Step on the gas with the Lezyne Control Drive CO₂ pump
29.5.2019
Translation: machine translated
Sometimes the little things have the biggest benefits. If you want to carry little ballast with you when cycling and be ready to go again quickly in the event of a puncture, a CO₂ pump like the Lezyne Control Drive is your joker - provided you do everything right.
Lighter, smaller and faster is not possible. CO₂ pumps hardly weigh a thing and are something like the Formula 1 version of bicycle pumps. Simply screw in the cartridge and you can get started at high pressure. These are the advantages. However, just like in Formula 1, you can't afford to make a mistake. Otherwise the gas will escape too early or at the wrong point and you will be left looking foolish, as each cartridge can only be used once. When you screw it in, a pointed spike pierces the seal of the cartridge opening, then it is "armed" and ready for use.
The Lezyne Control Drive makes your life a little easier because the valve attachment made of CNC-milled aluminium has a pressure regulator. You can close it before use and then regulate how quickly the gas flows out. As this creates extreme cold, a neoprene cover is included for the cartridge. You should not touch the aluminium with bare hands during use.
Ice cold, otherwise harmless
The Lezyne Control Drive is compatible with Presta and Schrader valves. In other words, the two common types that are also known as road bike or car valves and can be found on pretty much every sporty bike. Once you have screwed the cartridge in cleanly and quickly, your hands are protected and the pump head sits securely on the open valve of the correctly fitted hose, you can step on the gas.
CO₂ does get cold when it escapes and expands, but is of course not dangerous. Basically, you can use it to inflate all tyres very quickly. The high-pressure CO₂ charge is particularly useful for tubeless tyres. Caution: Some manufacturers (e.g. Schwalbe) warn that the CO₂ can have an unfavourable effect on the sealant. Depending on which products you use, you should find out more in advance.
Pay attention to the filling quantity
How much CO₂ should it be? 12, 16 or 25 grams? There are cartridges with different filling quantities. The pressure you get in your tyres depends on their volume. 16 grams should be enough in many cases, on a racing bike you can get a 28x0.90 tyre to around 7.5 bar. If you want more pressure or ride large-volume mountain bike tyres, you are better off with 25 grams.
When buying replacement cartridges, you should also note that there are variants with and without a thread. With some CO₂ pumps, the cartridge is inserted into a housing and not screwed in.
If you are worried that you might accidentally fire your cartridge and then be stranded, there are also hybrid variants that allow you to continue pumping by hand if necessary. You can find all CO₂ pumps in the range here in the overview.
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Michael Restin
Senior Editor
Michael.Restin@digitecgalaxus.chSimple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.
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