# Bontrager Air Pack



## BillyK (Aug 5, 2010)

Greetings,
Well I got my first flat today after about 600 miles of road riding. Of course I wasn't prepared so I was stuck hanging out on a back road for about 45 minutes until my daughter showed up to give me a lift home. I was at least smart enough to bring my cell.  Anyhow, I want to become more self sufficient going forward. I swung by my local LBS and had them swap out the tube. They were even nice enough to walk me through all the steps of repairing a flat. My plans are to attempt a couple of mock flat repairs at my house to help reinforce what I've learned. I want to make sure that I'm fully prepared next time this happens. My LBS talked me into purchasing this CO2 repair kit which is really nice and compact. (I also picked up a spare tube)

http://bontrager.com/model/08304

Is anyone familiar with this product and can someone confirm whether or not this will support a presta valve? I'm assuming it's universal but I haven't been able to confirm that. I did take the valve piece out of the package and it does seem to lock onto the presta valve, but I wanted to confirm before using any of the CO2 cartridges. Thanks in advance!

- Bill


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## MisterC (May 26, 2007)

Yep, that thing is great and will work perfect with your presta valve.

Just make sure you always remember to check inside and outside your tire for whatever might have punctured it. Too oten does one flat become two because of a small piece of glass we leace inside the tire.

If you are using a CO2 you might also want to invest in a small tire pressure gauge since it can be a little tricky getting the tire pressure right.


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## bbronov (Jul 15, 2010)

This is a pretty standard item. There are different makes and designs of cartridge inflators. As far as I know, there are no cartridge inflators for Schrader vales, but I could be wrong, and if yours fit over the Presta snugly, then it's made for it. Also, remember that, for the most part, a cart will not provide the same kind of pressure that a floor pump would, so depending on where you are, it might only be a 'get me home' fix...especially if you're on a fat tire bike.


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## MisterC (May 26, 2007)

some manufacturers have integrated a pump and a co2 for that reason but you should still be able to get your pressure pretty high with a 16g cartridge in a 23c tube.


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## BillyK (Aug 5, 2010)

Accidental post.


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## BillyK (Aug 5, 2010)

Thanks MistC and bbronv! Yep, we went over the tire inspection process at the LBS. I plan to inspect the tire closely both inside and out prior to replacing the tube. Yeah I was a little concerned about NOT knowing the exact tire pressure, but the ultimate goal would be to just get me home. It probably would make sense to pickup a small gauge however. I'd hate to guess wrong based on feel, under/over inflate, and then end up with another flat before I got home.  It really blew this morning because I was out on a nice 30 mile ride and I was feeling really good. I was probably less than 10 miles from home where I would normally start to pick up the pace and then it happened. The LBS diagnosed it as as a pinch flat. (snake bytes?) I'm not sure how that happened though because I was riding on on a fairly smooth surface at the time. (no pot hole, big bump, etc) I run Conti GP4000s at 105 PSI. (I'm 170lbs) I'm pretty sure I topped them off before my ride this morning but it's possible that I may have forgotten. I think I'm going to start running 110 in the rear and 105 in the front. I can't say I'm a big fan of the flat, but I guess I better get used to it learn how to deal with it. It was bound to happen eventually. Thanks again for chiming in.


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## kykr13 (Apr 12, 2008)

I'd guess that maybe you forgot to check the air before you left - 170lbs at 105psi without hitting something 'memorable' doesn't sound very likely for a pinch flat. Maybe you forgot for a couple of rides?  

Compare by feeling the air pressure in the other tire (that didn't have the flat), that'll get you close enough to get home. I don't use CO2 (have a small pump) but a lot of guys say a tube won't hold that stuff for long, so you may want to empty it out when you get home and re-fill with your pump. I should pickup a CO2 thingy; usually I only get flats in mosquito-infested areas or when I'm racing home to beat a storm (pumps are a little slow in comparison).


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## BillyK (Aug 5, 2010)

kykr13 said:


> I'd guess that maybe you forgot to check the air before you left - 170lbs at 105psi without hitting something 'memorable' doesn't sound very likely for a pinch flat. Maybe you forgot for a couple of rides?
> 
> Compare by feeling the air pressure in the other tire (that didn't have the flat), that'll get you close enough to get home. I don't use CO2 (have a small pump) but a lot of guys say a tube won't hold that stuff for long, so you may want to empty it out when you get home and re-fill with your pump. I should pickup a CO2 thingy; usually I only get flats in mosquito-infested areas or when I'm racing home to beat a storm (pumps are a little slow in comparison).



I suspect you're right. I did try and re-trace all my pre-ride steps this morning, but I don't recall topping off my tires, which I'm typically very good about. That being the case, I could have left the house at 80-90 psi as a guess. Yeah I was told that the CO2 pressure would only hold for around 24 hours. I would definitely plan on emptying out and refilling with my floor pump once I got home, or at least before the next ride. I had planned on picking up a conventional hand pump but the LBS guy told me it would be quite exhausting pumping 100-120psi into a new tube. I do plan on bringing 2-3 cartridges just in case I screw something up. If the CO2 system thingy doesn't work out, I'll go for a hand pump. Thanks.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Gauging*



BillyK said:


> It probably would make sense to pickup a small gauge however. I'd hate to guess wrong based on feel, under/over inflate, and then end up with another flat before I got home.


Likewise, you'd hate to push the gauge on and let a bunch of air out of the tire and not have another CO2 cartridge available. Stranger things have happened  You can get pretty close with a "calibrated thumb and forefinger squeeze."


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

bbronov said:


> This is a pretty standard item. There are different makes and designs of cartridge inflators. As far as I know, there are no cartridge inflators for Schrader vales, but I could be wrong, and if yours fit over the Presta snugly, then it's made for it. Also, remember that, for the most part, *a cart will not provide the same kind of pressure that a floor pump would, so depending on where you are, it might only be a 'get me home' fix...especially if you're on a fat tire bike*.


And/or carry one of those little adaptor things (or whatever they are called) that allows you to use a Schrader pump so you can stop at the next gas station and use air from the car pump. They're tiny and cheap.
I've actually never used mine but it seems like a good idea, theoretically anyway, considering how very easy it is to carry one.


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## ColoradoVeloDude (Oct 7, 2005)

BillyK said:


> Greetings,
> Well I got my first flat today after about 600 miles of road riding. Of course I wasn't prepared so I was stuck hanging out on a back road for about 45 minutes until my daughter showed up to give me a lift home. I was at least smart enough to bring my cell.  Anyhow, I want to become more self sufficient going forward. I swung by my local LBS and had them swap out the tube. They were even nice enough to walk me through all the steps of repairing a flat. My plans are to attempt a couple of mock flat repairs at my house to help reinforce what I've learned. I want to make sure that I'm fully prepared next time this happens. My LBS talked me into purchasing this CO2 repair kit which is really nice and compact. (I also picked up a spare tube)
> 
> http://bontrager.com/model/08304
> ...



The C02 cartridges are nice, but a few things to watch out for:

1) One you have cleared the tire casing for the thing that caused the flat (I carry a pair of tweezers because more often that not it's been a really small piece of glass or rock shard), give the C02 cartridge a little puff into the tire - just enough to make certain that the tube is up in the tire casing. I usually go around the whole and push the tire in to make certain the tube is set right.

2) If you put the C02 valve too far down on the presta valve, it won't allow that section of the tire to ride up into to the casing as it's inflated.

3) When you dump the C02 into the tube, it's best to do it in a couple of shots. As the pressure drops in the canister, so does the temperature. Enough to freeze the presta valve open. Look up the ideal gas law: PV=nrT Pressurizing the tire in a few shots gives the temperatures a chance to equalize.

4) I have found that a 16g C02 cartridge will fill up a 25C tire to about 110 PSI or so. At least enough to get you to a pump where you can drain and refill the tire. Yes, the C02 doesn't last long in the tire like regular air does so don't be surprised if you have a soft tire the next morning.


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## BillyK (Aug 5, 2010)

ColoradoVeloDude said:


> The C02 cartridges are nice, but a few things to watch out for:
> 
> 1) One you have cleared the tire casing for the thing that caused the flat (I carry a pair of tweezers because more often that not it's been a really small piece of glass or rock shard), give the C02 cartridge a little puff into the tire - just enough to make certain that the tube is up in the tire casing. I usually go around the whole and push the tire in to make certain the tube is set right.
> 
> ...




Excellent tip on the tweezers. Thanks! Since the 16G cartridges are good for ~ 110psi and my GP4000's have a max psi of 120, is it safe to assume that I can just empty the cartridge (via a couple of shots) into the new tube without a risk of over inflation? In other words, is it really necessary to inflate a little at a time, check the tire pressure with your hand, inflate some more, check, etc. I most likely won't be carrying a tire gauge and the ultimate goal will be to just get home. BTW, I would plan on an initial quick shot and then a recheck of the tire to make sure the tube isn't pinched. My LBS guy used the same approach. Thanks again.


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## BillyK (Aug 5, 2010)

BTW, I plan on attempting a mock tube change hopefully this evening. I'm going to use the following YouTube video as my guide. (This is fairly consistent with what my LBS had taught me and seemed to be one of the better videos I could find on the subject matter)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wlt2xog9-9Q

Does this approach seem reasonable? Should I add/skip any steps?

Thanks,
- Bill


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## Keeping up with Junior (Feb 27, 2003)

*Practice*



BillyK said:


> ...My plans are to attempt a couple of mock flat repairs at my house to help reinforce what I've learned...


Excellent idea! I am amazed at people alongside the road that have no idea how the tools in their bag work. When practicing be sure you know how to get the rear wheel on and off and how to properly close your quick releases.

Your repair kit should work although looked a little pricey if you paid full retail. I would add a patch kit to your little bag.


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## BillyK (Aug 5, 2010)

Keeping up with Junior said:


> Excellent idea! I am amazed at people alongside the road that have no idea how the tools in their bag work. When practicing be sure you know how to get the rear wheel on and off and how to properly close your quick releases.
> 
> Your repair kit should work although looked a little pricey if you paid full retail. I would add a patch kit to your little bag.


Yeah, I'm certain that I paid too much, but considering it may prevent me from being stranded out in the middle of nowhere, I figured it was money well spent.  I'm sure I could have saved a few bucks though. In regards to the wheel, good point. I figure I'll practice removing/installing the rear wheel for a bit prior to attempting the flat repair. That's actually the part that I'm worried about the most. Seems relatively easy when I see it being done using a work stand in a video, but I'm afraid it won't be as simple out on the open road. I definitely need to nail that first before moving on. The kit does come with a patch kit, but for the time being, the plans are to just replace the tube and chuck the old. Only one challenge at a time.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

A couple of thoughts...

While it's true that a tube inflated with CO2 will deflate noticably quicker than one inflated using a standard pump, the difference isn't so dramatic that you have to race home or to a gas station to reinflate it. You could continue your ride (for hours, if that's what you've planned) and you'll only notice a small decrease in pressure. But yes, before the next ride I'd suggest expending the CO2 and reinflating using a pump.

Also, while it's definitely advantageous to practice changing tire and tube, it's also wise to 'waste' a couple of CO2 carts to get a feel for using the inflator. I use the fill some, check, fill some more approach (checking by feel, as Kerry mentioned) and when there's sufficient pressure, I stop. No need to spend the cart just because there's still CO2 remaining. Then again, I don't ever inflate my tire to max PSI. 

And on that topic, here's a guide (keyword, _guide_):
http://www.michelinbicycletire.com/michelinbicycle/index.cfm?event=airpressure.view

BTW, I agree with you on the topic of replacing rather than repairing the damaged tube. If I get a second flat _then_ I'll patch, but given the choice, I'd rather be riding.


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## seacoaster (May 9, 2010)

You might want to consider carrying a mini pump as well as CO2, or at least carry extra cartridges. If you make a mistake with CO2 and don’t have an extra cartridge you’ll be walking.

The other afternoon on my way home from work I came across a woman walking with her bike. She relied on one CO2 cartridge and didn’t get it right. On the ride home I think I convinced her to carry a pump as well.

I have a Genuine Innovations Ultraflate, which will work with both Schrader and Presta valves. It screws over the Schrader valve and slides over the Presta. It uses threaded and threadless cartridges, so I can buy a box of 20 threadless cartridges at Wal Mart for the price of a few cartridges at the LBS.


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## Jett (Mar 21, 2004)

seacoaster said:


> You might want to consider carrying a mini pump as well as CO2, or at least carry extra cartridges. If you make a mistake with CO2 and don’t have an extra cartridge you’ll be walking.
> 
> The other afternoon on my way home from work I came across a woman walking with her bike. She relied on one CO2 cartridge and didn’t get it right. On the ride home I think I convinced her to carry a pump as well.
> 
> I have a Genuine Innovations Ultraflate, which will work with both Schrader and Presta valves. It screws over the Schrader valve and slides over the Presta. It uses threaded and threadless cartridges, so I can buy a box of 20 threadless cartridges at Wal Mart for the price of a few cartridges at the LBS.


+ 1 on the mini pump and CO2 inflator with a cup for threadless. That's the setup I carry. I never been stranded on road even with multiple flats.


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## J T (Aug 15, 2010)

seacoaster said:


> I have a Genuine Innovations Ultraflate, which will work with both Schrader and Presta valves. It screws over the Schrader valve and slides over the Presta. It uses threaded and threadless cartridges, so I can buy a box of 20 threadless cartridges at Wal Mart for the price of a few cartridges at the LBS.


Thanks for the suggestion on this. Just checked out their site and videos and it looks like a really convenient product. And with the prices of a box of cartridges at Wal-Mart, that makes it really affordable to be prepared at all times. :thumbsup:


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## BillyK (Aug 5, 2010)

seacoaster said:


> You might want to consider carrying a mini pump as well as CO2, or at least carry extra cartridges. If you make a mistake with CO2 and don’t have an extra cartridge you’ll be walking.
> 
> The other afternoon on my way home from work I came across a woman walking with her bike. She relied on one CO2 cartridge and didn’t get it right. On the ride home I think I convinced her to carry a pump as well.
> 
> I have a Genuine Innovations Ultraflate, which will work with both Schrader and Presta valves. It screws over the Schrader valve and slides over the Presta. It uses threaded and threadless cartridges, so I can buy a box of 20 threadless cartridges at Wal Mart for the price of a few cartridges at the LBS.



Excellent point. I practiced this evening using the CO2 inflater and it's definitely not fool proof. I also discovered that I wasn't that good at gauging how much pressure was in the tire strictly by feel. I'm now thinking about picking up a pump (with a gauge) and carrying the CO2 inflater with a couple of cartridges strictly as backup. (incase pump malfunctions or whatever) All my rides are solo at the moment so I'll feel a lot more secure knowing that I have a couple of systems onboard to replace a flat. Thanks for the tip.


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## testpilot (Aug 20, 2010)

Flat Fixing 101

The CO2 three packs the bike shops sell are expensive. I got a box of 25 cartridges from Walmart for about the same price as a bike shop 3 pack. They have 'em in the sports section where the paintball guns are. You can practice yourself into oblivion with a Walmart box.

I always carry 2-3 CO2 cartridges. I've never had a problem with just blasting the entire charge in one shot. I think there's less chance of losing part of it while messing around with short shots. Just make sure you're well connected before pulling the trigger. I then unscrew the inflator as smoothly and quickly as possible. Yes, it will freeze your finger tips a little but it won't hurt you.

I find CO2 inflated tires lose about 10-15 psi the first day or two. Most CO2 cartridges actually contain a mixture of propane and CO2. The propane component get absorbed and chemically combines with the rubber which causes tire pressure to drop. Always top off your tires before every ride, CO2 or not. It's not a bad idea to replace the CO2 mix with a full air charge when you get home. This will also give you the opportunity to reinspect the tire for debris and damage.

There are several common causes of flats. The most common are pinch flats. They happen when the tire sidewall compresses against the rim, pinching the tube in between. The resulting leak ends up usually being two cuts in the tube, one on each side similar to a snake bite. It can be caused by riding on low pressure or when riding hard and fast over something like a rock, pothole or pavement crack.

Glass, metal, thorns, tiny pieces of wire, etc. are next. If you don't see snake bites in the tube, check for debris embedded in the tire. It can be almost invisible or buried out of sight in the absence of pressure. Find where the puncture is relative to the valve stem and match it up with the tire. Look and feel inside the tire in that area. Look on the road side of the tire too. You might see where something went in. Tip: I always mount my tires with the brand name centered over the valve stem so I always know the relative position of the tire, tube and rim.

Sudden blowouts with a loud bang are usually caused by trapping the tube in between the tire bead and rim. Once you have tire and tube installed and before inflating, check all the way around both sides by pushing the sidewall inward and looking to make sure the tube isn't trapped.

In rare cases the rim strips can cause problem, especially the plastic ones. Over time, the pressure in the tube presses against the rim strips, they stretch and sink into the spoke holes. Eventually they can sink in far enough to expose the sharp edges of the spoke holes leading to mystery flats. Use only the correct width of Velox cloth rim tape. I have a set of twelve year old rims that still have the original Velox rim tape which is still in excellent shape.

Cuts inside the tire casing will open up when inflated and chew away at the tube. You can add a simple "boot" to your kit. Cut a 1"x2" piece of plastic soda or water bottle and trim the corners round. This make a great reinforcement inside the tire to cover up a cut. Another emergency boot that works great is a dollar bill. One time all I had was a $20 bill and I used it to cover up a small cut. I forgot about it and rode on that 20 for almost an entire season. When it finally came time to change the tire, it was a pleasant surprise to find that 20 in there!


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