Do ebikes get more flats ?

[Taylor57]

If you haven't already, might be time to try some sealant in the tube. It cut the number of flats on my bikes to next to nothing, AND I don't have to add air to the tires often. They'll now go months between checks.....

As far as sealants, when should I re-add Slime? I last added when I bought the bikes new a couple of years ago...

 

[fooferdoggie]

Yes, your right. My experience for the last 7 or 8 years (going back previous to my e-bikes) must be totally my imagination, because some pea brain that's never tried it can't get his head wrapped around the concept.

tubes are pourus thats why they loose air also why they can stretch. sealant no matter what would only coat the outside even if it did stick like glue. so most of the surface will not be sealed. if the coating sealed the rubber pores then it would not expand very well. my tires need air the same with and without sealant of multiple types. some tubes leak less air then others. some can go a longtime some every week.

 

[teskow]

I can't see a logical reason an ebike should get more flats. One place to get more flats though is to ride in new construction areas and closer to the curb.

 

[PedalUma]

One factor is the quality of the tire. Another is with rear motors on a heavy bike they get pinch flats all the time in the rear. You might ask around about some Super Moto-X tires with Green Guard to get opinions from others. You could also have a spoke poke and that's no joke.

 

[J.R.]

Best argument for tubeless I've heard.

I use Schwalbe flat resistant tires and have never gotten a flat tire with them, so I haven't considered sealant or tubless. I have used Slime in tractor tires and the winter viscosity does affect the ride, but the tractor is in unheated storage. One would think heated storage and heat generated by riding would alleviate or minimize that issue.

 

[AHicks]

tubes are pourus thats why they loose air also why they can stretch. sealant no matter what would only coat the outside even if it did stick like glue. so most of the surface will not be sealed. if the coating sealed the rubber pores then it would not expand very well. my tires need air the same with and without sealant of multiple types. some tubes leak less air then others. some can go a longtime some every week.

Oh boy....
I do agree that bike tubes are porous. No argument there. And after trying numerous brands and qualities, My experience would indicate without sealant, they ALL leak.

When I'm installing sealant, I put it INSIDE the tube? If installed in sufficient quantity, the inside would be coated as the tire rolls, right? As the bike hits bumps the sealant is splashed, eventually coating the entire inside of the tube.

After going with the sealant, my tires that needed to be check weekly, went to the need every couple of months. They DO still need to be checked on occasion.

 

[AHicks]

As far as sealants, when should I re-add Slime? I last added when I bought the bikes new a couple of years ago...

I have no idea really. We still have our Espins too. I've seen no need to mess with them yet. Now that you bring it up, maybe adding a couple ounces to each might be a good idea?

 

[PedalUma]

I have gone years without a flat. 1) Good tires, 2) Liners, 3) Tubeless sealant in the tubes. Some people like Slime, I have found that it liquifies with time and is a mess to deal with when it does stop working. I ride bikes not cars and ride miles everyday. I have also been a bike commuter. The flat excuse is no excuse to an employer.

 

[Gordon71]

As far as sealants, when should I re-add Slime? I last added when I bought the bikes new a couple of years ago...

I believe the company says two years. I just removed a slimed tube the other day that was over two years old. Some slime oozed out when I removed the valve stem. It looked the same as when I put it in.

 

[Tars Tarkas]

Do you store the bike in a warm place? I don't ride in winter but if the bike were stored in sub freezing the thumping would make sense. If stored somewhere warm then I would assume just riding the bike would keep it from freezing no matter how cold.

That make sense but I hardly ever ride anywhere without racking my bike for at least a half hour or more on the back of my truck which counteracts a whole lot of heated storage. And my storage is minimally heated -- basically heated only enough to prevent things from freezing.

TT

 

[ruffruff]

Oh boy....
I do agree that bike tubes are porous. No argument there. And after trying numerous brands and qualities, My experience would indicate without sealant, they ALL leak.

When I'm installing sealant, I put it INSIDE the tube? If installed in sufficient quantity, the inside would be coated as the tire rolls, right? As the bike hits bumps the sealant is splashed, eventually coating the entire inside of the tube.

After going with the sealant, my tires that needed to be check weekly, went to the need every couple of months. They DO still need to be checked on occasion.

I have found the same thing. My tubeless setups require A LOT less regular topping off with air.
My new fat tire doesn't even have tape in it. But the wheel has a little raised pad and you use a little rubber gasket around the nipple. Haven't added any air in over a month.

 

[DaveMatthews]

Best argument for tubeless I've heard.

I use Schwalbe flat resistant tires and have never gotten a flat tire with them, so I haven't considered sealant or tubless. I have used Slime in tractor tires and the winter viscosity does affect the ride, but the tractor is in unheated storage. One would think heated storage and heat generated by riding would alleviate or minimize that issue.

I'm never going back to tubes.

 

[mschwett]

heavier bikes, wider tires, lots of flats. but, since they have motors … you can perhaps afford the extra rolling resistance caused by thick, heavy tires, armor, etc.

my lightweight electric road bike with tubeless 26-32mm tires (have used a few types) has never gotten a flat. my heavy commuter/errand e-bike with fat tires and tubes has gotten half a dozen, with about a third the mileage. they’re ridden on the same roads.

several factors there, not the least of which is that it’s a serious PITA to fix flats on the commuter, so of course nature creates more of them.

 

[antboy]

If you're going with tubes, I'd recommend FlatOut Sportsman formula.

It provides more robust puncture protection than Slime, costs less (though there's a markup on it lately) and will last 10+ years before needing to be changed out, probably due to the automotive nature of its origins.

Until recently, the company didn't even target the cycling communtiy, but it's worth looking into for a tubed setup.

 

[Jtac15]

If you're going with tubes, I'd recommend FlatOut Sportsman formula.

It provides more robust puncture protection than Slime, costs less (though there's a markup on it lately) and will last 10+ years before needing to be changed out, probably due to the automotive nature of its origins.

Until recently, the company didn't even target the cycling communtiy, but it's worth looking into for a tubed setup.

Can this be put in if you dont have a tube where you can remove the valve core?

 

[TrevorB]

Ive got well over 10k miles on reg bike with 5 flats or so. Only 3200 miles on ebike with 16-17 flats. Mostly staples and nails. Im gonna use the green slime recommended here. Funny thing i just bought a fat tire aventon aventure also and got a nail on second ride.

Better tires make big difference. Maxxis fasttracks just needed to look at glass to get a puncture. 25000kms on varies Schwable green guard tires and only 3-4 punctures. Make sure you have located source of puncture and remove it from tire before replacing tube.

 

[Dorkyman]

Bought a couple of Lectric XP 2.0st bikes last Christmas, within a few weeks put some FlatOut in all four tubes, haven't had to add air to the inner tubes since then (8 months). Tires are 20" x 3". As I recall I needed to temporarily remove the Schrader valves to get the sealant to go in easily.

I rode bikes all the time decades ago, but was rusty on current trends so I looked at some YouTube videos. It appeared to me that FlatOut was very much a "Slime 2.0" with significant improvements. So FlatOut it was.

These Lectric bikes are ridden a lot. Mostly suburbia, some gravel, some forest trails, lots of hills. Very happy with them and a bargain for the price.

 

[PedalUma]

I mark the tire on the right side at the valve and mark the right side of the valve. I will then remove the tube and pump it up calling the valve Twelve-O-clock and mark the puncture location on the tube. Then I correspond the leak to the tire and the rim. It could be anything from a roofing staple I need to pull to a spoke I need to cover with rim tape. We have some nasty little thorns here with one-way barbs. You can pick up 50 of them at once. They break off inside the tire were you cannot see them and they will keep driving inward,

 

[Gordon71]

If you already have slime in your tubes, is it OK to add flat out?

 

[Rockroy]

Can this be put in if you dont have a tube where you can remove the valve core?

You can. I did it on two of my more recent tubes before putting them on the tire.
If you want to fill your current tubes, you have to take the tubes out of the wheel. You take a pair of needlenose or other small pliers and untwist the knurled knob. It takes a little effort, but it will come off. The plunger will fall into the tube if you let it drop. I pulled it and held it to the side of the valve opening in place between my fingers. Then added the slime. If you dropped the plunger in the tube, you have to feel for it and massage it back to the valve. And then shoved the plunger back up the valve. Then threaded the knurled knob back on.

Sounds a lot more challenging than it actually is. But it's either that of get new tubes with removable core, which means you'd have to pull the tube any ways.