will most probably never use the pump in a race but just in case it is there.
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I think the most important for us is to do as described here: “After this I practiced flats every day for a week”
Or even better, practice before…
um…now we are worried about the aero effect of a co2? Give yourself an uppercut 
Lose 1kg and train for 10min more a day.
How many spare tubes (or tubular tires) are you going to carry?
First the facts: Yes, a frame pump mini or full size is the fail-safe method to pump up a flat tire vs. a C02 cartridge. But if you know what you are doing, C02 is a very reliable way to pump up tires.
Now, this being ST, their is the usual paranoia and over-thinking going on about this. Not sure what it is about the denizens of ST, but people on here seem to get an insane number of flats. I ride a lot, on crap roads and I average about one on-the-road flat each year when riding. In 15 years of racing, I had NO flats while racing - actually one slow leaker that I discovered after the fact. With these numbers and odds in mind, I have always thought that C02 is the way to go for me!
Your mileage may vary.
I agree, I have been riding for about 20 years and only average about one flat per year. Indeed, it would probably be less but for the horrendous roads I’ve ridden. One time I was riding from NYC up the famous Route 9 and somehow picked up a bolt in my front tire. I find as long as my tires are properly inflated and I am somewhat awake on the bike, I am flat free. That being said, I race with only co2 but if I’m doing a training ride over 50 miles I usually carry a frame pump.
I agree with your statement 100% That co2 cartridge is not that much of a time saver if it takes you 10 minutes to get ready to use it. I do not watch nascar but when I am made too the funnest thing about watching besides the crashe’s are the pitstops and how fast they are. The guys must practice changing wheels non stop so it gets to be second nature.Thats what it should be like for us. As co2 verse pump goes. I say go with what you are more comfortable with. Maybe a combo? I had a head blow on me during a training ride the little red gasket seal blew right out. Luckily I had a friend with me who had one also. I was about 45 miles out and had forgot my cell on charger. Man that would have been a long transition training run with bike.
Frame pump. Always! For dog repellent!
There nothing that compares to a Co2 for speed in filling a tire/tube. I carry two Co2 cartridges if I have my small race inflator. Long rides I carry the secondwind road 2 pumps in one, co2 and a hand pump.
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First the facts: Yes, a frame pump mini or full size is the fail-safe method to pump up a flat tire vs. a C02 cartridge. But if you know what you are doing, C02 is a very reliable way to pump up tires.
Now, this being ST, their is the usual paranoia and over-thinking going on about this. Not sure what it is about the denizens of ST, but people on here seem to get an insane number of flats. I ride a lot, on crap roads and I average about one on-the-road flat each year when riding. In 15 years of racing, I had NO flats while racing - actually one slow leaker that I discovered after the fact. With these numbers and odds in mind, I have always thought that C02 is the way to go for me!
I agree. I can carry a spare tube, two cartridges, an inflator, a patch kit, and two plastic tire levers in a micro-bag under my saddle. I get one or two flats per year (in 5000 miles of riding), and I've never needed to use more than one cartridge.
Back in the day, I carried a frame pump, and I was lucky to be able to get much more than 60 psi into the tire. Maybe frame pumps are better, or I need to work on my upper body strength, but I can get about 120 psi with a 16 g cartridge. And I don’t even have to breath hard.
“I was thinking of something I could be really sure of”
The tried and true Zefal HPX frame fit pump is still available and is extremely rugged and reliable. It is a fullsized frame pump, that is, it is bought by size (sizes named 1,2,3 and 4) according to the length of your top tube. It spring-expand fits under your top tube parallel to the ground so presents minimal frontal area- which is not to suggest there isn’t an aerodynamic penalty, there is, it is just efficiently managed due to the horizontal orientation. The pump has an all-alloy body and a reliable presta/schrader reversible head.
Remember though- if you are using valve extenders, disk wheel covers or a disk wheel you may need to use an inflation adapter of some sort. These are things you need to practice with repeatedly before race day so yu can use them quickly and knowledgably and also be prepared to troubleshoot the problems that commonly arise with all emergency inflation systems, be they a pump or CO2.
Why not get a second wind from Genuine Innovations? You will have the speed of CO2 and if you need more it’s also a pump.
http://www.genuineinnovations.com/bikeprods.aspx?subcat=3&prodid=1094
I plan on carrying 2 tires (as I use a clincher/tubular combo) plus pump. Tufo makes a valve extender that truly is an extender rather than a straw. I’ve always been a mountain biker, so I’m very comfortable with pumps. This is the pump I was thinking of using, by having a short hose and actually being a mini-floor pump, I figure the time required will be pretty low, as well as having a gauge to really know I’m riding on the same pressure as before the flat. Topeak Turbo Morph G. In 2 years of racing, I also haven’t gotten a flat, in fact, my only flats have come while mountain biking. And as I said, these Tufo’s seem to be pretty bombproof.
I’ve been racing for 18 years. I’ve never owned a mini pump. I’ve always used CO2. I’ve never had any problems with inflating. An extra 10 seconds to be sure it is done right saves your race or training ride.
A few points on CO2
** be sure it is connected correctly the first time. Its not hard, just do it right
** inflate slowly…see the next point. If done slowly it may not freeze the valve.
** don’t just pull the inflator off after you have filled the tire. The releasing pressure of the CO2 into the tire is very high and may cause the area of the valve to freeze. The valve is open at this point and may be frozen open. Hold your valve in your fingers for a few seconds to unfreeze the valve so the CO2 will not escape when you pull the inflator off.
I’m not sure why people dislike the CO2. Its small, light and very easy to use. As stated above, I’ve never had a problem, it works every time. I normally carry 2 CO2 cartridges. I’ve never used more then 1 cartridge at a time. If in a longer IM race I’ll carry a very small patch kit. No extra tubes.
BTW - I’ve NEVER flatted in a race!!! knock on wood!!
Lots of the people getting flats are using thin, light expensive tires for racing. This increases your speed slightly but also increases the likelyhood of a flat. Just watch what tires you use and use new tires to race on and the likelyhood of a flat is greatly reduced. Most second flats are the result of improperly changing the first one. In the case of flat changes, speed kills. Take your time, don’t pinch flat the change and be sure you find what caused the first flat or you WILL get another flat!
BTW - if you are using Tufo tubular clinchers why are you even worried about this. Throw some Tufo sealant in there and go like hell without a worry. The sealant seals nearly ALL flats before you even know you have one. You’ll be in T2 before you know the sealant did its job!!