I'm not the only one- retro-grouches rejoice!

Lister Farrar · Post by **Lister Farrar** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 12:02 pm

Leonard Zinn's latest column slams some new looms, er, I mean bike technologies, CO2 and tubeless tires.
Lister (channeling Ned Ludd)

http://www.velonews.com/article/89375/l ... ke-spoking

CO2 greenhouse
Dear Lennard,

I'm amazed in the continuing discussion of CO2 canisters that I haven't seen anybody bring up the environmental costs of canning air, transporting it and then tossing a hunk of metal that will never be recycled into the landfills, or the side of the road in the case of the particularly ignorant cyclist.

Think about it: you take air, which is free and all around us, and use electricity to pump it into metal containers, which had to be mined, smelted, formed, etc. Then you take these canisters and place them in a cardboard box made from trees and you put it in a shipping container and transport it across the ocean where it is unloaded and placed onto diesel trucks to be driven across the country to your bike store.

But it's not even good air: it's air that leaks out of your tires even faster. You are surrounded by air, free air, better air. All it takes is a pump and a few minutes of work to get it into your tire, where it holds longer than the CO2.

Cycling, as we all know, holds such a great promise for the environment. CO2 is a dark blot on that green sheen. We all know what the C in CO2 is.

Leave the CO2 to the mountain bike racer who can't spare the seconds. The rest of you can carry a pump. I love my new Lezyne pressure drive — more reliable and probably lighter than CO2 canisters. It's an endurance sport folks. Endure a few minutes of pumping.
Rick

Plawless · Post by **Plawless** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 1:37 pm

quick correction - retro grouches can't "rejoice" they have to grumble and mutter

Alan · Post by **Alan** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 5:42 pm

I hear CO2 leaks out even faster in that rare eventuality that you're trying to repair your flat with a pre-flatted tube. But think of the biceps you'd be building by trying to pump up that baby by hand....

Lister Farrar · Post by **Lister Farrar** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:54 am

Touche Alan. lol

By the way, your wife called and said you need to pedal harder, stop looking at other women from the back of the tandem (she can tell when you swivel your head, you know), and pass the damn chocolate.