I’ve been eyeing these for some time and, to date, I have not been able to justify the purchase because with only getting maybe two flats every year, a CO2 still works the best for me personally.
But then I read in the comment section about someone’s use-case regarding using this for travel and it hit me: having one of these in the transition area race morning would be fantastic, with its built-in digital tire gauge and being able to preset the desired tire pressure, and a noise that further helps wake me, and everyone within 400m of me, up.
Even if not racing, just for travel would be fantastic. But race morning in a transition area and not needing to borrow someone’s pump, it seems pretty perfect.
I do like Dan’s chart (though he really should save it as a pdf and outside of Google Drive) and it lines up with the pressures I’ve seen performing the best: https://docs.google.com/...2GxVai6mmYKd/pubhtml
I recently picked up one of these, the Fanttik X9 Mini. I believe it is the same as the QiCycle Mini mentioned in the Escape article. I have been happy with it and it is great for travel. I’ll use it on race mornings but I finds it a bit heavy and bulky to carry as a CO2 replacement.
The noise factor is real, it does really wake you up!
I just got a Cycplus A2S Pro. It is brilliant. Works great and will be perfect for disc wheels, because it comes with a little hose I can screw-on a crack pipe.
Travel is the only use-case that makes sense to me. Not a replacement for a garage pump (air compressor or quality floor pump), not a replacement for CO2/frame pump. (IMO).
Travel is the only use-case that makes sense to me. Not a replacement for a garage pump (air compressor or quality floor pump), not a replacement for CO2/frame pump. (IMO).
I would agree. I do not see myself replacing CO2 during a race, or even during training at this time (though maybe for the latter case). Dave Rome does make a pretty good case for his use of it as a replacement for his floor pump because of the built-in accurate pressure gauge, whereas we (the collective we that demands precision) currently need a two-step process of floor pump and then pressure gauge. I personally am not a fan of loud noises, and I have never enjoyed being in or working in shops with pneumatic systems, and don’t really want to re-create that in my own workspace. but I will have one of these in transition areas and even see myself gifting these to some of the pros I work with because it just makes sense race day.
Travel is the only use-case that makes sense to me. Not a replacement for a garage pump (air compressor or quality floor pump), not a replacement for CO2/frame pump. (IMO).I am curious why you think travel is the only? I do not see it as a replacement for C02. But I could be persuaded for that at some point.
My routine use case is top-off… I would always use my floor pump for a main fill, either on race or regular ride. But when the bike has to sit overnight before a race or ride, I would use the portable pump to top off before riding. And when I have to fly to a race, the portable might be my only pump.
Travel is the only use-case that makes sense to me. Not a replacement for a garage pump (air compressor or quality floor pump), not a replacement for CO2/frame pump. (IMO).I am curious why you think travel is the only? I do not see it as a replacement for C02. But I could be persuaded for that at some point.
My routine use case is top-off… I would always use my floor pump for a main fill, either on race or regular ride. But when the bike has to sit overnight before a race or ride, I would use the portable pump to top off before riding. And when I have to fly to a race, the portable might be my only pump.
I have a nice garage compressor rig. So topping off in the garage couldn’t be quicker or easier. And for the cases where I need to blow a tubeless bead back in place…the compressor rig is also great.
When I’m racing or otherwise care about speed, CO2 is the way to go. When I’m just riding around for training, I like the infinite volume of a mini hand pump. I can stop and help people without worrying about only have enough battery for two tires. There have been a few times where I’ve had an imperfect plug seal on a mountain, and it’s great to be able to top off every 15 minutes or whatever with zero concern about battery life.
The electric mini-pumps seem neither good for racing (slow), nor great for training (limited capacity). Nor do most of them have integrated gauges. For the MTB cases where you’ve spent 2 hours climbing and want to drop pressure for the descent. But not too low where you start flying too close to the sun for pinch flats and rim damage. I keep a little $10 digital number in my MTB pack for that case.
Maybe having one of the larger ones to keep in my car for doing the parking lot top-off maybe makes sense. Particularly if it doubles as an emergency car tire inflator and as a travel pump for when flying to a race.
If I didn’t have a garage compressor, I would consider it as a garage floor pump alternative. If it could reliably blow tubeless beads into place. Which is unclear to me from what I’ve read of Rome’s stuff.
For a few years now I’ve used what EC are classifying as a medium-sized inflator for the race-morning use case you describe. It’s never let me down, works great for inflation (pressure readings are consistent with a stand-alone pressure gauge), no stress trying to borrow a floor pump and pops into street-wear bag to be picked up post-race.
This year I’ve also invested in a small inflator. It tucks nicely under my saddle for races (secured with velcro). Not sure I will see a financial pay pack as like you I puncture very rarely. But it saves me worrying about (a) airlines being fussy about co2 canisters, and (b) if the co2 is going to play nicely with the sealant in my tubeless tyres. I’ve only used it once, to inflate a friends tyre on a ride, and it worked well.
I’ve got a portable inflator and love it. Originally, it was just for traveling races. Easier to pack than a pump and I know how reliable it is in transition compared the the pumps in transition. Just for that, it’s been worth it.
I’ve actually started using it to top off tires at home as well and use it more than my hand pump now. I don’t see myself, yet, using it in-race or in-ride.
Like another comment, I also bought the Cyclplus AS2 Pro and use it several ways:
Top off to 72 PSI before beginning the ride.
Carry this rather than a CO2 (in case of a flat).
During a race, I use the Cyclplus AS2 Pro to replace a Co2 shooter and (2) CO2 cartridges.
Once a month, I plug it into a USB to get it back to 100% charged.
To me, the biggest advantage (in case of a flat) is to be able to reload my new tires to 72PSI. With a CO2 cartridge, you just shoot it into the tire and hope that it’s close.
The second advantage is time. I can push the start button, then go and it starts filling the tire immediately. With a CO2 cartridge, I tend to fumble around a bit, have to screw the cartridge into the shooter, push the button and then go.
I weighed (2) Co2 cartridges and the shooter. Then I weighed the Cyclplus. I forget the exact grams, but the Cyclplus weighed less.
I used this in Lake Placid during training and on race day.
Like another comment, I also bought the Cyclplus AS2 Pro and use it several ways:
Top off to 72 PSI before beginning the ride.
Carry this rather than a CO2 (in case of a flat).
During a race, I use the Cyclplus AS2 Pro to replace a Co2 shooter and (2) CO2 cartridges.
Once a month, I plug it into a USB to get it back to 100% charged.
To me, the biggest advantage (in case of a flat) is to be able to reload my new tires to 72PSI. With a CO2 cartridge, you just shoot it into the tire and hope that it’s close.
The second advantage is time. I can push the start button, then go and it starts filling the tire immediately. With a CO2 cartridge, I tend to fumble around a bit, have to screw the cartridge into the shooter, push the button and then go.
I weighed (2) Co2 cartridges and the shooter. Then I weighed the Cyclplus. I forget the exact grams, but the Cyclplus weighed less.
I used this in Lake Placid during training and on race day.
I had not thought of that: accurate pressure post flat tire incident during a race.
Arguments for: if we get a flat 10 miles in and we still have 102 miles to go, why not be particular about our tire pressure as we were in transition the morning of the race? The time it takes to put a chuck on a CO2 could make the time to use one of these mini inflators about equal, potentially.
Since I can get CO2 cartridges for ~$1 in “bulk” (10-12), I’m never going to have enough flats to get ROI on a portable inflator. Plus the CO2s never have the worry of a dead battery, and inflate the tire 100X faster.
The pre-race top-off seems to be the use case that makes sense (vs. hauling some travel floor pump or hoping to borrow one), especially given the digital gage. The other might be races you fly to since you can’t take CO2 (saves the hassle of buying expensive ones at the expo).
I just got a Cycplus A2S Pro. It is brilliant. Works great and will be perfect for disc wheels, because it comes with a little hose I can screw-on a crack pipe.
Same here, best thing I’ve purchased recently, as soon as I saw you could attach a hose with a proper thread and use with a pipe in such a small package AND have a good idea on pressures.
