Fixing a Flat

mgilbert

mgilbert

New Member
Region
USA
City
Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
After over 400 miles on my new Ride1Up 700, I had a rear tire flat today. No big deal, I thought. I was wrong. Luckily, I was yards from work, so I took the bike into my air conditioned work area. The bike has 27.5" x 2.4" Schwalbe puncture resistant tires. Breaking the bead from the wheel was only moderately difficult, but getting the bead over the edge of the wheel was damned near impossible. It took me a good half hour to get enough of the tire over the edge of the rim so I could get to the tube. I found the hole, patched it, and then spent another half hour getting that one side of the tire back onto the wheel - it took a lot of force, and my hands still hurt. Yes, I have several of those standard plastic tools everyone uses for this job, and I've done this dozens of times with racing bike tires. I could not believe how difficult this was - and I'm 6' 1", 190 pounds, and reasonably fit and strong! I cannot imagine doing this in 90° heat on the side of the road. Thank goodness I had a fan on me, and an air compressor handy.

Am I doing something wrong???
 
I use Kenda 2.1" knobby tires when I can get them. The most recent purchase from modernbike.com, none were in stock. I had to order a more expensive Panaracer FIre XC, then when that popped off the rim after 3 miles, I found Giant knobby tires at the LBS. Knobbies don't go flat as long as the knobs are thicker than 3/32". I change them then, after 2500 miles and 18 months. I don't use slime, which plugs up the shrader valve & prevents inflation after a year. I use $7 schwinn tubes from the grocery and an electrical tape liner over the spoke nipples. Stem hole is deburred with a round file, and spokes that protrude are filed down.
I find those plastic toy tools rediculous. I have always used two 5/16" or 3/8" steel flat blade screwdrivers with a 6" to 12" shank. Plenty of leverage to pry the wire over the rim. My father taught me to do that, and in 63 years I don't see a reason to downgrade to a toy tool. Don't push the blade in too far; it could pinch the tube. I keep the screwdrivers & other tools in a metal kids pencil box that I replaced the toy latch with glued on velcro.
 
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Some tires are worse than others. It is not something I would carry on the bike, but they do make a tool for putting these difficult tires back on called a tire bead jack.
 
Plus tires strech a bit. when I got new rim and put a new tire I am used to dealing with on that rim it was a battle. but when I did the front that had a tire with a couple thousand miles on it it was much easier like normal.
 
Pro tip: break the bead all the way around the circumference of the wheel on the side you want to remove. On the opposite side of where you want to lift the bead over the rim, squeeze the tire and tube so that the bead on that side is a good distance (at least 1cm, preferably a lot more) from the rim. The tire bead on the opposite side should clear the rim easily. To put the tire back on reverse the process. A lot of times you can get the rim off of the wheel (and back on) this way even without tire levers.
 
You aren't doing anything wrong. Tubeless rims in particular, where they have to seal tightly, can be very difficult coupled to a tubeless tire especially. Or at least thats been true with my tires and wheels.

A couple things:

1. Carry some kind of low grade lubricant with you. This can be as low grade as a sliver of bar soap. Use it to rub onto the inside of the tire wall opposite the bead so - when you are stretching and heaving the tire back onto the rim, it can slide a bit. I personally use Dawn dish soap and I have had to learn to be very careful so I don't grease my fingers and make the job undoable as a result. But... some lube (that will not affect the tire long term) is a big help. I have purchased little teeny bottles that I can carry on the road with me. The little glass 1-2 oz craft project bottles that you have to buy 20 of on Amazon. At least they are cheap.

2. On the side of the road you may have to improvise. On these really difficult tire/rim combos, I have learned to... take off my shoes. Use both hands to try and force the tire over the rim. Thatys a given, right? Your feet can help hold the damn tire down and on as you work your way forward with two hands and two levers. Yes really. I've found that at home with carpet underfoot this works well too.

I have had zero luck with tire bead jacks, unfortunately. But that doesn't mean your tire/rim choices will not be conducive to one.
 
mgilbert said:
After over 400 miles on my new Ride1Up 700, I had a rear tire flat today. No big deal, I thought. I was wrong. Luckily, I was yards from work, so I took the bike into my air conditioned work area. The bike has 27.5" x 2.4" Schwalbe puncture resistant tires. Breaking the bead from the wheel was only moderately difficult, but getting the bead over the edge of the wheel was damned near impossible. It took me a good half hour to get enough of the tire over the edge of the rim so I could get to the tube. I found the hole, patched it, and then spent another half hour getting that one side of the tire back onto the wheel - it took a lot of force, and my hands still hurt. Yes, I have several of those standard plastic tools everyone uses for this job, and I've done this dozens of times with racing bike tires. I could not believe how difficult this was - and I'm 6' 1", 190 pounds, and reasonably fit and strong! I cannot imagine doing this in 90° heat on the side of the road. Thank goodness I had a fan on me, and an air compressor handy.

Am I doing something wrong???
Click to expand...
I had my LBS install Tannus Armour in my tires and no longer worry about flats.
Tannus Armour (tannusamerica.com)
 
Yes. As said, break the whole bead, both sides. Then proceed to get one of the beads outside the rim, then go for the tube. Also once you have a tool inside the first bead, and some lubricant*, you should be able to hold the bead outside, and slide the tool around the rim and get the rest of the bead outside the rim.

Also those "puncture proof", "armor +" type tires have stiff sidewalls. They are less pliable, harder to work with and roll worse than lighter sidewall tires. Armour will be even worse performance. People use them, but I would rather roll 15% better with fast supple tires. They just ride better, control, turns, acceleration etc.

To get back on, use some sort of "lubricant". *I have a spray bottle of soapy water, the most common solution. If I had to do it road side, I would use my water bottle water. The rubber will not slide on easily when dry. The bead is supposed to seal, for tubeless configurations, so they are tacky and tight when dry.
 
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Curious why no one recommended setting up the tire tubeless? Most modern e-bikes likely come with tubeless-ready rims and tires(?). A little sealant inside prevents many/most flats by sealing thorn punctures, glass shard and wire punctures, etc., and greatly reduce the chance you'll be removing a wheel from your bike. If a puncture is not sealing immediately, then spinning the wheel (on the bike) and pumping some extra air in, and spinning again, usually seals it, and you're on your way. I'm new to the e- side of bicycles so maybe there're reasons I'm not aware of why people don't set up e-bikes tubeless, if indeed they don't(?).
 
stw said:
Curious why no one recommended setting up the tire tubeless? Most modern e-bikes likely come with tubeless-ready rims and tires(?). A little sealant inside prevents many/most flats by sealing thorn punctures, glass shard and wire punctures, etc., and greatly reduce the chance you'll be removing a wheel from your bike. If a puncture is not sealing immediately, then spinning the wheel (on the bike) and pumping some extra air in, and spinning again, usually seals it, and you're on your way. I'm new to the e- side of bicycles so maybe there're reasons I'm not aware of why people don't set up e-bikes tubeless, if indeed they don't(?).
Click to expand...
not most e bikes. Plus it is hard to do yourself getting the tire seated for the first time. its not a practical option for a bike you get in a box. plus not a perfect system you have to change the liquid sealer at least once a year. it can be tricky to reseat the tire. most e bikes are cheap with cheap rims and tires.
 
fooferdoggie said:
not most e bikes. Plus it is hard to do yourself getting the tire seated for the first time. its not a practical option for a bike you get in a box. plus not a perfect system you have to change the liquid sealer at least once a year. it can be tricky to reseat the tire. most e bikes are cheap with cheap rims and tires.
Click to expand...
Once the tire is seated once with a tube, if the rims and tires are tubeless ready, once one puts on the tape, if is pretty easy to go tubeless. One does not have to change the sealant. I have never have, it holds until I wear out the tire.

STW: I am not sure. I think most e-bikes owners are not that sophisticated bike users. Many are, but many are not. And the e-bike builds can be pretty random so the rims are often OEM rebrands.

I run tubeless on two Moustache gravel rides. Works great running Gravel King SK 38 and 40s
 
stw said:
Curious why no one recommended setting up the tire tubeless? Most modern e-bikes likely come with tubeless-ready rims and tires(?). A little sealant inside prevents many/most flats by sealing thorn punctures, glass shard and wire punctures, etc., and greatly reduce the chance you'll be removing a wheel from your bike. If a puncture is not sealing immediately, then spinning the wheel (on the bike) and pumping some extra air in, and spinning again, usually seals it, and you're on your way. I'm new to the e- side of bicycles so maybe there're reasons I'm not aware of why people don't set up e-bikes tubeless, if indeed they don't(?).
Click to expand...
This applies equally to tires with tubes. "A little sealant inside prevents many/most flats by sealing thorn punctures, glass shard and wire punctures, etc., and greatly reduce the chance you'll be removing a wheel from your bike." Just add some Slime, or other sealant to your tubed tires. Voila!

TT
 
Tars Tarkas said:
This applies equally to tires with tubes. "A little sealant inside prevents many/most flats by sealing thorn punctures, glass shard and wire punctures, etc., and greatly reduce the chance you'll be removing a wheel from your bike." Just add some Slime, or other sealant to your tubed tires. Voila!

TT
Click to expand...
+1 but I'd recommend Orange Seal or Stans instead.
 
Luto said:
Once the tire is seated once with a tube, if the rims and tires are tubeless ready, once one puts on the tape, if is pretty easy to go tubeless. One does not have to change the sealant. I have never have, it holds until I wear out the tire.

STW: I am not sure. I think most e-bikes owners are not that sophisticated bike users. Many are, but many are not. And the e-bike builds can be pretty random so the rims are often OEM rebrands.

I run tubeless on two Moustache gravel rides. Works great running Gravel King SK 38 and 40s
Click to expand...
everyone including shops say change the sealant because it dries out.
 
Luto said:
It is probably the right thing, but here in the Pacific NW, drying out is not that common 😅
Click to expand...
You're probably both right-- I'm in a dry mountain west environment and most sealants do dry out, but people coming here from east coast or NW report they never had to top up sealant.

It's true there are multiple reasons to not do tubeless or sealant: the mess when you change tires or if a bead blows, the need to get compressor skills to seat tires, the need for removable valve cores and adding sealant... But for anyone having somewhat regular punctures, or who lives in an area with goathead thorns, or who really does not want to have to remove a rear wheel....the advantages so far outweigh the disadvantages it becomes a no-brainer.
 
mgilbert said:
After over 400 miles on my new Ride1Up 700, I had a rear tire flat today. No big deal, I thought. I was wrong. Luckily, I was yards from work, so I took the bike into my air conditioned work area. The bike has 27.5" x 2.4" Schwalbe puncture resistant tires. Breaking the bead from the wheel was only moderately difficult, but getting the bead over the edge of the wheel was damned near impossible. It took me a good half hour to get enough of the tire over the edge of the rim so I could get to the tube. I found the hole, patched it, and then spent another half hour getting that one side of the tire back onto the wheel - it took a lot of force, and my hands still hurt. Yes, I have several of those standard plastic tools everyone uses for this job, and I've done this dozens of times with racing bike tires. I could not believe how difficult this was - and I'm 6' 1", 190 pounds, and reasonably fit and strong! I cannot imagine doing this in 90° heat on the side of the road. Thank goodness I had a fan on me, and an air compressor handy.

Am I doing something wrong???
Click to expand...
Schwables can be really tight for the 1st change, but the bead gets easier with repeat changes. Be4 I
insert the tire lever I spray a little WD-40 along the edge of the rim. It helps, but it can still be a fight.
 
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