Second Wind Carbon Mini
Any time you go out for a bike ride you know your ride could be interrupted by a flat tire, but if you have the right tools you can change the tire and be back on the road in just five or six minutes. When it comes to inflation products for cycling there is no company that I like more than Genuine Innovations, and their Second Wind Road Carbon Mini tire pump is an item that every road cyclist needs.
The Second Wind Road Carbon Mini is a lightweight, compact tire pump that uses CO2 cartridges, and if you run out of cartridges you can also use it as a manual pump. The pump can be used with either 12 or 16 gram threaded CO2 cartridges and one 16 gram CO2 cartridge will inflate a 700x23c road tire to 130 psi. Genuine Innovations describes construction of this pump as a “carbon fiber pump body with high strength glass-reinforced nylon, and brass valve internals.” I need to point out that the Second Wind only works with Presta valves.
I have found the best way to inflate a tire after a repair is to use a manual pump to get some air in the tube and help get the valve in the right position, then use a CO2 cartridge to finish the job. A 16 gram CO2 cartridge is included with this pump, but if you are not sure what size cartridge you need for your bike Genuine Innovations as an inflation chart available on their Website.
Some portable bicycle pumps attach to the top tube on your bike where it constantly gets in your way. Other pumps attach to the bottle cage holder on either the seat tube or down tube and force you to give up a water bottle (not good for long rides). The Second Wind has a well designed offset holder that attaches between your seat tube and the bottle cage holder. Once stored in the holder the Second Wind is actually sitting in the corner of your water bottle and the seat tube—it is “out of sight, out of mind.”
While this tire pump is very easy to use, I would suggest you try it out at home first. Spare CO2 cartridges are only a few dollars each and the experience gained from inflating a tire in your garage can save you from a lot of aggravation on the side of the road.
The Second Wind Road Carbon Mini retails for $40 and comes with a limited lifetime warranty. If your local bike shop does not carry this pump they can order it for you can order it directly from Genuine Innovations.
RichardB1001
April 18, 2012 at 8:06 AM
this is a great product. I have one but have not had any flats since I started using the gatorskins tires which are kevlar lined.
All Seasons Cyclist
April 18, 2012 at 9:00 AM
Gatorskins are almost bullet proof — but bad things do happen to good cyclists, so I always carry a pump with me.
What About The Customer?
April 18, 2012 at 8:34 AM
Apart from the fact that my brother bought one, attached it as per the instructions onto his Specialized Langster and at 30 miles the bottom part of the pump had vibrated loose and is on the road somewhere. Now it is no use to man oir beast and he has to go back to the shop he bought it from. Top tip: blue Loctite the threads…
All Seasons Cyclist
April 18, 2012 at 9:02 AM
I’ve used Genuine Innovations pumps on all my bikes and have never had anything like that happen — but Loctite is a good idea anyway.
What About The Customer?
April 19, 2012 at 10:41 AM
Strange that it hadn’t been Loctite’d or similar. The very first ride w. shiny new pump and it’s missing bits. Glad we are all running decent tires! Search FB for L2B24
What About The Customer?
April 18, 2012 at 8:35 AM
Just seen comment above – Gatorskins great, Conti GP4000 have Vectran. Pure magic. Will tempt fate and say they never puncture. I just take a tube and CO2 out of habit now. Never needed them.
Forrest
April 23, 2012 at 4:38 PM
Grand Prix 4000S are fantastic tires. Probably the best ones available for clinchers. I’ve flatted mine, so it can definitely happen … but what great tires! (Gatorskins feel like concrete blocks.)
Forrest
April 23, 2012 at 4:37 PM
Have you used the pump itself (and not the CO2) to air a tire up to around 110+ psi? I’ve been leaving the pump at home and only bringing compressed air with me … the only reason I would think about getting something like this is that you can have a dud CO2 cartridge and then get two flats. (Add another cartridge, and, in theory, you could have another dud; it’s an endless cycle that a pump could get you out of.)
All Seasons Cyclist
April 23, 2012 at 4:54 PM
Forrest, I’ve been able to get the pump up to about 110 psi by hand, but beyond that is really tough. I use it mainly to give new tubes some shape before I put them in the tire. I carry one CO2 cartridge in the pump handle and a spare in my seat bag. Before I got this pump I had a ride where I used both of my CO2 cartridges and was stuck out of town — had to wait for my wife to come get me (way too far to walk home). Small hand pumps are slow, but they sure beat walking!
Forrest
April 23, 2012 at 5:07 PM
Well, if you can get 110 psi, that’s plenty enough, really.
I prefer adding a little bit of air, then letting it out, right before I inflate the tire, too. And that’s something I just haven’t been able to make happen with the inflators.
I tend to carry two or three CO2 cartridges when I ride around town. I was going about my business one day when someone flagged me down to ask whether I had a pump. I let her use my only cartridge, and then had a bit of a nervous ride home … ever since that day I’ve tried to have a couple on me. 😀