Portland Design Works Shiny Object CO2 Inflator - Bike Tire Inflator, Bicycle Accessories

Since this is my first CO2 inflator, I performed a test run at home to ensure that I knew how to use this tool before requiring to do so on the trails and it works Great! Here are the results of my test run: 1. I made sure that the Shiny Object release knob was in the closed position. 2. The CO2 cartridge was very easy to screw into the inflator. 3. I heard a very low "hiss" once the seal was broken as I screwed in the cartridge. 4. I continued screwing in the cartridge until it was well seated but I did not over tighten. 5. I filled a backup tube with a Presta valve as well as using a Presta Adapter with no issues either way. 6. The CO2 cartridge does get very cold so the stitched leather sleeve works nicely to reduce the frozenness to your fingers / hand. Nice and compact, very well crafted and very functional for any cyclists requiring to perform a flat repair on the trail. Was going to purchase one of those hand pumps but heard too many negative reviews about them as well as hearing that you would need to acquire an expensive pump to meet your tires PSI requirements. I had no desires to spent a lot of money nor perform lots of pump-action on the trail during a flat repair so I opted to get this instead. Excellent decision and this tool will be one of those mandatory items for every trail ride we venture out on for sure. P.S. If I see you out on trails struggling with one of those hand pumps, I will definitely stop and share with you my CO2!

Unfortunately I had a chance to use this new tool on yesterday's ride. My wife flatted with a 'goat's head thorn' in her rear tire. By the time I rode back to find her she had the tire off and old tube out, gotta love that! I put ~10psi in the reassembled wheel with the hand pump to be sure the tire seated correctly then switched to the CO2 inflator. What a wonderful tool! In just seconds the tire was at full pressure. No leakage around the valve stem and more importantly no more dripping sweat pumping back up to 100psi by hand in the Summer heat. The valve worked well, I slowly increased the flow until the cartridge was empty. Very easy to use on the presta valve stem. Doesn't look like it would work on schrader stems. The cartridge cover is a nice touch as the cartridge freezes as the gas rushes out. Always use it, or wear full finger gloves!

This is an amazing little device at a very reasonable price. Fortunately, I read a lot of reviews first before using it, so I knew to really close off the valve firmly before screwing in the cartridge. I did hear a little co2 escape, but nothing significant at all. The beauty of this valve lies in its ability to regulate the discharge of the co2. I was able to use it exactly the way I wanted to: to "top off" a tire that had already been inflated to around 80 PSI using a frame pump. Rather than wasting a bunch of co2, or tiring myself out trying to get the tire past the 80 PSI mark, I used the frame pump to easily get it to 80, then used the co2 to get it to around 100-105. The fact that the PDW Shiny Object has a control knob to turn the co2 on/off made it a piece of cake to go from 80 to 100/105. Then, afterwards, I could keep the cartridge, with the valve still attached, to use again, rather than having to throw it away. It's easy, practical, and economical all at the same time. How could you expect anything more from such a basic, simple tool?

This is a perfect "on board" tool to keep with spare tube and patch kit for those nasty little emergencies. It is compact, seems to be well made, and worked well after I assembled it and "gave it a shot" - in both senses. It works like a champ with Shrader valves. No leaks, struggle, or pressure loss while putting on, using or removing the device. UPDATE: I used it only twice so far on partially-deflated tires, but wouldn't consider it as a substitute for a frame pump when dealing with a full flat, though... I'd rather pump the tire up to a certain level and then use the inflator for that last "oomph" instead of struggling when the tire pressure starts 'working against the pump'. Further, I carry one or two spare cartridges in the tool bag to be on the safe side. (As a reference: the tires of my MTB are 26 x 1.75 @ 60 PSI). To change a cartridge: make sure to empty the old one, and close the valve all the way before attaching the new one. Otherwise you'll be in for a big surprise (and loss of gas). It happened to me! <SG>

Since everyone has had to deal with endless pumping to repair a flat on a bike ride, the Shiny Object is a wonderful alternative. This inflator is built like a tank and should give lots of years of dependable service. It's made almost entirely of nicely machined aluminum with only a plastic open/close valve on the back. Operation is simple: Close valve by turning clockwise. Screw on CO2 cartridge. Press Shiny Object onto the tube's valve. Slowly begin letting air fill the tube by turning valve counter-clockwise. Done! One 16 oz. cartridge of CO2 will completely fill a road tire. It will fill a mountain bike tire to about 25-35 psi, enough to get you home or happily continue your ride. Since there's always a possibility of more than one flat on a ride, carry several CO2 carts with you in your under the seat bag, back pack, or wherever else you store stuff during a ride. Here's to having NO flats! But, sooner or later, it's sure going to happen to you : (

Good, I bought this almost two years ago with a couple boxes of screw on 16 gram CO2 cartridges. Since then I had one flat and it worked great. I always bring two cartridges just in case. Anyway, last week I was biking and I come across this guy carrying his wheel in one hand and the frame on his shoulder in the other. And I ask him if he needs help. he says if you have a pump. I say I have Co2. His cheap unit had failed and he lost all his CO2 and he had a long way to go. He already had the new tube in the tire so I handed him the rig and he blew up the tire no problem. And I still had one cartridge left for the ride home which I didn't need. Once I got home I loaded a fresh one to bring the count back to two. This thing weighs almost nothing and is well made and it works. It's really nice to have this and an extra tube just in case, but it was awesome to be able to bail someone out that really needed it too. Great system.

I just put this to the test the other day after getting a flat, and it saved me BIG time from having to walk my bike at least 20 blocks to the nearest subway station. Anyway, the operation is fairly straight foward, you insert the included cartridge, open up the valve and start inflating your tube. I have a 700x32 tube that's inflated to ~90PSI....and after using an entire cartridge, my guesstimate is that the tube was inflated to around 70PSI which was more than enough to get me home. I agree with others that the leather cover (this gets sorto icy after a minute) allows you to hold this without getting your hands with the icy sticky stuff. And the regulating valve is also great as might want to first inflate just a little, insert the tube into the tire, and then fully inflate. overall,I'm very satisfied with this product and would recommend it to daily bicycle commuters. one day it might come in handy and save you from having to walk your bicycle for miles ;)

As already mentioned by other reviewers: The instructions are inadequate and it may take longer than necessary to realize how ridiculously simple it is to use this device. Minus 1/2 star for such an easily remedied deficiency. The tip contains no pin for depressing the schrader valve. You slip the tip over the schrader valve, and it utilizes the "pressure in the CO2 cartridge to overcome the spring pressure in the schrader valve." The preceding may be why I was unable to fully inflate a flat 26 x 1.9 tire to 55psi (...a tire with a max pressure of 65psi). Although the cartridge still contained plenty of C02, it simply didn't have enough pressure to go beyond approximately 45psi. If I intentionally deflated the tire, I could reinflate it back to that ceiling of approximately 45lbs... and then a fully OPEN CO2 valve would simply stop delivering C02 (as the pressure was apparently inadequate to overcome the spring pressure of the schrader valve). I'm perplexed, because others have indicated that they could inflate their tires to 115psi! Based on the preceding the device can only be used for emergency flat repairs... and NOT to "top off" a low tire (in my experience). It will get me about 80% of my desired tire pressure (and allow me to be on my way until I can "top off" the tire through alternative means). Minus 1/2 star. Once you get the device in your hands, you realize the elegant simplicity. It's a simple screw valve that punctures a CO2 cartridge. That's it. No technological wizardry here... and that is why it will likely last a long time. HOWEVER, it's just a simple valve... with a patch of stitched leather thrown in to keep you from freezing your fingers on the CO2 cartidge. Since CO2 needle valves can be acquired ALL DAY LONG for less than $10 retail, I'm guessing that their cost to manufacture is peanuts... and they may actually have more manufacturing cost tied up in that little patch of stitched leather (than the actual valve). So, given that THEIR price is hovering in the $26 to $40 range (with shipping)!!... MINUS 1 star for... ahem... a bit of good old fashioned "profiteering", utilizing their good name and reputation. Bottom Line: It works (for emergency use ONLY, in my experience). The simple design will likely last for years. The instructions need to be improved. Recognize that, for what you are actually getting, you are paying an absolute premium. However, the competitive alternatives MUST be markedly inferior (?)... otherwise, the abundance of GLOWING reviews would not exist for this pricey little device. (...right?)

Received OK

this was a gift for my son who does a lot of cycling. he hasn't had to use it yet but although it's meant to save time repairing punctures in a race it will be just as useful to repair a tyre quickly in bad weather or in the dark