You may not have a flat tire while biking very often, but when you do, it's important to understand the possible causes to prevent reoccurring flats. A bike wheel is made up of a tire, tube and rim. All these parts need to be inspected to determine what may have caused the flat. By doing this, you can prevent many flats from occurring.
Low Air Pressure
Not properly inflating your wheel often results in pinch flats, or pinch cuts. Without enough pressuring inside the tube, objects such as curbs, rocks or other protruding objects can cause the tire to compress. This compression normally is very minimal, however with improperly inflated tires, it may become pinched. Often, the tube is pinned between the rim and tire, causing two small holes. The rim, tube and tire may all become damaged though usually only the tire is ruined. Sometimes referred to as a "snake bit," a pinch flat can be prevented by inflating your wheels to the recommended pressure found on the tire. Pinch flats can usually be fixed with a tire patch.
Punctures
A common cause for flats, a puncture occurs when a sharp object penetrates the tire and tube. When a puncture occurs, there is usually one hole in the tire and tube. When fixing the flat, be sure to remove the sharp object if it is still in the tire to prevent another flat while inflating the tube.
Slow Leaks
Overtimes tubes lose air, however some tubes lose air at a quicker rate. These types of flats normally take a few hours or days to occur, but the tire is completely flat. There may be a small hole, rip in the tube near the valve stem or some other small problem. Since it may not be possible to find the cause and the entire should be replaced.
Blow Outs
Occasionally a tire will suddenly "blow" while riding, which means the tire's bead lost contact with the rim. This occurs when there is too much air pressure in the tube or the tire is not seated properly on the rim. Blow outs can also occur without proper support from the tire, such as a weak spot in the sidewall.
Valve Steam Damage
The valve stem can be damaged or the seal between the valve and tube can become damaged. This is difficult to fix so a new tube is necessary to repair the flat.
Rim Punctures
Normally rim tap covers the spoke ends in the rim. This prevents the spokes from puncturing the tube. Occasionally spokes can push through the tape or the tape moves. Sometimes spokes may be too long. All these result in the tire being punctured.
Sidewall Cuts
The sidewall of the tire may become cut from a sharp object such as a rock, glass or a curb. When this occurs, a part of the tube may poke through and become caught or ripped, causing a flat.
Member Comments