A 16 g (0.6 oz) cartridge is one inflation, and threaded and bare types differ
A CO2 inflator refills a tire in seconds and then is finished: a 16 g (0.6 oz) cartridge is roughly one road tire, and cartridges come threaded or bare, which are not interchangeable between inflator heads. A mini pump never runs out but needs several hundred strokes to reach road pressure. We compare cartridge type and size, valve compatibility, whether a short hose isolates the valve from the pumping force that snaps Presta stems, and how the unit mounts to the frame.
16.4 cm (6.5 in) · AV/SV/DV reversible head · T-handle · made in Germany
A 16.4 cm (6.5 in) mini pump with a reversible head covering all three valve types and a removable aluminum tube that forms a T-handle for pumping.
Best for: Carrying every ride on a bike where space is tight, from a maker with a long track record.
≈ $35
5 × 16 g (0.6 oz) threaded · aluminum alloy CNC head · adjustable control valve
A CO2 kit whose head has a control valve for metering the gas rather than releasing it all at once, in CNC-machined aluminum alloy and heat-treated steel.
Best for: Riders who want to part-inflate, check the tire is seated, and then finish — rather than committing the whole cartridge blind.
≈ $24
5 × 16 g (0.6 oz) threaded cartridges · Presta and Schrader · road to 100 psi
A CO2 inflator supplied with five 16 g (0.6 oz) threaded cartridges, fitting Presta and Schrader, stated to inflate a road tire to about 100 psi per cartridge.
Best for: Road riders who want a puncture fixed in seconds rather than minutes.
≈ $26
140 mm (5.51 in) · Presta and Schrader · to 160 psi / 11 bar
A 140 mm (5.51 in) hand pump from a specialist accessory maker, compatible with Presta and Schrader and rated by its manufacturer to 11 bar.
Best for: Road riders on Presta valves who want the smallest capable pump from a specialist brand.
≈ $33
20 × 16 g (0.6 oz) threaded · 100% recycled steel · 8 cm (3.1 in) each · 2-in-1 head
A bulk pack of twenty 16 g (0.6 oz) threaded cartridges in recycled steel, supplied with a 2-in-1 head fitting both Presta and Schrader.
Best for: Clubs, households with several riders, or anyone who has settled on CO2 and wants to stop reordering.
≈ $29
A CO2 cartridge works once. The number carried decides how many punctures can be dealt with on one ride.
A hand mini-pump inflates indefinitely, slowly. It never leaves you at the roadside for want of a consumable.
A twenty-five-centimeter pump goes nowhere on a bike with no spare bottle boss. The stated length and weight decide whether it actually comes on the ride.
Yes, markedly: it passes through the tube wall faster than air. Re-inflate with air when you get home, without waiting.
One per anticipated puncture, plus one. A badly engaged cartridge empties without inflating anything, which happens often on a first use.
The expansion cools the metal sharply, enough to burn skin. A sleeve or a glove is necessary — this is not a theoretical precaution.
It is possible, and CO2 can make some sealants congeal. Many riders prefer air for that reason.
With a lot of strokes and a long enough barrel. Very short models top out well below.
A short hose avoids straining the valve, which is what tears tube valves out. It is a genuine advantage.
On the frame or in a bag, away from mud. A pump full of grit seizes and is no use at the moment it is wanted.
An unpierced cartridge keeps for years if it stays dry and out of frost. What ruins it is rust on the thread in a damp bag, not the passing of time.
CO2 passes through the tube faster than air: re-inflate with air when you get home, without waiting. The expansion freezes the metal enough to burn — the glove is not a theoretical precaution — and a badly engaged cartridge empties without inflating anything.
There is no table here, and the reason is in the listings. The figure published most often across these 5 products is cartridges, given by 3 of them — short of the four in five a column needs to compare rather than to display gaps. Each product page says what its own maker published.
Specifications: manufacturer sheets for bike gear and the matching Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa.
Most recent revision in this category: August 30, 2026.
Prices quoted in these summaries are dated readings. The live price is shown next to each product.
