At our Spring Banquet of the ChainLinkCyclists, I was asked to enlighten our fellow club mates on the advantages of carrying a couple small CO2 cartridges and a filler attachment instead of the tried and true traveling pump.
I was using my Bontrager regulator attachment, in the demonstration, which I thought only fit Presta valves. These are the smaller diameter stems found on most bicycle tubes today.
I noticed that we were not entirely successful in fully pressurizing our demonstration tire, and meanwhile, my fingers and palm were starting to get frost bite as we repeatedly released the gas from the cold cartridges.
During the demo, the most asked question from the audience was, “Do they make a cartridge filler attachment for a Schrader valve?” Now the Schrader valve is the one we all know when we fill our automobile tires with air. It has a larger diameter than the Presta.
I said I suspected that such things were on the market and referred my charges to Ron and Joe at the Freeport Bicycle Company table across the room.
Not a week later, while riding with Peggy Badgett out of Stockton, I got my answer.
As we descended into Apple Canyon Park, I blew a big hole in my new tube inside my new tire. After getting the bike under control and off on the shoulder, I reached into my kit and pulled forth my regulator and a CO2 cartridge in eager anticipation of showing my prowess at filling the new tube.
After expending two CO2 cartridges, the pressure was still so low that it would have been impossible to get back. Peggy was considering going on ahead to retrieve me in my Blazer. But, as an afterthought, she produced her very trusty pump, saying she did not like cold hands either. In no time, we had the tire up to pressure and continued on out of the park and over the Binkley Bonk into Stockton.
For all my trouble, Peggy bought chocolat milk shakes, and we reviewed the necessities of bicycle carryons.
On the drive back to the Freeport Bicycle Company, I was considering giving up on the CO2 system and getting a pump just like Peggy's. Joe replaced my exploded tube. He said he'd be happy to sell me a new pump, but suggested I use a Presta to Schrader adapter the next time I used my filler attachment. Opps! The missing component in my kit?
The following Tuesday afternoon, Jilly and I had a good laugh over this as we pushed through the grisley westerly wind at Bump n Jamb. She urged me share it on the blog.
So, si tutti, the regulator attachment does fit a Schrader valve. In fact, I have one along with my Presta adapter.
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