Ten Mistakes to Avoid for a Flat Tire

If you don’t have good tires you’re more prone to a crash and no one enjoys a ride after crashing. If you do take a spill we’ve got you covered about what to do. Next to crashing getting a flat tire is also a drag.

1. Don’t skimp on tires
   • Only one piece of your bike ever connects you with the road, avoid the mistake and never, and we mean EVER, skimp out on riding with cheap or old tires. The few dollars saved will help prevent any crashes. Not every tire is perfect for every condition and flat tire mistakes happen. If you do crash follow our article on how to mend up quickly and get back on the bike.
2. Pump your tires before every ride
   • Seems simple but some people aren’t as consistent about it as they should be. Buy a decent pump and it can last decades!
3. Inspect your tires before every ride, bonus for inspecting after your ride.
   • We wipe our tires down after every ride to clean up anything we may have tracked during our ride.
4. Don’t flip your tire inside out
   • Many tires have beads that hold them in place so if you turn your tire inside out you will find that the bead twists and cannot easily be returned to its original state.
5. Mount your tire so that the valve stem is next to recognizable part of your tire
   • By doing this you can compare a hole in your inner tube to a specific part of the tire and find the object(s) causing punctures.
6. Practice changing tires in the comfort of your own home
   • Allen Iverson didn’t like practice but there is nothing worse than fumbling through changing a tire in the rain or a hot sunny day.
7. Always carry a spare tube and a pump
   • Mini-pumps or Frame pumps are appropriate to carry on the bike for emergency, on-the-road use. It can take a lot of work to get the proper amount of air with this technique but it sure beats walking (trust us).
8. Consider CO2 cartridge
   • If you carry a cartridge you’ll need an adapter. When everything goes well, this is the fastest way to inflate a tire. Make sure your adapter and cartridge are compatible for threaded or non threaded cartridges.
9. Carry a few tire levers and a patch kit
   • Some tires are easier than others to get on and off. We prefer both and typically save levers for the last few inches.
10. Don’t underinflate or overinflate your tires
    • Overinflate and you run the risk of blowing the tube either while pumping or while riding due to sudden or constant impact. If underinflated the low pressure could cause pinch flats. Below are our recommendations but check out this REI article on their expert advice.

To learn more about different kinds of flat tires check the article we’ve written previously.