# Should I Return this Air Pump?



## aries14 (Sep 4, 2009)

Today I picked up an “Air Tool Combo2 by Specialize… It’s an 80/60 PSI MTB C02 and manual pump. The question I have is should I return this darn thing for something that’s more road bike specific? 
I didnt even notice its main purpose is to service the MTB tubes. Is this a huge issue?


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

It's an issue if you want to want to use the manual pump and get your tire above 80.

So yeah...I'd return it and get the right one.


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## 1natsfan (Oct 17, 2009)

Listen to PlatyPius. He knows what he's talking about.


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## aries14 (Sep 4, 2009)

Thanks, I'll get a new one in the am.


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

aries14 said:


> Today I picked up an “Air Tool Combo2 by Specialize… It’s an 80/60 PSI MTB C02 and manual pump. The question I have is should I return this darn thing for something that’s more road bike specific?
> I didnt even notice its main purpose is to service the MTB tubes. Is this a huge issue?



A pump is a pump.

A MTB pump is more rugged than a lighter road bike pump.

MTB Tube? Nothing worth sweating over because MTB tubes come in both a presta and schraeder valve configurations.

80/60 psi for MTB is just too high of a pressure to run on the MTB tube/tire. Does a great job for reducing rolling resistance, but lousy for traction. People usually run about 40 psi (and even lower when going tubeless)


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

*Lesson*



aries14 said:


> Thanks, I'll get a new one in the am.


And buy an extra CO2 cartridge and have them show you how to use it while at the shop. The first time you use a CO2 should not be alongside the road. Having someone at the LBS help you through your first time will be invaluable later when you really need it. Don't think of it as $3 wasted on a cartridge, think of it as $3 of tuition.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

tednugent said:


> A pump is a pump.
> 
> A MTB pump is more rugged than a lighter road bike pump.
> 
> ...


What?


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## mike047 (Jan 16, 2010)

Keeping up with Junior said:


> And buy an extra CO2 cartridge and have them show you how to use it while at the shop. The first time you use a CO2 should not be alongside the road. Having someone at the LBS help you through your first time will be invaluable later when you really need it. Don't think of it as *$3* wasted on a cartridge, think of it as $3 of tuition.


60 cents or less at walmart or your big box store of choice.


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

*This thread*



mike047 said:


> 60 cents or less at walmart or your big box store of choice.


Unless of course his pump needs a threaded cartridge. In any event I doubt a Wamart greeter would be able to show him how to inflate his tube using the pump. Thus he will need to buy at least one overpriced CO2 from the LBS to get a training session. Then he can buy in bulk at the cheap price.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

mike047 said:


> 60 cents or less at walmart or your big box store of choice.


I would avoid using the air gun ones as real solution, though. The oil in them can allegedly deteriorate the butyl of the tube.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

PlatyPius said:


> I would avoid using the air gun ones as real solution, though. The oil in them can allegedly deteriorate the butyl of the tube.


Easy solution. Treat the CO2 fill as a stop gap measure till you get back home, deflate the tire and reinflate using a standard pump. It's best to do that anyway, because tubes filled with CO2 drop pressure quickly.

I guess any residue left behind could be an issue, but I've never experienced a problem.


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## aries14 (Sep 4, 2009)

I get the fact that MTB tubes level off around 35-45 PSI. My question was more to the fact that this pump I purchased is 80/60 PSI and road tubes are from 100/120 PSI.
I was checking to see if I should have looked into a setup that allowed me to use C02 that would land me at 100psi Min. 
Yeah, this C02\pump will work for me, but I'd have to inflate the time manually from 80psi. I guess thats no big deal.. Issue is if I get two flats and only have one c02,.. I woudl have to pump manually up to 100psi.


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

You're forgetting an important fact that MTB tubes have larger volume to fill than road tubes.

80/60 psi for say, a 26" MTB tube, will yield a greater pressure for a 700x23c road tube. Remember, the whole ideal gas law, which pressure is proportional to volume.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

tednugent said:


> You're forgetting an important fact that MTB tubes have larger volume to fill than road tubes.
> 
> 80/60 psi for say, a 26" MTB tube, will yield a greater pressure for a 700x23c road tube. Remember, the whole ideal gas law, which pressure is proportional to volume.


And YOU'RE forgetting the fact that the reason the pumps are different is because of that volume. You can have high volume OR high pressure. A MTB pump is rated at a lower psi partly because no human could operate it at road bike tire pressures. Road pumps take forever to inflate a tire because they are smaller displacement so that a person can use them above 100psi.


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## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

aries14 said:


> Today I picked up an “Air Tool Combo2 by Specialize… It’s an 80/60 PSI MTB C02 and manual pump. The question I have is should I return this darn thing for something that’s more road bike specific?
> I didnt even notice its main purpose is to service the MTB tubes. Is this a huge issue?


You want a full-sized frame pump. They're more pleasant than a micro-pump, faster (they're sized to fit the space beneath your top tube instead of your pocket), and will get you up to road bike pressures. With one you'll never run out of CO2 cartridges even if you flat a couple times on a ride.

Currently I have one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Blackburn-Frame-Pump-Road-Bike/dp/B000BNS2SS

It doesn't need an extra strap to keep from rattling around.

Also note that a given frame pump is usually made in multiple sizes to match bigger and smaller frames.


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## mike047 (Jan 16, 2010)

PlatyPius said:


> I would avoid using the air gun ones as real solution, though. The oil in them can allegedly deteriorate the butyl of the tube.


Yes mother.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Get one of these. http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1031002_-1_400032_400007_400032

Simple to use, takes threaded or unthreaded cartridges in both sizes. I carry a minipump to use only as a back up.


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## mike047 (Jan 16, 2010)

Mr. Versatile said:


> Get one of these. http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1031002_-1_400032_400007_400032
> 
> Simple to use, takes threaded or unthreaded cartridges in both sizes. I carry a minipump to use only as a back up.


I have one of those, works very well.


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## milkbaby (Aug 14, 2009)

tednugent said:


> You're forgetting an important fact that MTB tubes have larger volume to fill than road tubes.
> 
> 80/60 psi for say, a 26" MTB tube, will yield a greater pressure for a 700x23c road tube. Remember, the whole ideal gas law, which pressure is proportional to volume.


Are you trying to say that 1 pound of rocks weighs the same as 2 pounds of feathers? If so, then you know you're wrong...  

100 psi in a road tube in a road tire will _always_ be more pressure than 40 psi in a mtb tube in a mtb tire... otherwise the psi (pressure units) would be the same... Additionally, a frame/portable pump with higher pressure rating will tend to have a smaller diameter air chamber because your arm can only generate so much force to pump air in the tube. It is easier to pump in air against higher backpressure on a small diameter piston than a large diameter piston. Compare being hit with a shoe that is flat heeled versus high heeled stilletos... :blush2:


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