What To Do When Tyre Goes Flat In The Middle Of Nowhere?

[BigBikeBKK]

Hi Bigbikebkk, those used co2 can it be refilled? And where to get it refilled?

Hi Cobra,

No- not re-filled, just buy new ones. Those CO2 cartridges are a standard item used in many applications, from life jackets to pellet guns to portable air brushes, etc. and you can find them at many hardware stores here in Thailand.

Happy Trails!

Tony

[Richard-BKK]

What is the effect of CO2 on the tires? I know it is one of the cheapest non-flammable gas available. But on another board I read also "tire aired up with a CO2 cartridge will leak down in about 2-3 days, they're only for getting you home". Matter of fact the more you search on the Internet, the more you can read not to use them... Some even suggest that some elements in the CO2 make the rubber less flexible...

So what is the truth about this all?

[mbox]

What is the effect of CO2 on the tires? I know it is one of the cheapest non-flammable gas available. But on another board I read also "tire aired up with a CO2 cartridge will leak down in about 2-3 days, they're only for getting you home". Matter of fact the more you search on the Internet, the more you can read not to use them... Some even suggest that some elements in the CO2 make the rubber less flexible...

So what is the truth about this all?

I got a repair kit like this when i bought a 2nd hand bike appr. 2 years ago..came with the bike (i think it was originally bought at red baron). The kit is for emergencies only .... nobody said you should drive on with this repaired tires forever ...it fulfills its purpose and if the tire get less flexible or not after some days i really couldn't be bothered because by that time the "temporarily repaired" tire will no longer be on the rim of my bike.

mbox

Edited October 6, 2009 by mbox

[BigBikeBKK]

If you take the time to read the instructions (I know- who ever reads the instructions?! ) you'll note that the manufacturers advise to refill with air as soon as possible because CO2 permeates rubber over time which will leave your tire flat after a few days.

CO2 permeates rubber faster thank air because it is more soluble in the rubber than the N2 and O2.

Never heard anything about CO2 being "bad" for rubber though... Sounds like an urban myth Richard. Link please.

One could also say that CO2 filled tires do not go flat faster than air filled tires; They just more efficiently achieve equilibrium with the atmosphere.

RIDE ON!

T

[BigBikeBKK]

Some even suggest that some elements in the CO2 make the rubber less flexible...

Erm... which elements would that be Richard? The C or the O?

[Lagoud]

Nice one Tony.

I for sure would be interested.

[Richard-BKK]

Maybe I'm not as smart as you Tony, but one thing I know, if I knew the answer I not have to ask...

But of the C or O, I would say the Carbon, Carbon black is an anti-abrasive and is commonly used in tire production. Pigments include zinc oxide, lithopone, and a number of organic dyes. Softeners, which are necessary when the mix is too stiff for proper incorporation of the various ingredients, usually consist of petroleum products, such as oils or waxes; pine tar; or fatty acids. The moulding of the compound is carried out once the desired mix has been achieved and vulcanization is often carried out on the moulded product.

Fillers are used to stiffen or strengthen rubber, and it is likely that the Carbon in the CO2 binds with the Carbon Black in the tire.

[BigBikeBKK]

it is likely that the Carbon in the CO2 binds with the Carbon Black in the tire.

You are joking right?

Richard must ride so hard and fast that he's broken the covalent bonds that hold the Oxygen atoms to the Carbon atom. Is that it? Why Richard- you've single handedly solved global warming! All we need to do is fill our tires with CO2 and we'll magically break it down into it component elements. You'll win the Nobel prize!

Too dam_n funny! Please tell me you are joking!

[Richard-BKK]

O Tony, you surely where not on the front row in chemical class, Carbon binds easy with other carbon, your tyre never loses oxygen. Only the Carbon in the CO@ binds and reacts with the Carbon in the tyres... and escaping... the Oxygen of the CO2 will remain in the tyre.

But with the escaping Carbon from the CO2, it also pulls carbon from the tyre, Carbon has the nature to bind with other carbon molecules its encounters....

[Cobrabiker]

Hmm..., interesting! So am I right to say I should let the CO2 out and pump in air when I get to the nearest pump station?

[daeng12]

I use Truegoo in my tires. (I ride a Honda xl250 Degree dirt bike.) Most reviews I've read rate it as better than Slime. The Truegoo will plug most punctures immediately. It can be used in both tubed and tubeless tires, doesn't clog the tire valve, and doesn't upset the balance of the tire like other sealants do. The one time I picked up a nail, I think the Truegoo may have saved me from a serious accident, as I was riding the road from Maekajan to Chiangmai when it happened - lots of curves, which I tend to take pretty fast. So if I picked up the nail when I was in a curve, it couldn't led to a serious crash. But the Truegoo plugged the hole immediately. I noticed that the bike was handling a little differently, and when I checked the tires, I saw the nail. Unfortunately, Truegoo doesn't ship their product to Thailand. I ordered it over the internet, had it sent to my parents' home, and they mailed it to me. So if you have a friend in the U.S. who is willing to mail it on to you, you can get it. Here's a link to their website, and to a review at their website:

http://www.truegoo.com

http://www.truegoo.com/WriteUps___Relatables.html

Edited October 7, 2009 by daeng12