How to prevent flat tyre

C

cwah

100 MW
Joined
Jul 24, 2011
Messages
4,256
Location
Between paris and london
Hello there,

I've almost 1 flat tyre a month. It always happen on the rear wheel... the one with the motor on it. I know the weight is not properly distributed because the batteries and motor are on the rear.

But that's how my bike is configurated, so I'm trying to accomodate that.

I tried to use the SLIME anti flat tyre gel:
319sSztqbOL._SS500_.jpg

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Slime-Inner...5GGW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329342306&sr=8-1

This is so useless, I still had my flat tyre the month after.

How do you do to prevent that? And why do I have flat tyre every month???
 
Do you know what is giving you the flats? Glass , thorns , road debri ?
They do make thick thorn resistant tubes and tire liners which would really help. Have you thought about a better pucture protected tire? There are really good kevlar imbedded tires. A little more expensive but fixing your tire every month has gotta s**k .
 
No idea what's creating that. I've checked the tyre it doesn't seem to have any debris.

I just know that if the tyre doesn't have air pumped to the max (high pressure), it's very likely that a flat is going to happen. I'm thinking about such a tyre but I'm not sure yet because if it's because of the weight distribution, I may still have flats.
 
I dont think it would have anything to do with weight distibution. If that was the case probably at least 75% of the people on this forum would be riding around with flats. There has to be some other underlying cause.

When you used the slime , where did it leak from? Could it be that you are just using the same cheap type inner tubes?
 
Where is the hole in the tube when you have a flat? If it's on the inside, get a thicker rim tape or wrap more tape around the rim. If it's on the outside, you might try a tire liner. And make sure you are using the proper tube size.
 
cwah said:
I just know that if the tyre doesn't have air pumped to the max (high pressure), it's very likely that a flat is going to happen.
Click to expand...
If you're running low enough pressure, with enough weight, and hit bumps/holes, then it is probably a pinch flat. Those are often long cuts and so high on the side that slime can't get to it to help.

If the spokes stick out of the nipples inside the rim, they can poke holes in the inside of the tube and again slime can't get up there to help.

If it's large holes poked in the tread area then you could try the tire liners plus chunky slime (meant for tubeless tires), which so far has prevented all but one flat on CrazyBIke2, despite extreme loads on crappy roads with lots of debris.


But basically, if you don't know where the holes are happening, then you can't easily fix the problem. ;)

Well, you could go for "airless" tires, but in general I don't like them much. I am using one on the rear of DayGlo Avenger solely because I cannot get to the wheel when on the road to be able to fix it; it's a major operation to do anything other than add some air. :roll: I've used them on another regular bike, and don't like them there, either. I also have them on a powerchair, and I'd prefer pneumatics there, too, but I don't have any tubes to fit those small tires yet.
 
Please have a look at this thread as it shows gown double rim tapes the inside of my wheel and used an old tyre with the wire bead cutoff and put it inside another tyre. So I have 2 tyres then a slime tube inside each wheel. U can also use any other heavy duty material such as thick plastic or rubber.

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=35050

Hope it helps

Sent using Endless-Sphere Mobile app
 
very simple to prevent flat tire.
I have not have one in more than 2 years /over 300 days a year riding/ after I installed THICK, HEAVY duty tubes you can get at Canadain Tire.
There are 3 times if not 4 times thicker than standard and takes at least 3 times more room folded,also heavy.
Why to play with all those chemicals, slime, etc.
 
Thick tubes are sold as Downhill tubes and commonly 2.5mm thick. Bicycle parts supplier will carry them in 26" but not sure about other sizes.

I find it odd that you've had several flats but no idea where the leak occurs? Slime won't help on inside punctures or holes but does enough to usually get home from punctures caused by nails, pallet staples, etc.
 
Definitely agree on the thick tubes. Intense Fro DH are heavy duty at 505 grams and 1.7mm thickness. Halo Extra Safe are much lighter at 200 grams yet are 3mm thick. Not totally sure if the weights are correct, seems like a huge difference.
 
cwah said:
Toango said:
how about a kevlar belted tire? i don't have flats with them. and i don't use slime or thick tubes
Click to expand...

Any idea where I can find it and at what price in the UK?
Click to expand...

I have shalwbe kojaks on my brompton and love em. Low rolling resistance and not a flat yet. Not sure if kelvar belted but it has a strip against punctures. I little expensive but fast tire. They make a little less expensive version with wire bead. Just a little heavier.

http://brilliantbikes.co.uk/16-inch-tyres/173-schwalbe-kojak-32-349-lightweight-tyre.html

Or i see shwable has brand of just for ebikes and some new models for 2012. Havent tried them but they seem even more durable

http://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires/e-bikes

Not sure if they have sizes for folders though
 
Here is a video that can how you how TO get a flat. :)

:p

[youtube]_FxpKc0wasQ[/youtube]
 
Slime works a lot less well with thin tires. The thick tubes give the slime more rubber to stop up the holes.

Slime only works well with decent pressure, at least 35 pounds, perferably 60 psi. This is because a soft tire squirms around, allowing several things to happen. The slime plug may just work through, alloing a slow leak till it plugs again, or a long thorn or nail can move around enough to poke several new holes up near the spokes.

Chunky 4x4 or Atv slime. You need the fibers to plug the larger holes. About twice a year on my dirt bike, I pull the tires, throw away the tubes, and replace them. Then I remove the 50-100 thorns more than half an inch long from my tires. I ride all the time with tons of holes in my tires, but the thick tube and the slime do the trick. I carry a pump though, because If the slow leaks take my pressure down enough, then I'll blow the remaining 20 psi fast. Usually by making new holes in the rim side of the tube, as long thorns are allowed to reach the other side.

Lastly of course, simple stuff like good rim tape. On a single wall rim, a poorly tuned rim can allow spokes to poke a tire. The rim can egg shape just enough in a pothole to have a spoke poke the rim.

Make sure the valve is working right. Sometimes they just get jammed, or need a new valve core.

Debris can get in the tire. One good chunk of sand, or metal shaving will do the trick to cut a tube.

Tire liners can help. At one point, on the dirtbike, I ran some old road slicks inside the tire as a thick liner. I just cut the beads off the tires and stuck em in the knobby tires. It didn't help me much, because the mesquite thorns around here are an inch long. So I still got lots of em stuck in the tires. But for other places, the extra thickness can help prevent most thorns from ever penetrating.
 
Just removed the inner tube to see from where the holes were from:
[youtube]okNaY7vQ90c[/youtube]

There are a damn lot of holes in the tube! All on the outside!! It really seems that it's weight based because it's all aligned.

There are so many little holes I suppose this tube can be throw away. Going to replace it with a new one I found on a bike shop
 
ahah!! finally found who was guilty!
nail_tyre_outside.JPG


nail_tyre_inside.JPG


A damn biiiig nail! I think even the best tyre kevlar protection wouldn't prevent that. I suppose I just have to remove the nail now..

Anything I should do with the tyre?
 
Products like Slime do not work with tubed tires. The rubber (or hole) just stretches under any tire pressure and the stuff is worthless.

I think I am going tubeless. In case you missed it, Sacman posted some good tutorials on how to do this cheap on Greg’s build thread on Sat Feb 18, 2012 3:29 am
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=14842&start=2820

Also check out Stan’s Notubes videos
http://www.notubes.com/helpcenter.aspx?video=3
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
*USED FOR SALE* Grin Technologies 52V eBike DIY Build
Replies
2
Views
2,259
tomceg123
T
E
Want to trade 20" Bafang 750w Rear Hub Mag Wheels set for 1000w and up 20" Spoked Rear Hub
Replies
0
Views
816
Ellectrico
E
NeedForSpeed
WIP - EEB Frame with mid-drive motor
Replies
3
Views
1,875
NeedForSpeed
NeedForSpeed
thundercamel
StefEbike for my wonderful disabled wife
2 3 4 5 6
Replies
146
Views
40,785
E-HP
E-HP
CUDAcores89
What kind of hub motor is this?
Replies
6
Views
1,386
dogman dan
dogman dan
Back
Top