Monday, June 01, 2009

GamJams Reviews: Roadside Inflation - MSR Tire Inflation Kit

It was bound to happen. I knew it as soon as I saw the post about it. I tried my best to distance myself and pretend that I didn't know anything about it. I couldn't help but notice it's effects on our fellow riders. Alas, I couldn't escape the jinx.

Saturday on my first good long road ride in a long while I double/triple/quadruple flatted if you will. Thanks Mike and Bryan! I guess I can now fess up to my roadside tire inflation techniques (and short comings) since I've already paid the price (knock knock knock).

Basically Jim's got it right. I use the basic mirco-flate screw on CO2 inflation chuck. Turns out, it's even better then I before realized since you can actually save a CO2 cartridge to reinflate a slow leak tire multiple times during a long ride... I got a full fill plus at least 3 top offs during my ride out of each cartridge. Ride/Life saver considering I couldn't get a pick up savior on the phone yesterday.

On the other hand I now see the genious in Jim's plan to also carry a frame pump for a ride. Eventually, even when you're carrying three CO2 cartridges, knowing full well you've been jinxed despite your best efforts of avoidance, and two tubes you will run out of air if you've got a slow leak on a 70 miler. Ah well. For what it's worth though, screw on CO2 is by far worth the marginal extra cost in my book. Those guns for the non-screw on type wouldn't really fit in my seat pouch anyway.

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